Ne Heihei a Ola 2026 - In memory of Aunty Aletha

On Saturday, February 21st, 2026, we will host Na Heihei a Ola, the 49th Annual Waimea Town Celebration Fun Run. This year we’d like to honor Aunty Aletha ‘Puna’ Kaohi, We celebrate her lasting legacy and are honored to share her story as told by her ‘ohana. Mahalo.

Aletha Kawelukawahinehololioolimaloa Goodwin Kaohi

Known to most as “Puna”, she was born in Waimea Valley, Kauai on June 19, 1930. In her younger years she spent a lot of her time learning about her families history, her Hawaiian culture, and building relationships with her community (Waimea). She attended Kamehameha Schools where she graduated in 1948. Upon graduating from high school she returned home where she was an educator at Kauai Community College and eventually went on to become the Librarian at the Waimea Public Library. As a librarian, her goal was to build a collection of native Hawaiian books to ensure that her people would have access to research and knowledge about our people, our culture, and our history. After she retired, she went on to work at Waimea Canyon Elementary School as a kupuna and an after school program coordinator.

These accomplishments were just a part of her life’s journey, that would lead her to do the things that she was most passionate about - her home of Waimea, her Hawaiian culture, her ‘ohana, and her church. She was born into a a family that was rooted in culture and church. Her father was a collector of all things Hawaiian and later named her as his keeper. She inherited a collection of her family’s artifacts, which inspired her to share them with others. She eventually worked at the West Kauai Visitor Center where she was able to display her family artifacts, serve as a cultural consultant and historian, sharing their stories with both residents and visitors. During that time, she was an active member of the West Kauai Business and Professional Association that worked to support Waimea’s business owners and community members through community events and initiatives.

The last 20 years of her life, she was dedicated to honoring King Kaumuali’i. Her life time goal was to have a monument built and erected at Pa’ula’ula in his honor. Along with the Friends of Kaumuali’i, she was able to see this dream of hers come true in March 2021.

Her 93 years of life were full of so many accomplishments, dedication to her community, her culture, her ‘ohana, and her people. The foundations of which are the pillars of their existence today and are the guiding post of where we started, where we are and where we need to go to continue to ensure that we continue to give life to the things that help define who we are.

Mahalo to Kauakea Mata for sharing the story of her grandmother.