Arryl Kaneshiro was a student in Phyllis Kunimura’s class, and Aunty Stella Burgess drove his school bus, when the first Koloa Plantation Days took place more than 30 years ago, Dickie Chang said Saturday night during this year’s opening ceremonies, the Sunset Hoolaulea at the Poipu Athletic Club.
Kaneshiro now serves as one of the leadership team, filling the spot left by the original celebration founders, Chang said, honoring the legacy left behind with the passing of Kunimura. Koloa Plantation Days spans 11 days with about 30 events that honor and remember the plantation days era.
“We come from a generation of plantation family,” said Farrah Ferreira, who along with her family, came from the Big Island to attend the event; more specifically, the three-day rodeo that opened the Landmarks in Time celebration at the CJM Country Stables. “We’ve been coming to this for the past six years because we like the rodeo. We have our big rodeo July Fourth at Parker Ranch, but we like this rodeo, too.”
Joelle Souza, whose daughter Savannah was crowned an inaugural rodeo princess, brought the paniolo event onto the stage of the Poipu Athletic Club with a first-ever Western fashion show. Under the cameras of Bill Doty, host of “This is Country” television show, the event featured an appearance by Doty’s daughter Presley whose “Target” outfit was enhanced with Western accessories.
The Poipu Beach Athletic Club is situated just footsteps east of the historic Hapa Trail, where a morning walk hosted by Ted Blake and Hal Hammett got the weeklong celebration going on Saturday.
Participants were greeted by members of the Saint Raphael Church, another historic Koloa fixture, which will be hosting a Filipino food booth at the park celebration this Saturday.
“We’ll be at the park Saturday with the historic plantation days exhibit,” said Jana Blay of the Kauai Historical Society. “But we open Monday at 5 p.m. at The Shops at Kukuiula with the exhibit. We’ll have movies this year. And Catherine Lo, author of a book on the Filipino influence in Koloa and Kauai, and Chuck Blay will be having book signings. We move everything to the Anne Knudsen Park Saturday.”
The historic exhibit, featuring photographs from Carol Ann Davis and Tim Dela Vega, is open from 5 p.m. daily through Friday, except Wednesday when it opens at 3 p.m. It will be enhanced with the appearance of Kathy “Tita” Collins today at 6:30 p.m. in the Palms Court.
Dena Peoples, vending the 2018 edition of Plantation Days shirt with Peter Baldwin, the treasurer of Koloa Plantation Days, will be at The Shops at Kukuiula with the keepsake shirt.
“I started with the Koloa Plantation Days in 2002 with Melinda Uohara,” said Peoples, who comes to Kauai around the KPD celebration. “I missed one year, but have been here all the other years until today. I go wherever they need me — the craft fair at the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa, the putting contest at the Poipu Bay Golf Course — they all know me, now, and the park celebration. I go wherever they need me. I have met so many beautiful people over the years through the Koloa Plantation Days, and now, I have a Kauai ohana. I wouldn’t miss this for anything. This is my heart.”
The Koloa Plantation Days celebration continues through Sunday in and around the Koloa-Poipu area.
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A complete schedule of Koloa Plantation Days events can be found in the special section published by TGI, or by visiting www.koloaplantationdays.com.
