Those who know Stella Burgess will tell you that the late Koloa resident lived the traditional Hawaiian way in her every day life. Whether she was at work, sharing her knowledge with co-workers and visitors alike as the director of
Those who know Stella Burgess will tell you that the late Koloa resident lived the traditional Hawaiian way in her every day life.
Whether she was at work, sharing her knowledge with co-workers and visitors alike as the director of Hawaiian culture at the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort, or helping to organize events, there was a method to her actions.
“Her whole life was about bringing our culture and our traditions to life again,” friend Lanakila Willard said.
It seemed only fitting then that she was sent off in a traditional hoolewa ceremony on Saturday at Poipu Beach Park, as about 800 people from across the state stopped by to remember the woman whom many knew as “Aunty Stella.”
The ceremony included specific protocol and chants and has been conducted only a handful of times in nearly a century and reserved for those of alii lineage, Willard said.
Stella’s husband of 28 years, James Kimo Burgess, said he wants people to remember her love of the Hawaiian culture and her willingness to share knowledge. It is a legacy that he hopes to continue.
“I think the one thing that we can do is remember how important it was to her that we all treated each other equally — it didn’t matter if we were Hawaiian, Japanese or Portuguese, but we were all children,” Willard said. “I think if we can do that, even if we have different views, and treat each other with respect, then we have learned from her and we are honoring her. She could do it and she gave examples of it all the time in her actions.”
