City honors 100 notables
By Dan Nakaso
Advertiser Staff Writer
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Scott Fernandez remembers attending the funeral of his grandfather, Edwin Kane "E.K." Fernandez, as a 4-year-old boy surrounded by Honolulu's rich and famous, and everyday people who adored Fernandez's fairs, circuses and various productions.
Yesterday, as the president of the modern-day incarnation of E.K. Fernandez Shows, 40-year-old Scott Fernandez celebrated the inclusion of his paternal grandfather's name on the list of 100 people who have made long-lasting contributions to Honolulu over its 100-year history.
"My grandfather was known for all of his firsts — the first to bring entertainment to the Islands, the first to have a car, the first with a movie camera," Fernandez said. "But 100 people in 100 years? That's a lot of people to be considered. To be selected is overwhelming."
Mayor Mufi Hannemann oversaw the 100th anniversary of the incorporation of Honolulu County (originally O'ahu County) in July and yesterday helped unveil the list of notables, who range from surfers to sumo wrestlers. Hannemann characterized the names as a "microcosm of the greatness of this city." The list, he said, offers "a great opportunity to reflect on our past."
Because some of the listings include pairs, such as musicians Robert and Roland Cazimero and radio personalities Michael Perry and Larry Price, the list actually includes 103 names.
Thirty-seven of the people are still alive, including 68-year-old Danny Kaleikini, the entertainer and former candidate for lieutenant governor who is often described as "Hawai'i's ambassador of aloha."
Before yesterday's ceremony in the entrance to Honolulu Hale, Kaleikini joked that he originally did not understand the honor.
"When they called to tell me about this," Kaleikini said, "I said, 'I'm not 100 years old.' "
Kaleikini knew many of the 100 people on the list, whom he described as "my teachers. Thank God I grew up with the majority of them. I worked with the masters. The lesson for the young people of today is to listen to the kupuna. You'll learn things that you will never learn in school."
There was no lack of suggestions for who should be on such a list, said Linda Wong, vice-chairwoman of the Honolulu Centennial Celebration Commission.
The city's Office of Culture and Arts received 400 to 500 nominations, Wong said. And the 16 members of the centennial celebration commission each came up with their own 50 names.
From July through August, the members of the committee winnowed the list by considering the range of people and the eras they represent.
"Our mission was to find people from 1905 to 2005 that come from different walks of life — arts, sports, politics," Wong said. "We really wanted to get a cross-section of the community."
A formal celebration honoring the men and women on the list will be held Nov. 17 at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel & Resort.
Reach Dan Nakaso at dnakaso@honoluluadvertiser.com.
Correction: The Honolulu Centennial Celebration Commission asked Honolulu Magazine to work with it in drawing up a list of 100 notable people who have made contributions to the city of Honolulu over its 100-year history. The selection process was organized and steered by Honolulu Magazine, which had the final say over the list. A previous version of this story did not mention the magazine's role in drawing up the list.
