Our History

The following is an account of the founding of the Moku‘āina A Wakinekona HCC as given by Benjamin Baker, 2006 founding club Pelekikena:

"I am a member of Pearl Harbor Hawaiian Civic Club and also Lahaina Hawaiian Civic Club. I'd been a member for about 2 years with both clubs. In early 2006, I was encouraged by Holo'aumoku Ralar, Pelekikena of Lahaina HCC, to start a Hawaiian Civic Club in the State of Washington. One of the requirements is a minimum of 25 Hawaiians to start a club.  

I discussed it with my Mom & Dad, Aunty Emma Sarono and other family members and friends and on July 8, 2006 during da Baker ‘Ohana gathering at Mike's Beach Resort in Liliwaup, Wa. We met and talked about creating a Hawaiian Civic Club. We had a total of 32 that filled out the application and our Hawaiian Civic Club was established. Now we needed to give the club a name so we slept on it and talked about it the next day. 

The next morning, Aunty Emma Sarono told us she had a dream of our club's name the night before and began telling the family about this land of Washington and its beauty and shared the name that came to her: Moku'āina A Wakinekona Hawaiian Civic Club. 

We submitted the application to the Mainland Council of Hawaiian Civic Clubs and to the Association of Hawaiian Clubs Executive board for approval. On October 26, 2006 at the Annual Convention of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, Waikiki Marriott Hotel, Aunty Emma Sarono and I were called to the podium by Pelekikena Antoinette Lee. She officially announced Moku'āina A Wakinekona HCC as a chartered club and part of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs. That was the most memorable moment of my life as the first MAWHCC Pelekikena."

- Benjamin Kaeha Baker

Pelekikena Iho Nei

February 2022