PATRICK KOON HUNG PI'IMAUNA CHARLES AIU

Patrick Aiu was born in Lihue, Kauai on September 14, 1939. His parents were Eugene Kahoalii and Alice Apana Aiu. He was the youngest of eight children. Pat grew up in the Wailua Houselots on Kauai's East Shore. He graduated from Kapaa High School in 1957 and attended Loyola and Oregon Medical School before graduating from U.C.L.A. in 1964 with a doctor of medicine degree.

He was an intern at The Queen's Hospital, Honolulu, Hawaii from 1964-65. He began his residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Kapiolani Hospital, Honolulu in 1965. In 1966 he was inducted into the U.S. Army Medical Corps and served as a Major in Germany until 1969. He returned to finish his residency at Kapiolani Hospital, 1969-71.

He began practice in Lihue, Kauai after residency and was the first specialist in obstetrics and gynecology in the county. He attended patients on Niihau regularly as well as those on Kauai. He was elected Chief of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Wilcox Memorial Hospital in 1972. He was appointed to the Board of Medical Examiners by Governor Burns in 1974 and was reappointed in 1977. Dr. Bill Evslin, president of the Kauai Medical Clinic at the time of Dr. Aiu's death said "We considered him the father of modern obstetrics on Kauai. He was a wonderfully skillful, calm, compassionate physician." (Honolulu Advertiser Oct. 31, 2002.)

Pat was the first doctor to sail on the voyaging canoe, Hokulea, when it sailed to Tahiti in 1980. He took a two-month leave from his practice to join the crew. The Polynesian Voyaging Society's 60-foot, double-hulled sailing canoe ran into a five-day storm during the trip. Pat recalled for the Hawaii Medical Journal (July 1980):"The worst part was the constantly being wet and cold. We'd go to sleep in a wet bunk, get up in a wet bunk, stand watch in wet clothes. We never got dry, even when we were sleeping. ... We were constantly doused with ice cold water... It was a time of really severe discomfort. It steeled my mind. It was a jelling sort of experience - everyone came together..." Pat said that he thought the trip had made him a more tolerant person. Dr. Aiu also sailed on several legs of the Hokulea's two year Voyage of Rediscovery.

With two other members of the Hokulea crew,Dr. Aiu founded Na Kalai Wa'a O Kauai and began building a voyaging canoe for Kauai which he named Na Mahoe. To help fund the project, he developed the Na Pali Challenge outrigger canoe race. He steered and paddled racing canoes, and built his own paddles. He also was a guitarist. His family described him as a gifted athlete, an accomplished musician, a wood carver and a great cook.

Pat was married to Mavis Dew Aiu. There were six children: Pua'alakalani of Oahu, Pi'imauna of Colorado, Mohala of Oahu, Imaikalani of Wailua, Makani of California and Victoria of Kauai. There are also three grandchildren, and three brothers and two sisters surviving Pat.

Dr. Aiu retired from practice in 1985 to pursue other academic studies. He died on October 28, 2002 at age 63.

First Posted: April 12, 2004

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