Charles Kino was born in Kona, Hawaii, on September 19, 1887, to Samuel and Kalama Naihekukui Kino. One of six children, Charles came from a family of taro planters and laborers, embodying the values of hard work and community common to rural Hawaiian life in the early 20th century. He would go on to serve his country during the First World War as a private in Company A of the 1st Hawaiian Infantry.
Before being drafted into the U.S. Army, Charles worked for F.A. Schaefer & Co., one of Honolulu’s most prominent general stores located at the corner of Merchant and Kaahumanu Streets. He lived on Kapahulu Avenue and was described in his draft registration as a Hawaiian laborer in good health, single, and of medium build. He was inducted into military service on July 8, 1918.
Charles reported to Fort Shafter, where he joined other young men from across the islands. But just weeks into his service, he fell ill with what is believed to have been the Spanish Flu. He died of lobar pneumonia on September 18, 1918, just one day before his 31st birthday.
His funeral was unlike any other. The Daughters and Sons of Hawaiian Warriors, descendants of Hawaii’s ali‘i, honored him with full ceremonial rites, an honor reserved for those of notable lineage and patriotic service. Wearing traditional regalia that harkened back to ancient Hawaii, they accompanied his body from Schofield Barracks to its final resting place at the Kawaiahao Church Cemetery in Manoa, now located on the grounds of Manoa Valley Theatre. The solemn ceremony included chants and adornments that underscored Charles’s cultural legacy and his military sacrifice.
Charles never married but left a legacy that endured through his family. His sisters, Annie Au and Marie Kino Machado, ensured his story was not forgotten. Marie named her son Charles in his honor, and that name continued through the generations. Her son, Charles Machado, founded Machado Coffee Farms and Captain Cook and Napoopoo retail stores. His son, Charles Machado Jr., launched the famous Chuck Machado Luau and became the first Native Hawaiian to be named Small Business Administration Businessperson of the Year. His grandson, Charles Machado III, founded Ali‘i Lei & Greeting Services on Maui. Charles Kino’s extended family continues to reside in Hawaii and Washington State.
Today, Charles Kino is honored on the bronze plaque outside the Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium for giving his life in the Great War. His story is not just one of wartime service—it is also a story of cultural pride, sacrifice, and the lasting legacy of a Hawaiian family.
Sources Cited
“Hawaiian Soldier Honored in Death.” Honolulu Star-Advertiser, September 23, 1918, p. 4. Retrieved from Newspapers.com.
Hawaii, U.S., Death Certificates and Indexes, 1841–1942. Ancestry.com.
“Schaefer Co. Has Two in Service.” Honolulu Star-Bulletin, October 5, 1918, p. 64.
Find A Grave Memorial for Charles P. Machado. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/157778414/charles-piihana-machado
