He coined the phrase Aloha State.
He came up with the name of the Second City, Kapolei, as well as Ko Olina.
He named an untold number of new streets around Oahu and gave his blessing to countless construction projects, marriages and homes.
But the late Rev. Abraham Akaka, the legendary pastor of Kawaiaha‘o Church, had a creative side as well.
He composed music, wrote prayers and plays and penned an epic Hawaiian Islands creation chant that was recorded in part by Aaron Mahi, conductor of the Royal Hawaiian Band from 1981 to 2005.
Now those spiritual writings will be available to scholars and other interested parties.
In a small, lyrical ceremony Thursday, Akaka’s family donated his sermons, prayers, songs and other works to the archives at Kamehameha Schools.
"He was quite a musician," said Leigh-Wai Doo, a former city councilman who is on the board of the Rev. Abraham Akaka Ministries Foundation, which assembled the collection. "He had a beautiful voice. But we all know him for his deepest sincerity and care of loving one another. He lived his words. He exhibited through example the depth of caring for others."
The foundation was launched nearly 30 years ago with four stated purposes — "bringing hope and help to those in need," uplifting the lives of Native Hawaiians, supporting the church and promoting world peace.
When Akaka died in 1997, the foundation members added a fifth purpose, preserving his archival spiritual works, which now has been formally accomplished.
Toward the end of the ceremony at the school’s chapel, family members sang one of Akaka’s compositions, "Mahalo Nui," which begins, "Mahalo nui for your sweet laughter, Mahalo nui for thoughts sincere, May blessings smile and God be with you, Until we come to laugh again."
Among the voices was that of Akaka’s younger brother, former U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka, who earlier recalled the family’s humble lifestyle in a two-bedroom, one-bath house in Pauoa Valley, complete with an "ice box" containing a block of ice to keep food cool.
Part of the collection is Akaka’s statehood sermon, which also can be found in the Congressional Record.
"When Hawaii became a state in 1959, he was the chaplain of the Territorial Legislature, which was meeting at ‘Iolani Palace — as well as the pastor of Kawaiaha‘o," recalled Dr. Jeffrey Akaka, the pastor’s son. "And on the day after statehood, he and the elected government officials of the state of Hawaii marched in a procession across the street from ‘Iolani Palace to Kawaiaha‘o Church, where he gave the statehood sermon. And in that sermon he defined aloha as the unconditional regard for your fellow human beings, that aloha seeks to do good to a person with no conditions attached, out of a sense of kinship. Aloha loves even when that love is not returned, and such is the love of God. ‘Let Hawaii be known as the Aloha State.’ So it was from that sermon that Hawaii is now known as the Aloha State."
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On the Net:
» The Rev. Abraham Kahu Akaka Ministries Foundation: www.akakafoundation.org
