As Mayor Alan M. Arakawa has said, “As we sew lei together, we express our gratitude for their service, and for the many ways these men and women helped shape the community we live in today, ‘Blossoms for the Brave’ is a wonderful opportunity to meet up with old friends and neighbors as we remember our fallen heroes who gave their lives to serve our country.”
For the past five years, the Maui community has come together on the Friday before Memorial Day to participate in a lei-making event in order to make more than 2,846 lei for all the veterans’ graves at Maui Veterans Cemetery in Makawao.
This year the event will take place on Friday, May 25, from 9am – noon on the front lawn of the Kalana O Maui (County) Building in Wailuku.
Korean War Veteran Warren Nishida (right) salutes 2017 Blossoms event accomplishments by volunteers (right).
The free event is co-hosted by Kaunoa Senior Services, a division of the Maui County Department of Housing and Human Concerns, and the Office of Mayor Alan Arakawa. It will feature live entertainment, ti leaf lei-making instruction, and the opportunity to contribute to a noble cause. Kaunoa spearheads the event to remind the community and educate youth that Memorial Day is a time to honor and reflect upon the sacrifices made by Americans in combat, a solemn occasion marked by ceremony and prayer.
Numerous community partners help assure a successful event, including the Maui Korean War Veterans, AARP Hawaii, Kihei Youth Center, and Hale Makua residents, staff and volunteers. Also vital to the realization of the greater goal are Kaunoa’s own program participants at the Congregate Nutrition Centers and Leisure/Wellness programs throughout Maui County, including West Maui Senior Center, Hana, Lāna‘i, and Moloka‘i. Homebound seniors in Kaunoa’s Meals on Wheels and Assisted Transportation programs are encouraged to participate by contributing flowers from their yards and gardens, giving them a sense of pride and keeping them connected to community.
Volunteers with the Retired & Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) help in every aspect of this major undertaking, from planning logistics and teaching lei-making classes in advance of the event, to the flower donation awareness campaign and publicity, to collection and preparation of flowers, greenery, and ti leaves on event day.
Parking and a free shuttle to the County Building will be available from the Ichiro “Iron” Maehara Baseball Stadium parking lot.
As Mayor Alan M. Arakawa has said, “As we sew lei together, we express our gratitude for their service, and for the many ways these men and women helped shape the community we live in today, ‘Blossoms for the Brave’ is a wonderful opportunity to meet up with old friends and neighbors as we remember…
Most of us recognize the importance of establishing a legal will to document and ensure that our material goods are passed on to the persons and/or causes of our choice. But how many of us have written comparable documents to ensure that our values and beliefs, our parting thoughts and wishes, also are documented and passed on to those we love?
The tradition of ethical wills provides guidance for writing such documents. Sometimes called legacy letters, ethical wills provide a way to transmit one’s life lessons, feelings, and final thoughts to future generations. There is no format or right way to write one. It might contain family history and stories; expressions of blessings and love or perhaps forgiveness; articulation of cultural and spiritual values, traditions, and beliefs; validation of pride in children and grandchildren and hopes for their future well-being; expressions of gratitude and requests for ways one would like to be remembered — all the cherished intangibles, the knowledge and wisdom accumulated over a lifetime, to be preserved and shared with those most dear. Your ethical will might be of far greater value to your descendants than your legal will.
How do you write an ethical will? Again, there is no one right way to do it. You might start by thinking of the most important events in your life and experiences or persons of greatest significance. Why did the events or people hold such import? When have you felt most happy, content, worthy? Can you see common elements or patterns in these memories? What are the life lessons that you want to share and underscore to those you love?
The process of writing an ethical will or legacy letter is similar to writing a life review. The act of identifying, documenting, and reflecting on the most important elements of a lifetime helps to put things in perspective and find meaning in one’s existence. Both have the potential to foster and promote personal growth. The ethical will differs from a life review in that it goes beyond reflection and review; its primary purpose is to share the outcome of that review with those who matter.
One of my favorite examples of an ethical will was presented as a lecture, given by Randy Pausch, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University who died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 47. He shared his life lessons with his students in the moving, witty, and profound “The Last Lecture: Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams,” which is available on YouTube: www.bit.ly/LectureVideo.
One need not be at the end of life to write an ethical will. It is just as relevant to review and evaluate one’s life at times of major transitions and share those reflections with those closely impacted by that transition. An excellent example of such a legacy letter was written by Barack Obama, “A Letter to My Daughters,” penned at the start of his presidency, January 18, 2009, available online: www.bit.ly/LifeLegacies.
Most of us recognize the importance of establishing a legal will to document and ensure that our material goods are passed on to the persons and/or causes of our choice. But how many of us have written comparable documents to ensure that our values and beliefs, our parting thoughts and wishes, also are documented and…
As a Medicare educator and radio host, it’s my passion to keep up with changes that impact Medicare beneficiaries. My radio listening audience is well into their 60s and 70s and octogenarians listen, too. Some are ’69 and ’70 graduates of Roosevelt, Kalani, Kaimuki, and McKinley high schools. Each year, they sponsor “Battle of the Bands” reunion dances with live music. The dancing goes on for hours.
The energy and enthusiasm always bring me to my feet. I am younger but can hardly keep up on the dance floor. One or two dances and I have to sit back and watch all the fun.
If you have ever shared that feeling, then it is worth checking out if your Medicare plan covers an exercise program or movement class that will help you hold your own on the dance floor.
Call your doctor and schedule your free Medicare annual wellness visit. Ask if you can start an exercise program. Then rejuvenate and put a “spring” back in your step!
MEDICARE MOMENT WITH MARTHA
A radio program with Martha Khlopin
KHNR-690AM: Sat., 2 pm–2:30 pm, Sun., 9:30 am–10 am 808-230-3379 | getmartha@aol.com
As a Medicare educator and radio host, it’s my passion to keep up with changes that impact Medicare beneficiaries. My radio listening audience is well into their 60s and 70s and octogenarians listen, too. Some are ’69 and ’70 graduates of Roosevelt, Kalani, Kaimuki, and McKinley high schools. Each year, they sponsor “Battle of the Bands”…
A living and vibrant culture rests on two bedrock foundations: a living language, and land that reveres places connected to the history, beliefs and hopes of its people. One of the people at the nexus of language revival in Hawai‘i is Dr. Marvin Puakea Nogelmeier, PhD, Professor of Hawaiian Language at the University of Hawai‘i, Mānoa; Po‘o/Director of The UH Institute of Hawaiian Language Research and Translation; the Director of UH Sea Grant’s Center for Integrated Science, Knowledge, and Culture; and the Executive Director of Awaiaulu. He calls himself an “unlikely” person to have become a Hawaiian cultural expert, but his works say otherwise. His life work has built mightily on the foundations that his mentors lovingly shared with him; his many students are equipped to steward the language and knowledge into the future.
Hawaiian Cultural Renaissance
By 1970, there were so few fluent speakers that the language was in danger of becoming extinct within a generation. The Hawaiian Dictionary, by Pukui and Elbert, “Hawaiian Astronomy” by Professor Rubellite Johnson, and histories by S.M. Kamakau and J.P. ʻĪʻī and others were archival reference materials. The oral tradition had been all but lost, and schools were teaching “about” the Hawaiian language.
A movement to teach children to speak Hawaiian resulted in Pūnana Leo preschools, Hawaiian Immersion Schools (K-12), and cultural reference materials like Māmaka Kaiao: A Modern Hawaiian Vocabulary, through University of Hawai‘i Press. Some of us have been fortunate to hear a kupuna mānaleo (native-speaking elder) fluently tell the story of his birthplace and recite the genealogy of his ancestors, but soon their voices will be heard only on audio tapes.
Is the revival strategy working? A couple of weeks ago, in a local restaurant, I sat next to a large table of college students celebrating a birthday. Their joyful conversation was entirely in Hawaiian, although the group was ethnically diverse. Yes, Hawaiian language is growing again! Immersion school teachers now instruct the children of their first students, who speak Hawaiian at home!
Climbing up from near extinction required bold moves by dedicated elders, linguists and teachers — with the cooperation and resolve of many students and volunteers. In 1972, 18-year-old Marvin Nogelmeier was on a walkabout trip to Japan, stopping on O‘ahu for the weekend — and 46 years later, this self-described “optimist” has built upon and freely shared the knowledge, wisdom and culture that his mentors and teachers entrusted to him. The result is the ascendancy of Hawaiian culture for all of us.
Puakea – White Flower and Fair Child
Dr. Nogelmeier is not Hawaiian, but his resonant baritone voice narrates significant documentaries about Hawaiian culture. When we ride TheBus in Honolulu, he announces every stop along the route. His fluency and clear pronunciation reach out to a broad public base, and his translation and interpretation projects are quietly moving the language renaissance to a new level.
He says that being a Haole has both disadvantage and advantage. “Sometimes I am isolated,” he says with a smile, “but with that comes a certain kind of freedom and flexibility. In a sense, I got to pick my own ‘family’ of mentors and we all get along.”
The story of his mentors and how he applied the knowledge that they shared is quite remarkable. Young Nogelmeier first found work in Wai‘anae as a goldsmith and quickly made friends among local crafters and cultural practitioners. His affinity for the arts and native curiosity led him to join Mililani Allen’s first men’s class in her hula school, Hālau Hula o Mililani.
“Hula was life-changing for me. The girls’ class was an hour long but the boys’ class lasted four to five hours. We were empty calabashes that Mililani wanted to fill with knowledge of the songs, chants and motions we performed. She opened the doorway for us to learn Hawaiian ways, including language, chant and beliefs. Mililani’s teacher, Aunty Maiki Aiu Lake, gave me one of her own names, Puakea, which means white flower and fair child,” he says.
Before long, Nogelmeier was learning to chant under the tutelage of two icons of Hawaiian Studies, Aunty Edith Kawelohea McKinzie, author of Hawaiian Genealogies and Aunty Edith Kanaka‘ole, Kumu Hula, chanter, and Nā Hōkū Hanohano award composer.
Discovering Mentorship — The Hawaiian Teaching Method
“I remember one day in the middle of chant presentation an older man came over and spoke to me in Hawaiian. When I apologized that I didn’t speak the language, he then asked, ‘You are saying the words correctly, but how do you know what you are chanting? How can you know how well you did?’
“Uncle Luka Kanaka‘ole’s compliment and question made me want to learn Hawaiian. Auntie Edith McKinzie offered to teach me and some other chant students basic language in a weekly back-porch session. Soon after, I found someone to study under. June Gutmanis, a researcher in Hawaiian culture, had Mr. Theodore Kelsey living with her, a Hawaiian speaker who helped June with her translations and interpretation of Hawaiian writings. Kelsey was born in Washington state in 1891 and his mother, hired as a teacher, brought him to Hilo in 1892. ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i was still in common use for business, government and daily life, and as Mr. Kelsey said, ‘If you wanted to have friends, you learned to speak Hawaiian.’”
When Nogelmeier asked Mr. Kelsey to teach him Hawaiian, Kelsey replied, “No; I am not a teacher.” His main interest was to translate and interpret the “Kumu Lipo,” an expansive Hawaiian creation and genealogy chant that takes many hours to recite.
The next week at June’s house, Nogelmeier greeted Mr. Kelsey properly with, “Aloha kāua,” and Kelsey responded with some long sentences in Hawaiian.
“I didn’t get it all, but answered what I could,” says Nogelmeier. “For Hawaiians, protocol and how things are approached are as important as the message. By simply attempting to ‘talk story,’ I had demonstrated my intention to learn and opened the door to a mentoring relationship that lasted nearly a decade.”
Nogelmeier calls all his teachers “mentors,” because this one-on-one coaching method is the Hawaiian model for teaching. Learning and teaching depend on social relevancy and “chemistry” that encourage a flow of knowledge and insight. When teacher and student find one another through a shared interest or goal, the outcome is positive.
Nogelmeier attributes his deep interest and skills as a translator to Theodore Kelsey, whom he describes as a Victorian gentleman.
“He would not translate for June any passages that he considered sexual, political or vulgar, but he would go through them with me. I would then share them with June for her research. It was a working triangle that preserved the literature as it was written. Mr. Kelsey was also a fine photographer who documented Lili‘uokalani’s funeral in 1917. His love for language and history led him to dedicate his life to preserving important Hawaiian literature — documenting, translating and interpreting became his life mission,” says Nogelmeier.
Becoming a Kumu ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i (Hawaiian Language Teacher)
In 1978, Nogelmeier was 25 years old and learning Hawaiian from one of the then-rare fluent speakers. His friends could not understand his interest in Hawaiian culture, but he pursued a degree at Leeward Community College, where he studied under Noelani Loesch. She strongly encouraged his work with Mr. Kelsey, linking it into the university classroom.
Dr. Nogelmeier’s Awaiaulu translation project uses Skype to connect O‘ahu, Moloka‘i, Maui, Hawai‘i, and Aotearoa/New Zealand. L–R: Ha‘alilio Solomon, Keawe Goodhue, Ka‘iuokalani Damas, Puakea Nogelmeier (standing), Kamuela Yim, Kalikoaloha Martin.Two out of 100 newspapers published in old Hawaiian.
“There were so many who taught me along the way, but the discipline learned under Theodore Kelsey’s tutelage allows me to do my work today. We would spend the first hour translating a passage of chant, but many more hours researching all the places names, mythical references, connotations of words and phrases, and the personal aspects of author style and story line. For Mr. Kelsey, a complete interpretation required deep analysis.”
Puakea excelled at language and for three and a half decades, he has been teaching the Hawaiian language at the university level. Many of the Hawaiian Immersion teachers who trained under him are now training new teachers.
Unlocking the Gate to Hawaiian History
A revived Hawaiian language began to grow in the university and in charter schools throughout Hawai‘i. Words for modern developments were coined, like lolo uila (electric brain) for “computer” and leka uila (electric letter) for email. But all the Hawaiian literature written in the 1800s by authors who knew the stories of the great chiefs was difficult to access, even by Hawaiian speakers. Less than 3 percent had been translated into English, and there were only a few Hawaiian trained translators. While language teachers were fluent in modern classroom language, they had never been encouraged to develop the skills to translate old writings. And translation is a full-time job that requires intense focus.
“The other issue is that Hawaiian language we use today in the university setting is different from the language written down 150 years ago. We do not speak English the way our grandparents did. Hawaiian is the same,” says Nogelmeier.
The Hawaiian Newspaper Initiative
In 2001, the Hawaiian Newspaper Initiative was born. Although the Hawaiian language was an oral tradition before 1820, the Sandwich Isles Missionaries worked with Hawaiians to codify the Hawaiian alphabet, learned the language, and joined in teaching Hawaiians to read and write. By mid-century, Hawai‘i was one of the most literate nations on earth. Between 1834 and 1948, 100 different Hawaiian-language newspapers published over 125,000 pages, 76,000 of which were preserved, archived and indexed on microfilm. The deteriorating microfilm could not be searched by keyword. Therefore, the newspaper initiative sought to transcribe all the newspaper stories and ads into searchable Hawaiian-language digital print files. The body of literature was immense — equivalent to more than 1 million letter-sized pages of copy. The transcription process of typing each page was slow going.
In 2011, a huge public awareness campaign called “‘Ike Kū‘oko‘a: Liberating Knowledge,” recruited 7,500 volunteers in 12 countries to transcribe newspaper pages. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs also provided funds to have newspapers electronically scanned, so by the end of 2012, all the extant newspaper archives were digitized and searchable, by Hawaiian keyword. Nevertheless, only a few Hawaiian-speaking researchers were able to read and understand primary source records like these. Others were relying on poor English translations because that was all they had.
Preserving Knowledge
In 2003, while finishing his Ph.D., “Mai Pa‘a i Ka Leo,” (don’t restrict the historical voice) Nogelmeier was asked a profound question by his former student Dwayne Nakila Steele, owner of Grace Pacific Corporation: “Are we preserving language or preserving knowledge?” Obviously, the two are connected. Language expresses knowledge, and knowledge is the basis for the ideas language expresses. Nakila was really asking, “Does preserving the language do enough? Don’t we have to preserve the historical ideas and knowledge so that the modern language has a cultural foundation to rest upon?”
Puakea Nogelmeier approaches challenges in much the same way ancient Hawaiians did: Problem-solving is an intellectual sport — melding tried and true methods with creative alternatives to produce a practical outcome. He looks for simple answers, never takes his eye off the goal, and delights in the process along the way. This time, he applied Hawaiian mentoring to the problem of developing a large team of translators.
Nakila’s Dream: Awaiaulu: Hawaiian Literature Project
In 2004, Puakea and Nakila collaborated to create a stable of skilled Hawaiian translators who could, over time, confidently translate nearly all the Hawaiian newspaper body of literature.
Mentoring takes an extraordinary commitment by both mentor and student. Puakea created the program as a stand-alone nonprofit organization and began mentoring two interns, who would learn a method of translation and interpretation he distilled from Kelsey and others like Sarah Nākoa and Kamuela Kumukahi. Nakila funded the interns for two years. Candidates had excellent language skills with demonstrated work in the Hawaiian language. Their training now focused on the process of translation and interpretation of small chunks of the huge literature archive. Interns graduated to became “resource people,” qualified to both translate and also mentor more interns.
Four years ago, Kalei Kawa‘a of Moloka‘i Hawaiian Immersion School and Kamuela Yim, a teacher who is now with the DOE’s Office of Hawaiian Education, became translator trainees for Awaiaulu.
“When they tackle a story, trainees may spend one hour drafting a line-by-line translation of a selection written by Samuel Manaiakalani Kamakau, and then work four more hours smoothing and contextualizing the story,” says Nogelmeier.
Although Hawaiian vocabulary is quite precise, words may have different connotations or meanings depending on how they are used within a sentence pattern. Translation relies heavily on context. Analyzing word choice, sentence construction and references to places, nature, persons, practices and legends are critical. To add to the complexity, Hawaiians prized authors who crafted double meanings, wordplay and poetic references. Translators must explore all levels of meaning and note them for the reader. When you read a Hawaiian story, always read the editor’s notes.
“From these small beginnings we now have 18 people mentoring trainers, training translators or learning how to be a translator,” says Nogelmeier.
A Legacy of Knowledge and Language
Now, the number of translators and persons skilled at presenting newly-translated Hawaiian literature is increasing exponentially. Many famous stories about pre-contact Hawai‘i were published in Hawaiian newspapers as weekly or monthly columns. When a full story is translated, Awaiaulu publishes it as a book, available to the public. Nogelmeier’s translation of Ka Mo’olelo O Hi’iakaikapoliopele: As Told by Ho’oulumahiehie was published in 2013 and earned several literary awards. See all their publications at www.Awaiaulu.org.
The successful mentoring program at Awaialua is preserving Hawaiian literature and knowledge for our entire community.
Dr. Nogelmeier recalls the time when Mr. Kelsey, then 89 years of age, said to June Gutmanis, ‘I think Puakea will carry on my work.’”
If Samuel Kamakau, prolific author of 19th century Hawaiian nūpepa articles, were alive he might close this story this way:
Oh reader, whether you interpret the great translator’s statement as wishful thinking, a sideways request or a prophetical vision, the outcome and manifestation are clear. No more will the stories, legends and myths — nay, the stories of our great chiefs that thrilled our great-grandparents’ hearts — be hidden away. Our children will delight in the celebrations, political intrigue, dirges and simple stories of farmers and fishers who loved this ‘āina before them.
Pīpī holo ka‘ao. (So the story goes)
2018: Year of the Hawaiian
This year is a good time to read a Hawaiian story, or learn Hawaiian language. Ask your local immersion school about community adult classes, or inquire at your local senior center. It’s a fun mental exercise for brain health, and a way to learn the history and culture of the land we love.
A living and vibrant culture rests on two bedrock foundations: a living language, and land that reveres places connected to the history, beliefs and hopes of its people. One of the people at the nexus of language revival in Hawai‘i is Dr. Marvin Puakea Nogelmeier, PhD, Professor of Hawaiian Language at the University of Hawai‘i,…
I am honored that Marian University accepted me into the Masters of Thanatology program this past Fall. “Thanatology? What is that?” is the common remark I hear when I tell people of my new adventure.
A thanatologist is a designated thinker about death. They help people die better than they otherwise might.
I believe every estate-planning attorney is a thanatologist. But we, like many of our clients, allow the underbrush of life, such as tax and probate, to cover up what we really face — our mortality.
In his book, A Commonsense Book of Death: Reflections at Ninety of a Lifelong Thanatologist, Dr. Edward Shneidman sets out 10 Criteria for a Good Death (page 132). Of the 10 criteria, two directly relate to estate planning.
First, it is common sense and good manners to complete the administrative chores associated with death, specifically to have a certified will and, if possible, a living trust. “Every responsible adult should assist his loved ones by doing these thanatological chores.”
Dr. Shneidman refers to the second criteria that directly relates to estate planning as “generative.” He states that a good death has a quality of being generative because, living between your parents and grandchildren, you take pains to relay family stories to the younger generation before you die.
Please consider taking on this thanatological chore of making your estate plan. Take the time to pass on family stories.
Stephen B. Yim, Attorney at Law
2054 S. Beretania St., Honolulu HI 96826
I am honored that Marian University accepted me into the Masters of Thanatology program this past Fall. “Thanatology? What is that?” is the common remark I hear when I tell people of my new adventure. A thanatologist is a designated thinker about death. They help people die better than they otherwise might. I believe every…
On average, I get one to three calls a day from the public seeking advice about elder abuse. Fortunately, only about 20 percent of the calls involve matters needing my office’s involvement. The rest are from people that see “elder abuse” in our name and hope we can help with their situation. It is a learning experience for me as I research various resources available to seniors. (These are real calls with minor facts changed to protect the identity.)
“Hi. My wife has spent over $30,000 on a gifting program. She doesn’t think it is a scam but she has given these people a lot of money and hasn’t gotten anything in return. I think it is pyramid scam.”
Pyramid/Gifting Scams are considered investment frauds and can be reported to the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) office at 1-877 HI-SCAMS (1-877-447-2267). Additionally, you can report it to the Financial Crimes Unit at the Honolulu Police Department (HPD) at 808-732-3609.
“I want to report a timeshare company that signed up my dad. He didn’t know what he was signing and wants to get out of the contract. He is on a fixed income and should have never been qualified to make the purchase.”
For complaints against individual companies, DCCA’s Consumer Protection Division (808-587-4272) can investigate claims and seek civil restitution in certain instances.
“We just discovered that my brother stole $20,000 from my dad, but he doesn’t want to do anything about it. What can we do?”
This is a common call we get, and unfortunately, if the victim — the parent — doesn’t want to prosecute, law enforcement can’t really get involved (in most situations).
“Can someone from your office speak to our group about elder abuse?”
Yes. We have done over 400 presentations to various senior groups and organizations in the past 10 years.
“I live in the mainland and just discovered my father gave over $400,000 to two men he hired to do some house repairs. He says they are nice men who bring him lunch when they stop by. He doesn’t believe they are con men and doesn’t want the police involved.”
This is similar to the situation above concerning the son stealing from the dad. If he doesn’t want to prosecute the matter, the police can do very little.
What we see happen a lot is that the children will berate the parent to the point that the parent will stop speaking to the child. This then allows the con artist free rein to continue taking advantage of the senior. I caution children to adopt a non-judgement tone with their folks in order to get more information regarding the situation. In this situation, the daughter was able to convince her dad that these men didn’t have the father’s best interest at heart, and he allowed law enforcement to get involved.
On average, I get one to three calls a day from the public seeking advice about elder abuse. Fortunately, only about 20 percent of the calls involve matters needing my office’s involvement. The rest are from people that see “elder abuse” in our name and hope we can help with their situation.
Disney theme parks receive millions of visitors each year. Many park-goers repeat their visits annually, if not more often. Most of the time, their visits are routine (or as routine as they can be in a magical place). From time to time, however, guests do the unexpected. Disney cast members have a code language they use when referring to unusual events. The purpose of the code is to avoid alarming other guests. For example, if someone vomits on property, Disney staff refer to it as a “protein spill.” A particularly rude or difficult visitor is referred to as a “treasured guest.” The phrase, “Have a magical day,” even when uttered with a Disney smile, can mean the opposite when a guest has been especially troublesome.
One Disney code phrase is particularly interesting. A “white powder event” might sound like a staff member has discovered illegal drugs on property or there was a potentially dangerous chemical spill from which guests must be shielded. However, the phrase is used when someone attempts to spread the ashes of a deceased loved one on park premises. Many people ask to have their ashes spread at places that hold treasured memories for them, and Disney theme parks are not the exclusive venue for these requests.
More often than you realize, human ashes are scattered covertly at sports stadiums, concert halls and golf courses. Of course, these activities are inappropriate, and they are generally unlawful.
Disposing of your cremated remains on your own private property is generally not a problem, at least within the United States. Each state has its own laws when it comes to the practice, and federal laws and regulations apply when remains are scattered within the ambit of federal jurisdiction. Not surprisingly (as every Disney cast member knows), many people proceed without checking the applicable rules. While a “white powder event” may go unnoticed, it is important to realize it can be the subject of criminal prosecution.
In Hawai‘i and other states blessed with beautiful coastal areas, it is common for ashes to be scattered at sea. While this is a beautiful gesture, it may violate the federal Clean Water Act, which requires cremated remains be scattered at least three nautical miles from land in water that is at least 800 feet deep. This means no scattering at beaches or wading pools. On top of this, the EPA requires 30 days advance notice of a scattering at sea. If you have lived in Hawai‘i for any length of time, you know that these rules are rarely observed or enforced. However, this does not give anyone license to flout the law.
If you would like your ashes to be spread somewhere special after you pass away, get advice from your attorney as you complete your estate plan. That way, you can tailor your request to ensure that none of your loved ones will end up in jail for carrying out your wishes.
SCOTT MAKUAKANE, Counselor at Law
Focusing exclusively on estate planning and trust law.
Many people ask to have their ashes spread at places that hold treasured memories for them, and Disney theme parks are not the exclusive venue for these requests.More often than you realize, human ashes are scattered covertly at sports stadiums, concert halls and golf courses.
The wrath of natural disasters has been on full display in recent weeks as hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfires and floods have ravaged large swaths of the world. While our first thoughts go to the victims of these tragic events and the challenges ahead for recovery, it may also cause you to step back and think about your own preparedness for a natural disaster. If you’re feeling under prepared, from a financial standpoint, for the possibility of an unwelcome weather event, consider creating an emergency plan.
Create A Plan. Just as you plan ahead for your retirement or children’s college tuition, you need to prepare for risks related to a financial emergency. Any type of unforeseen event could jeopardize your financial security. Work with your financial advisor, estate planner and attorney to identify and address potential financial risks.
Protect Your Property.One common concern in such events is catastrophic damage to your home. Start by making sure your property is appropriately insured. Review your homeowner’s insurance policy to make sure there is sufficient coverage for unforeseen events. Remember that typical home insurance does not include coverage for flood damage, which needs to be purchased separately. Homeowners may assume they are not at risk of such damage, but unusual circumstances might mean your risk is greater than you think, so it’s best to double check. Those who rent their living space should consider renter’s insurance.
In the case of disasters like a flood or tornado, you want to make sure you have sufficient coverage for possessions, including valuables, vehicles (e.g. cars, boats, ATVs), and technology. Maintain good records of the valuable items you own and keep them in a safe place. It can be helpful to take pictures of your property before and after an event to help the insurance claims process.
Establish An Emergency Fund.A general rule of thumb is to have at least three-to-six months’ worth of expenses saved in case of an emergency. Consider saving more if you have children or live in an area where severe weather threats are more common. Keep these funds in accounts that offer liquidity like a money market fund or in bank savings. Make sure you have some cash on hand in case power outages or other issues prevent ATMs from working.
The money you set aside could be used for temporary housing, medical care or to cover your essential expenses if you’re unable to return to work. The funds can also jump-start your relief and clean-up efforts.
Safeguard Your Information. When unanticipated events occur, you will need access to your financial information and personal identification documents. Store copies of your insurance policies, financial account statements, medical information, Social Security cards, driver’s licenses, passports and other important records in a secure location, such as a bank safety deposit box or a secure electronic vault. Having documentation readily available allows you to quickly verify your identity and work through your emergency plan after disaster strikes.
Recent events remind us of the importance of having an emergency financial plan in place to help protect against worst-case scenarios.
MICHAEL W. K. YEE, CFP
1585 Kapiolani Blvd., Ste. 1100, Honolulu HI 96814
Michael W. K. Yee, CFP®, CFS®, CLTC, CRPC ®, is a Financial Advisor, Certified Financial Planner ™ practitioner with Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. in Honolulu, HI. He specializes in fee-based financial planning and asset management strategies and has been in practice for 33 years.
Investment advisory products and services are made available through Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc., a registered investment adviser.
Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC.
The wrath of natural disasters has been on full display as hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfires and floods have ravaged large swaths of the world. While our first thoughts go to the victims of these tragic events, it may also cause you to step back and think about your own preparedness for a natural disaster.
Recognizing the growing burden of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Alzheimer’s Association launched “The Healthy Brain Initiative” in 2013 to improve the diagnosis of dementia, and find and institute preventive measures.
Kuakini Medical Center is the home of several internationally renowned epidemiological research studies. The Kuakini Honolulu Heart Program (HHP) began in 1965 to study heart disease and stroke in 8,006 Japanese-American men on O‘ahu born 1900–1919. The Kuakini Honolulu-Asia Aging Study (HAAS) is an extension of the HHP, and was created to study dementia and other diseases of aging. It started in 1991 when the men were 71 to 93 years of age and is one of very few studies in the world that can associate risk factors from mid-life with outcomes in old age. Thirteen examination cycles were completed.
Some findings from the studies:
◆ The rates of Alzheimer’s were similar in Japanese-American men compared to Caucasians, but vascular dementia (stroke-related) was more common in Japanese-American men.
◆ Walking protected against future risks of developing dementia. Men who walked less than a quarter-mile daily had an 80 percent increase in the risk of developing new dementia compared to men who walked more than two miles daily.
◆ Men with untreated high blood pressure in mid-life had almost five times the risk of Alzhei-mer’s or vascular dementia 25 years later.
KUAKINI MEDICAL CENTER
347 N. Kuakini St., Honolulu, Hawai’i 96817
Recognizing the growing burden of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Alzheimer’s Association launched “The Healthy Brain Initiative” in 2013 to improve the diagnosis of dementia, and find and institute preventive measures.
Aging is a natural process that no one wants to face alone. Many people choose to live alone in their home as they age, but find themselves depressed, lonely and not eating right. There are many benefits to living in a retirement community. Ever wake up and: Wonder what you’re going to do for the day? Not eat a healthy meal because you don’t want to travel to the grocery store? Feel sick and don’t want to get out of bed?
Do you miss social encounters? Have you ever fallen and could not get to the phone to call for help? I like to think of a retirement community as a group of friends enjoying what they deserve in life, including laughter, entertainment, quality meals, carefree living and an extended family that cares about your well-being.
Today, an increasing number of families are turning to retirement communities for their aging loved ones. Living in a retirement community, you can experience vibrant and beautiful living spaces that promote wellness, recreation, socialization and healthy choices, not to mention the feeling of having additional services as you age.
When family members visit their loved ones in a retirement community, they’ll often find them exercising in the pool, arranging tropical floral bouquets, laughing with old and new friends, volunteering in the community thrift store or gardening. The best part, however, is knowing that your Mom or Dad has physical and emotional support in a safe environment with well-trained staff.
As we know, being active is one of the best ways to maintain good overall health. Many retirement communities offer wellness programs with a variety of fitness levels to set the pace you desire. You may be thinking, “What type of wellness programs?” Consider classes in tai chi, yoga, hula, water fitness exercises and strength and balance exercises. It’s important to find a community that meets your needs and your interests.
You might have to downsize your current home, but there are specialists who can help you find the right pieces to bring with you as you move into a retirement community. You will be surrounded by the things you love in life to make your new home feel special.
Aging is a natural process that no one wants to face alone. Many people choose to live alone in their home as they age, but find themselves depressed, lonely and not eating right. There are many benefits to living in a retirement community.
