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Ellen Jinbo

Ellen Jinbo
Age: 76
Birthplace: Wahiawa, Hawai`i
Photographer: Megan Okuma (Granddaughter), Age 14 ~ Leilehua High School
Ellen Jinbo was born and raised in Wahiawa where she still lives today along with other members of her extended family. She attended Wahiawa Elementary School and is a 1957 graduate of Leilehua High School, where her granddaughters attend and her daughter serves as a vice principal. Mrs. Jinbo attended Eastern Oregon College and her career as a teacher spanned many years both here and on the mainland.
When I was a child in Wahiawa, we didn’t have things that the younger generation has now, but we did have things that most children nowadays don’t have, like cows, rabbits and chickens right in our backyard.
Family is so important. We got to play with each other and our family became very strong that way and we are still strong to this day. To pass the time we played games like “peewee” and “home run” and had box car races down Rose Street with my five brothers and many cousins.  As a family, we would also go camping at Mokuleia and pick guava to make jam.
People used to be very trusting when I was growing up.  You could leave your house and cars unlocked without the fear of someone stealing your belongings.  I hope that my family can learn to, once again, be able to trust and care for one another like they did in the past. I so wish the younger generation would slow down and learn to become friends with their neighbors and just play and have fun instead of having to rush around everywhere.
Life’s greatest gift comes in the form of family. They bind the generations together and keep our family strong.

Megan “Meg” Okuma

I was born at Wahiawa General Hospital and wanted to do this project to learn more about how Wahiawa life was different in the past compared with now.  This project is important because I feel like our generation doesn’t give enough credit to our elders and don’t appreciate them enough, so getting to know them and hear about their lives is really interesting. I think we need to honor the past and talk about it so we don’t forget what makes Wahiawa so special. I have learned that in the past people were very family oriented and valued what they had because they had to work harder for it.  Sometimes I wish I had lived in Wahiawa back in the old days. Megan “Meg” Okuma
Age 14
Leilehua High School
Photographer: Lisa Uesugi
Kūpuna Ellen Jinbo
Age 76
The thing I like best about Wahiawa is how “Surfing the Nations” has cleaned up parts of Wahiawa and created places to shop and eat. My favorites are Aloha Lemonade and Niu.  I am on the Leilehua swim team and love to socialize with my teammates at practice. I would like to go to college but have not decided on a major yet.

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