About Us

David

This site was truly motivated by my love of the Hawaiian culture, island beauty, and lifestyle. Many of my patients in Kona are prominent, native, Hawaiians which gives an interesting perspective. In the coming months, I hope to be able to record their voices as they speak some of the words and phrases included here so that we can ‘preserve their voices’ for future generations to hear. Many people have offered to contribute and I will include a short bio here of everyone who participates.

David Kwiat was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1955, and graduated from Mattawan High School in 1973. After graduation from Kalamazoo College in 1977, he married the former Carole Ann Watts and moved to Oklahoma City where he attended the University of Oklahoma for the next 100 (just seemed like it!) 11 years. He received a Master’s Degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in 1980 and a Medical Degree in 1985. After completing residency in Internal Medicine at the OU Health Sciences Department, he moved to Shelbyville, IL, (where Carole’s parents lived) and started a private medical practice (in a very rural area!). After fourteen years of private practice, he moved to the Island of Hawaii where he has worked at the Kaiser Kona clinic since 2002. David enjoys working on and with computers and has been Carole’s personal web site designer (the benefits are great!).

David and Carole have three grown children, Jeff, Jason, and Chelsea.

We’ve been living our dream since moving to Hawaii. One of our favorite pastimes is to sit on our lanai overlooking our coffee trees and the ocean from 1700 ft elevation on Hualalai. We enjoy photography and diving (try it–it’s amazing even if you’re scared to death to think of doing it!).  We have a great appreciation for the Hawaiian culture and hope to share paradise with everyone who has the same dreams…..

W. Kaumana Barton

Aloha Kakou! My name is W. Kaumana Barton.  I had the privilege of doing the pronunciations for this site.  I love the Hawaiian language and feel that it is one of our strongest links to our ancestors.  Thank you for clicking on the “hear it” links and listening to a few words in the melodic Hawaiian language.

And now a little bit about myself, I am a native Hawaiian living in Kona on the Big Island with my wife and two boys.  I have minored in Hawaiian Studies with a focus on Hawaiian Language at Brigham Young University – Hawaii.  I was privileged to study under Ke Kumu ‘Ōlelo Hawai’i ‘o Kamoa’e Walk.  I have worked as a Hawaiian language consultant doing translation work throughout my university studies.  I am happy to say that I am a keeper of the Hawaiian language and I encourage all to learn.  I continue to share Hawaiian culture whenever and where ever I can.