It’s the morning of Sunday, Dec. 7, 1941. Preparing for Christmas, 9-year-old Paulette McClain helps her older siblings dust their living room carpets outside their Kaimuki house. Out of nowhere, a plane with big red circles on its wings flies over them. The pilot, close enough that she could see his black gloves and goggles, waves directly at her.

Before McClain can understand what’s happening, her neighbor rushes out of her house yelling, “We’ve been attacked. Turn on your radio!” They climb to their roof for a view of Pearl Harbor, which is now shrouded in deep, black smoke.

Dec. 7, 2021, this Tuesday, marks the 80th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. McClain, now 90 years old, can still recall the infamous day.

“They started making announcements on the radio,” McClain says. “All essential workers, report to your place of business. I didn’t see my dad once he left for a couple of weeks.”

McClain remembers helping her family cover their windows during blackouts. Wardens patrolled the streets, making sure no light was visible.

“People were required to carry gas masks,” says McClain as she recalls trudging around school with her 1-pound gas mask. In order to test for mask leaks, students walked from one classroom door to another, while someone released a tear gas bomb, according to McClain.

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As a 9-year-old, she still found ways to have fun during the war. She remembers an air raid that forced her and her classmates to climb into a muddy trench.

“I don’t remember any bombing, but I do remember having fun sitting there making mud balls — typical kid stuff,” McClain says with a laugh.

Some products, such as alcohol, could only be purchased using ration cards. Both of McClain’s parents didn’t consume alcohol, so they would save all their drinks in a dresser for special occasions.

“If anyone had a party, they knew where to come for alcohol,” says McClain. “People were very helpful. They really got together and helped each other.”

McClain shared these and other memories of living in Hawaii during World War II, in an interview video from local nonprofit, Our Kupuna.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Our Kupuna has been connecting volunteers with kupuna who are in need of groceries, medication and other necessary supplies. The organization wants to start serving kupuna in a new way as well — by creating a platform for them to share their voices through a series of video interviews.

“Leaving A Legacy” is a collection of stories told by kupuna as they share their memories of old Hawaii. Our Kupuna hopes to document the ancestral and cultural knowledge of kupuna, preserve the history of Hawaii, and help kupuna leave their legacy.

The first video features McClain sharing stories from her childhood. Viewers get a glimpse of old Hawaii as she reminisces about a time when people conversed in Hawaiian and before cars rushed through the streets of Waikiki.

“Waikiki was not like what it is today. You could see the mountains from Kalakaua Avenue,” recalls McClain. “And from Kalakaua Avenue all you could see were these two hotels — The Moana and The Royal.”

McClain’s full video can be accessed on Our Kupuna’s website, ourkupuna.com/legacy. Since March 2020, Our Kupuna has assisted more than 470 seniors with not only food security but also social engagement and health-encouraging programs such as a pen pal program, a phone buddy program, and online exercise classes.

For more on Our Kupuna and how it helps serve seniors in the community, see ourkupuna.com.

Cassidy Keola is account manager for Rise Media, which is affiliated with Our Kupuna.