Hilo Days: J. Akuhead Pupule

A few years ago, I had a website that I called “Hilo Days,” a chronicle of my life in Hilo on the Big Island of Hawaii. I’d written a limited edition book that I gave only to members of my immediate family, and later put the whole shebang up on a Geocities website.

When the free websites finally went away, mine disappeared. But I did keep the HTML and the stories themselves. I guess this is as good a place as any to share some of the stories … that is, until I get up the energy to start a dedicated blog and run the stories there.

So, here’s the first:

J. Akuhead Pupule

Hal Lewis was better known as J. Akuhead Pupule ("Aku" for short) when he was alive. Back in the B.R. (NOTE: “Before Riverside” School) days, I remember him coming to Hilo and putting on a show. I think it was at Hilo Airport. It's a little hazy but I do recall a man standing by us who had only one thing to say about Aku: "Boy, is he ugly!"

I mention Aku for only one reason. He used to have a kiddie program on the radio that served as a sort of afternoon "story time" for us kids. Many was the time that I broke off from the football game in the street (but we HAD to play in the street, there was nowhere else, and we didn't have television) to rush into the house and listen to Aku's story.

Sometimes, I forgot. Those days were simply ruined.

The stories themselves turned out to be inconsequential. I don't remember a single one. The thing that stuck with me throughout the years was his traditional sign‑off. Aku used to say: "If you no can say nothing nice about somebody, then no say nothing at all."

Good advice, and strongly reinforced by many others as the years passed. I still try to follow his advice.