Connie Rios
For long time I volunteered to help kupuna. Auntie Evi was one of my favorites. I was her 'driver' happily taking her to pick up meds, groceries, go see 'doctahs', whatever she needed.
She 'repaid' me with her presence, & ho! could that woman hold presence. She was right there, in the moment, in every moment. Happy kine, sad kine, funny kine, huhu kine, she was always so real, so authentic. Her memory of 'befoa times' was astonishing, captivating. She was SO funny, so sly, such fun to be with.
Remembering that time I took her to Alulike to practice kupuna hula performance for some upcoming event, the 'kumu' getting all huhu cuz no one was performing up to snuff.
Auntie turned to her & said, 'Eh, we no going Merrie Monarch! Dis foa Hale Makua--half da folks dere cannot see you, da oddah half t'ink you someone died 50 years ago.' She could SO bring a laugh!
At events, she'd give me chapter & verse--who that person was, who this person was, who they were related to, what they did when young, what their parents did, what their grandparents did. She'd go so far back in history & time my head would spin. The stories! Mo'olelo sublime.
Remembering during her 50th Lahaina Luna class reunion when someone asked her quietly who I was, she said 'a hanai daughter'. Still brings tears to my eyes to be spoken of in such a way by such an amazing being.
They don't make 'em like her anymore! May she ever be remembered in love & grace. May she rest in peace, & may all the greatness she was & did be honored in Heaven. I was privileged to know her.
Malama pono, Connie Rios
