I grew up in the old Plantation Days in the Sugar Cane and Pineapple fields. My great grandparents were Manuel Carvalho Sr. and Sandrina Travasso Carvalho and Francisco DeSilva and Isabella Quintal DeSilva.  My grandparents were Manuel and Georgina Silva Carvalho. My dad was Bernard P. Carvalho Sr.

I’m proud to say that I am of Portuguese ancestry! Along with my siblings, I was raised in a family who truly set the example of hard work and heartfelt dedication to complete what you started and to never give up on your goals. My great grandfather was one of the many Luna’s/Supervisors in the Sugar Plantation and he worked hard to provide for his family. My grandmother worked in the Pineapple Canary and was also very hard working not only at the Canary but at home too, taking care of her five children.

My dad Bernard Carvalho Sr. worked for the sugar plantation too as a Haul Cane Truck driver where he would load up his truck and transport the sugar cane to the sugar mills. This all lead to my father eventually working for Kauai Electric Company and ending his career by owning his own Electrical Underground Business called “Cobra Electric”. With the DeSilva/Carvalho bloodline, all of our family members ended up working in various hard working employment areas where many of them ended up with owning and running their own businesses.

As for me, I married the former Regina Godinez and we have three children and five grandchildren and I must thank my grandmother for her delicious old fashion, had made banana pancakes, malasadas and her very special “Portuguese bean soup” which have now continued to touch the hearts of my children and grandchildren.

Like my hard-working Portuguese Ohana before me, I had the great pleasure to serve the people of Kauai as Mayor from 2008-2018 which gave me the opportunity to care for our island home and to also travel to Portugal and create the first ever sister city relationship between the County of Kauai and City of Madeira. This was a very special trip for me and our delegation to really connect and understand the true heritage, history, culture and to actually meet with the loving people of Portugal.

Today, I serve as one of the seven Council Members for County of Kauai and look forward to continuing to develop our relationship with Portugal.

Such was my great great grandfather from Madeira Island in 1899 Jao Reposo to work for the Makee sugar plantation in Kealia as a laborer.

He left Hawaii in 1901 and returned to Portugal but came back to Kauai on or about 1904 with his bride Maria Rodrigues.

Native Hawaiian speakers called the Portuguese “Pukiki”. These new comers were devout followers of the Roman Catholic faith with strong family ties. Most were short with slender build and dark skin from long hours of working under the sun. Many in fact were so dark that their race on some of the early US census returns is listed as black which contributed to prejudice against them. They maintained much of their traditions and culture but few could read and write so they maintained their traditions through orally.

My Great grandfather was Louis Rapoza Sr. was one of eleven children to Jao and Maria. Louis worked for Makee Sugar and rose to become a locomotive engineer and continued his employment when Makee Sugar merged with Lihue Plantation under Paul Isenberg who was the manager. Louis married Aida Gomes and had 1 son and 2 daughters. Their son, Louis Rapozo Jr., was my grandfather.

Louis Rapozo Jr. married the former Alice Mendes and had 3 boys Leonard “Leo”, Stephen and Gerald.

My dad Leo made me his name sake Leonard “Lenny” Aloysius Rapozo Jr.

Born and raised on Kauai I am a fifth generation of a Portuguese settler. Aside from great interest in the local history of the plantation era, I love local sports and have been a football/basketball official for the last 38 seasons and resides on Kauai with my spouse, son, daughter and son in-law .

Laurie is a fifth generation of Portuguese settlers, who took the long journey from Portugal to Hawaii in search of a new adventure and employment with the sugar plantations.

Her brave and noble great-great grandparents are Francisco Garcia and Maria do Espirito Santo Ferreira. Her great grandfather, Joao (John) was born in Portugal and came over as a young man with his parents Franciso and Maria Garcia and siblings. Great grandfather, Joao (John) Garcia married Georgina Travasso. They had 7 children. Laurie’s grandmother Flora Garcia married William “Boxer” Ebinger, Jr. They had three sons, William “Gary”, Richard and Wayne.

Laurie was born and raised on Kauai and continues to reside in the families home town of Hanamaulu with her husband and son.

I got involved with Kauai Portuguese Society to help document and perpetuate Portuguese heritage and culture aspects and traditions within Kauai’s Portuguese people.

I’m currently living in the Kawaihau district with my wife, blessed with 3 children and 3 grandchildren( hopeful more).

I grew up in a community minded/ involved family- church, school PTSA and community activism,  also coaching youth basketball, baseball and soccer.

Family background: Paternal- John Braga Fernandes Sr. And Jessie  “Camara” Fernandes, were entrepreneurs- owners of several businesses and political (grandfather ) territorial and State senator. Family originated from Senhora da Purificacao, Santo Espirito, villa do Porto Santa Maria Azores. Maternal- John Baptist’s Ornellas and Marian “Oliveria” Ornellas were also entrepreneurs , owners of stores and bakery also in cattle industry. Family originated from Serpa Beja Portugal. Parents-John Braga Fernandes Jr and Marianne “Ornellas” Fernandes. Father- CofK purchasing dept, mother- Hawaiian Fruit Packers and homemaker.

Clay was born and raised on Kauai. He attended Kapaa High School.  Clay is of Hawaiian, Filipino and Portuguese decent. His Portuguese lineage comes from his paternal grandmother, Luella (Rodrigues) whose family originally resided on Maui.  Luella married Franklin “Mano” Kelekoma and had six children here on Kaua’i. Clay’s dad, Clay Kelekoma, Sr, married Leonora Inanod and raised their ohana in Anahola, Kaua’i. Clay is grateful for the opportunity to serve on the Kauai Portuguese Society. As he looks forward to learning more about Portuguese traditions and practices and sharing it with our community and our younger generations.