Pili Productions

Local Experience, Local Talent

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    • He Moʻolelo no Kapaʻahu / Story of Kapaʻahu
    • Kalaupapa Is Us: The Kalaupapa Community in 2002-2005
    • Under the Volcano: the People of Kalapana, 1823-2010
    • We Had a Life: My Years at Kalaupapa
  • Oral History
    • Emma Kauhi Stories
    • Kale Langlas Oral History Archive
    • Powerpoint Presentation
  • Videos
    • Kau Lāʻau and Maʻamaʻa: Traditional Hawaiian Ulua Fishing
    • Ma ka Hale Pule i Kalapana
    • Ma ka Pāʻina i Kalapana
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We Had a Life: My Years at Kalaupapa

Tells the story of Cathrine Puahala’s life at Kalaupapa Settlement for Hansen’s disease patients–from 1942 when she was sent there until her death in 2008.  In her own vivid words–tape recorded over many nights–Cathrine tells of the pain of being taken from her family and sent into isolation, first at Kalihi Hospital on Oahu and then at Kalaupapa. But she says, “We had a life. We lived just like other people outside.” She tells about meeting and marrying her husband at Kalaupapa, then about bearing a daughter and the heartbreak of having her taken away to avoid contagion with Hansen’s disease. She tells about the wonder of the sulfone drugs that put the disease into remission and of her subsequent travels outside of Kalaupapa. Finally, she tells about getting old.

Paperback
(117 pp.)

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Kale Langlas Oral History Archive

The archive contains 203 interviews with 78 individuals (or small groups of individuals). The interviews were carried out by Charles “Kale” Langlas or his students between 1987 and 2010 for the purpose of documenting the history of various areas. Most of the people interviewed were elderly and have … Read more

Events

About Us

Pili Productions is a nonprofit corporation formed in 1997 and based in Hilo, Island of Hawai‘i. We sponsor projects which describe local and Native Hawaiian culture through writing, film or other … Read more

Books

  • He Moʻolelo no Kapaʻahu / Story of Kapaʻahu
  • Kalaupapa Is Us: The Kalaupapa Community in 2002-2005
  • Under the Volcano: the People of Kalapana, 1823-2010
  • We Had a Life: My Years at Kalaupapa

Videos

  • Kau Lāʻau and Maʻamaʻa: Traditional Hawaiian Ulua Fishing
  • Ma ka Hale Pule i Kalapana
  • Ma ka Pāʻina i Kalapana

Oral History

  • Emma Kauhi Stories
  • Powerpoint Presentation
  • Kale Langlas Oral History Archive

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