Image of Lynda Asato.
Members are the heart of our Bishop Museum ʻOhana! Meet Lynda, a Bishop Museum Patron member from Honolulu!
We’d love to hear your #BishopMuseumStory! If you’re willing to share, please reach out to us through this form.
Why did you decide to become a member of Bishop Museum?
I have many close friends who are kānaka maoli or who identify as Hawaiian. I started as a Senior member, graduated to Family member and finally became a Patron. I have been inviting family and friends to visit the Museum whenever a new exhibit opens. The Museum has so many “treasures” to share, and I love to share with friends.
What has been a memorable Bishop Museum visit, exhibit, or event for you and your family?
My ʻOhana is on the mainland, so I have “hānai” family now who come with me to see the exhibits. The Brown ʻOhana has renewed their interest in Museum membership since the Strings, Surfing, and Genealogy exhibits appeared. Their pride in being Hawaiian is evident as they share with me their stories. Other neighbor island friends tell of seeing tools, artifacts, etc. and hearing stories that you don’t get from schools. We all agree that Bishop Museum is an incomparable resource that we love.
What is your favorite benefit associated with your Bishop Museum membership?
I recently took my friend, Nathan Iwata, a fourth grader, (see his photo by the ʻulu/breadfruit tree) to the Museum to research Hawaiian medicinal plants for a school report. My friend, Kili Matsui from Kaʻū said, “Ask Georgia Wong.” Sure enough, Georgia Wong, docent extraordinaire, came through for Nathan. She gave him a Hawaiiana lesson on medicinal plants and legends. He sparkled as he shared with his family and classmates. I thanked Ms. Wong for being our guide. She’s my “favorite benefit of membership.”
The gift shop and membership staff have also been very helpful in finding books and clothing that I needed, and booked tickets to events for me.
How does our mission resonate with you as a resident or visitor to Hawaiʻi?
My friend the Reverend Tad Iwata said it best, “We believe all life is created and blessed by God, and it is our kuleana to take care of this precious world that we live in, to do good for the environment, take care of each other, and nurture our future generation.”
What are you looking forward to on your next visit to Bishop Museum?
I look forward to bringing my daughters who will be visiting me in May. One is an avid surfer who would have enjoyed the Mai Kinohi Mai exhibit, and the other is into all things hula, so hopefully there will be an exhibit on hula soon. Each will bring a guest, whom we can be in awe with over the stories of Polynesian voyagers and their history in Hawaiian Hall, and the wonderful planetarium shows.
Aloha, Lynda!
Loved reading about your support of our museum to which you have taken many hanai ohana and mainland visitors, as we have whenever our mainland ohana as well as other visitors come to Honolulu. Your young friend Nathan seems to be interested in native Hawaiian medicinal plants, wonder if he has met Dr. Jin Gao who has held sessions at RSVP in the past.
Mahalo for all that you do to introduce the Hawaiian & Pacific Islands cultures to visitors. Maybe we’ll see you at the museum someday.
Your volunteer friend
Mae