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Growing up on his family’s farm in Manoa Valley, Lawrence Acopan said he learned a lot about life and nature. His father, Elpidio Acopan, is known as the first independent Filipino farmer in the neighborhood, leasing more than 25 acres to grow ti plants, gardenias, banana and other crops.
As the fifth of eight children, he remembers playing hide-and-seek and swimming in the nearby stream with his siblings. Acopan also said he and his older brothers would help his dad and mom, Nobuko Acopan, during the summers, often carrying 100-pound bags of fertilizers and spending all day pulling weeds.
Beyond farming, he said his dad stressed the importance of studying in school, working hard and giving back to the community.
Although little is documented about Elpidio and Nobuko Acopan, community and family members are trying to change that, starting with Saturday’s “Filipinos in Manoa” event held at the Manoa Heritage Center.
“Although my dad wasn’t educated, he had a lot of experiences and he taught us about what he experienced growing up,” Lawrence Acopan said. “A lot of people looked down on us before because we’re Filipino. It was kind of hard. (But) it’s great to see that they finally recognize my dad.”
Elpidio Acopan immigrated from Ilocos Norte, Philippines, in 1926 to work on a plantation on Hawaii island. He was a sakada, part of the first-generation Filipinos recruited for plantation labor. In 1929, he moved to Oahu to work for a Japanese farmer in Manoa Valley, making $1.50 a day. When the farmer retired, Acopan bought the lease and started his family’s farm in 1930.
Acopan was among the roughly 120,000 sakadas who arrived in Hawaii between 1906 and 1934, the period of greatest influx. For 63 years, he farmed the land until his health started to decline in 1993, when his lease ended.
Acopan died in 1998, and his wife, Nobuko, in 2003.
Rosie Ramiro, Acopan’s seventh child, said the idea for “Filipinos in Manoa” started on Facebook, where she was sharing her family’s legacy. She eventually connected with Manoa Heritage Center staff, who wanted to bring their story to the broader community, said Executive Director Jessica Welch.
Originally slated for Filipino American History Month in October, the event was postponed due to COVID-19 restrictions.
“The story of the Acopans is relatively untold. (Rosie) told us about her family and their legacy in the valley, and we were so interested,” Welch said. “We want to work with the community to create programs instead of the center creating programs for them.”
About two months ago, the heritage center dedicated a garden to the Acopan family, growing some of the same plants that once filled Elpidio and Nobuko’s farm. Welch and Ramiro, who also celebrated her 70th birthday Saturday, said they hope to hold more events to continue sharing the Acopans’ story.
“(Dad) always gave back to the community. (This event) emphasizes what a great man he is. He’s my idol,” Ramiro said. “I remember having a really fun childhood. We worked really hard, but we played really hard.”
At Saturday’s event, which was organized and sponsored by community members from the Manoa Heritage Center, Alexander & Baldwin, the Filipino- American Historical Society of Hawaii, the Hawaii Council for the Humanities, Punahou School, the University of Hawaii and Roosevelt High School, about 50 members of the Acopan clan gathered to honor their family’s legacy and participate in cultural activities.
Clement Bautista, Filipino- American Historical Society of Hawaii president, said the event was a good start for the community to begin learning about this important part of isle history. Bautista, who worked with Ramiro in the 1980s, said more of these stories need to be shared.
“We have a long way to go to understand our commonalities and differences … and to appreciate that,” he said. “The hope is people realize the contributions of these groups, particularly Filipinos and other groups.”
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Jayna Omaye covers ethnic and cultural affairs and is a corps member of Report for America, a national service organization that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues and communities.
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