Arthur Benito Lazaro Jacinto
Lucy Peros | Photos courtesy Jacinto ‘Ohana
This month’s featured Sakada offspring comes from a loving, close knit family. As an old phrase says, real love stands the test of time. Surely this family epitomizes this saying.
Arthur Jacinto was born in January 1968 in Wailuku, Maui, Hawai‘i. He attended Sacred Hearts School and Lahainaluna High School. He served in the United States Army, 1986 – 1990 where he was stationed in Germany.
Upon returning to Maui in 1990, he began working at the Westin Maui Resort and Spa as Groundkeeper Irrigation repair and design. Arthur is very active in the community, coaching West Maui Youth Basketball in Lahaina from 2000–2015.
Arthur’s wife, Dawn Uluwehi Jacinto works at the Westin Maui Resort and Spa as a Guest Service Agent. She received her BA in Public Administration and Healthcare Administration.
Arthur and Dawn have six children who have their own field of studies. Their oldest is Cassie-Ann Jacinto. She graduated from Lahainaluna High School then continued her undergraduate studies at Western Oregon University in Oregon and her Education Graduate program at Oregon University.
Arthur B.L. Jacinto, Jr. graduated from Lahainaluna High School.
Bryce K. Jacinto graduated from Lahainaluna High School and is married to Ceone Nojima Jacinto.
Makana Okalani N. Kaaikala-Caban graduated from Lahainaluna High School. She attended Pacific Union College with B.S. in Health Communications, Associate of Arts in Health Science and Administration. She continued at Pacific University in the Pharm D graduate program.
Kalalani N. Kaaikala-Caban graduated from Lahainaluna High School. He is a registered Behavior Therapist and is currently working towards a teaching degree in Special Education.
Malino V. Jacinto graduated from Lahainaluna High School and is currently studying at Western Oregon University. She will graduate in June with a major in Exercise Science.
Arthur has three siblings: Edith Jacinto, Jane Arruda and Lorraine Young.
Edith Jacinto was previously employed by Bubba Gump as an Administration Manager. She was recently a caregiver to their 102-year-old Dad who just passed away.
Jane Arruda is Marketing Manager at Marriott Vacation Worldwide. She is married to Keli’i Arruda. They have two children, Mason and Leimamo Arruda.
Lorraine Young was an accountant at a local property management company. She is currently a Lyn Coordinator at Honua Kai Resorts. She has one child, Justice Young.
Arthur’s parents, Arsenio and Victoria Jacinto were from Laoag, Ilocos Norte, Philippines. Arsenio was one of the thousands of Sakadas who came to Hawai‘i to work in the plantations of Hawai‘i in 1946. They came to find a better life for themselves and for their families. Arsenio was sponsored by his Uncle Perfecto Baraoidan. He was only twenty-five years old when he came. They sailed from Port Salomague in Cabugao, Ilocos Sur, on board the SS Maunawili. They reached Maui after sixteen days. Upon arrival on Maui, they were transported to the Pioneer Mill Co. Ltd. in Lahaina.
Arsenio and the other Sakadas were housed at Waine‘e Village, a plantation camp near the Pioneer Mill. They lived in a plantation house with eight rooms, one kitchen and one bathroom. There were sixteen altogether living in that house.
There was a kerosene stove provided for every two people. Arsenio started to work in the field as a grass cutter. He got paid forty cents per hour. After a year, he got a job as an irrigator to water and irrigate the sugar cane. He did this job until his retirement in 1983 at age 62. He was then earning $10.00 per hour at the time of his retirement.
While working at Pioneer Mill, Arsenio became a member of the ILWU (International Longshore Warehouse Union). This organization was instrumental in improving the members’ work conditions such as raising their wages, health benefits, etc.
After retiring from Pioneer Mill, he worked part-time at the Lahainaluna High School, Lahaina Intermediate, and Sacred Hearts School.
In 1965, Arsenio was ready for marriage. Through writing letters, he got to know a beautiful girl, Victoria Lazaro from Laoag, Philippines. When Arsenio went back to the Philippines in December 1965, Victoria welcomed him by meeting him in Manila. They first got married at the U.S. Embassy in Manila then re-married in church in Laoag City on January 5, 1966. They were only together for a month before Arsenio had to come back to Hawai‘i in February 1966 because of his work. They continued their honeymoon on October 15, 1966 when Victoria arrived in Hawai‘i.
Arsenio’s hobbies were traveling to such places as Las Vegas, Washington D.C., Atlantic City and San Francisco. He enjoyed watching wrestling and gardening—raising a variety of vegetables.
Arsenio’s advice to his contemporaries was to have unity in the family, get along and care for each other with no jealousy. His advice to the younger generation was to earn a good education, create no troubles and always be peaceful with everyone.
Arsenio and Victoria were instrumental in petitioning their siblings to come and join them here in Hawai‘i. Their siblings are Lucrecia Ancheta, Rosario Garvida, Flora Switzer, Felix Lazaro and Martin Jacinto. They all truly appreciate everything what Arsenio and Victoria have done for them.
Arthur has this heartwarming reflection about his parents, Arsenio and Victoria Jacinto. As I reflect on my parents, Arsenio and Victoria Jacinto, I’m blessed knowing their love and sacrifices made me the man, brother, husband and father I am today. Like many, I am proud to be a child of immigrants who are part of the population in this state and our country, whose main purposes were to seek a better opportunity and better life for themselves and their families. I was raised in a loving family to be humble and respectful. As long as we had a roof over our heads, food on the table and clothes on our backs, we were blessed and fortunate. Unlike the generation today where social media sometimes hinders our thought process. I wanted to share about my Dad’s longevity. He was 102 years old when he passed away on February 23, 2024. It is because he was surrounded by family that loved and cared for him. A family that is patient and sacrificed their time to care for him rather than placing him in a nursing home, which I think made a big difference for him wanting to live as long as possible!
So as I reflect on my parents, I’m grateful for everything that they did and do for me, thankful for my upbringing, dedication and the values of love, respect and humility which I want to pass down to my children as well.
Lucy Peros is a retired schoolteacher, having taught at St. Anthony Grade School and Waihe‘e Elementary School. Both of her late parents, Elpidio Cachero Cabalo (a 1946 Sakada) and Alejandra Cabudoy Cabalo of Hāli‘imaile, worked for Maui Land and Pine Company. Lucy now enjoys retirement and has time to join other seniors in the Enhance Fitness Program under the Department of Aging three times a week. She also attends the line dancing class and other activities at Kaunoa and joins other Waihe‘e School retirees when help is needed at the school. Lucy also devotes some of her time to activities at Christ The King Catholic Church. She enjoys writing and reading in her spare time.