Page 2 - MidWeek - Dec 1, 2021

2 MIDWEEK DECEMBER 1, 2021
A Friendship Of Two Icons
I wear your love like a lei through the summers and the winters.
— Mary Kawena Pukui
Kahu Abraham Akaka was the iconic 20th century pastor of Kawaiahaʻo Church for 27 years from 1957 to 1984. His ministry and mantra was ex- emplified by Aloha Ke Akua, “God is love.”
and gave a sermon.”
Kahu Akaka recounted Dr.
Serendipity Rules
King’s sermon at Kawaia- haʻo Church in February 1964, saying he “heard the voice of a prophet for all mankind,” and compared Dr. King to Moses leading his people from slavery to the Promised Land.
‘T
was headed to be a freshman in the real world while living at my aunt’s apartment on East 69th in Manhattan — jobless, with a fantasy pipe dream to someday take over hosting The Tonight Show post-Johnny Carson.
was Wednesday, three days before graduating from college and I had no clue. Most of my friends were bound for graduate schools. I
He shared that special bond with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Both were legendary social justice leaders in their communities and respective churches. These two men would eventually meet and develop a special friendship in their fight for social jus- tice.
ers of the Kawaiahao church for you and our brothers in the cause of our Lord Jesus, whose commandment you obey. Feed my lambs. Tend my sheep, feed my sheep. History will honor this hour because his chosen servant was faithful. And a great na- tion responded to that faith- fulness. Aloha, A.A. (Abra- ham Akaka).”
Hauʻoli Akaka is a cultur- al specialist at Kamehame- ha Schools. He is a kumu of Hawaiian language, hula and also a deacon at Kau- makapili Church.
Chasing The Light is pro- duced by Robin Stephens Rohr and Lynne Johnson.
My dad called me that evening from Honolulu to tell me he’d bumped into Dennis Minga, vice president of Team Hawai‘i of the North American Soccer league at the Team Hawai‘i office, located downtown at the Amfac Center (now the Topa Financial Center). Dad was there to purchase a team T-shirt for his nephew — my cousin. Dennis had interviewed me at Christmastime six months earlier during holiday break and, upon spying my dad, told him that I should call ASAP about a possible job (public relations director for a pro soccer team!).
Dr. Jeffrey Akaka, son of kahu Akaka, recalled their bond, saying, “They were very close friends. They’re both involved in the civil rights movement in the late ’50s, early ’60s. And my father was actually the pres-
Local kahu Abraham Akaka was a friend to Martin Luther King Jr. (pictured). Both fought for social justice in their communities.
AP PHOTO/HORACE CORT, FILE
So, he and Dr. King worked very, very closely on that. One of the things that he did was to have Dr. King come to Kawaiahaʻo. Dr. King spoke
KELLEY
In March 1965, the Rev. Akaka wanted to show sol- idarity with his friend Dr. King, who was preparing for a third march from Selma, Alabama, to Montgomery. Kahu Akaka sent a gift of aloha to uplift their spirits, a gesture that is forever com- memorated in photographs.
Aloha still is Hawaiʻi’s di- vine gift to the world.
I called Dennis on Thursday. On Sunday, I flew home to my first post-college job, bypassing my scheduled Manhattan college graduation party. The point to this saga? Serendipity — when good things happen by chance — changed and helped shape my life. If Dennis was at lunch, a meeting or in the bathroom when my T-shirt-shopping dad went downtown that day, I wouldn’t have come home to Hawai‘i. Maybe not a true miracle in this season of miracles, but certainly a fortuitous moment.
In a letter dated March 19, 1965, kahu Akaka wrote:
Who knows what the future would’ve held had I ven- tured to the Big Apple many decades ago? I do know that serendipity brought me here, and it can foretell great things — like how you meet your significant other or get a job through sheer happenstance. One way to possibly luck into serendipity is to put oneself out there, go places, meet people or venture outside of your comfort zone, because you never know ...
ident of the Hawai‘i Civil Rights Commission, which was advisory to the National Civil Rights Commission.
“Dear brother, Martin Luther King, as you bring good news to the meek, bind up those that are bruised, release the captives, our prayer and aloha reach out to enfold you. These flower lei were made by the moth-
New Century Schoolbook bold (scaled H 73.6)
with Hau‘oli Akaka
As we head into 2022, resuming interactions with hu- mans outside of our isolation bubbles, who knows what serendipity might mean for you? The intricate networks found locally via connections can be rewarding. They can be frustrating, too, as everyone seems interconnected in some way, where conflicts of interest occur far too often, but that’s another story.
The bottom line: If you want personal growth, oppor- tunity, new experiences, change, or an expansion of your social/work circle, and perhaps your mind, put yourself out there, now that we can. Serendipity, how sweet it is.
Think about it ...
john@thinkaboutithawaii.com