Category: Events & Action

Posted on

Stop another military land grab in Kulani

Another stealth military land grab rears its ugly head.

On Thursday, September 9, 2010, the Hawai’i State Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) is holding a hearing on two important land items related to future of Kulani Correctional Facility.

The Kulani Correctional Facility was abandoned by the Department of Public Safety in November 2009. It has been empty ever since, while we continue to ship hundreds of prisoners to Arizona, where there have been a number of brutal murders and violent incidents this year.  Governor Lingle wants to transfer the Kulani land to the State of Hawai’i National Guard to run a Youth ChalleNGe program, a military school.

The land, approximately 7200 acres surrounds Kulani and is pristine forest with many endangered plants and animals. This land was cared for by Kulani inmates.  We know individuals can be restored as they restore the land.

On November 19, 2009, activists testified before the Board of Land and Natural Resources to oppose the granting of access for military clean up of ordnance in the Kulani parcel without a clear disclosure of future plans for the site.  Many of us suspected that the transfer of the 8000 acres from the State Public Safety Department to the State Department of Defense was a land grab for more military training.  Our suspicions were correct. The latest proposal before the BLNR is to allow military training within the Kulani lands.

Kulani was one of the most successful sex offender treatment programs in the U.S., with less than 2% recidivism since 1988.  Some within the Department of Public Safety hopes to reopen Kulani. If the Department of Public Safety does not reopen Kulani and restore its successful programming, then prison reform advocates call for the creation of a Wellness Center to help individuals successfully transition from prison to the community with skills and self-esteem and a stake in their community·

BOARD OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES

DATE:  THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2010

TIME:  9:00 A.M.

PLACE: KALANIMOKU BUILDING

LAND BOARD CONFERENCE ROOM 132

1151 PUNCHBOWL STREET

HONOLULU, HAWAII 96813

Here’s a link to the agenda

There are two action items related to the Kulani Prison.

Agenda Item C 1. Recommends approving a designating portions of the Kulani lands as part of the Natural Area Reserves System (NARS).  While this designation would give strong protections to these designated lands, and has has been supported by many in the environmental movement, the proposal is problematic because it carves out approximately 600 acres for the National Guard to develop its Youth ChalleNGe school and training area. This militarization of the Kulani lands is unacceptable and incompatible with a NARS. The NARS designation should NOT allow military use of any portion of the Kulani lands.   The staff memo to the board can be downloaded here.

Agenda Item D 3. Recommends transfering the Kulani lands to the State of Hawaii, Department of Defense, for Youth ChalleNGe Academy and Hawaii Army National Guard Training Purposes, with an Access and Utility Easement Reserved to the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife.  Stop the transfer of the Kulani lands to the military.  Download the staff memo regarding the transfer of land to the military.

Kat Brady, Coordinator of the Community Alliance on Prisons sent out an action alert and talking points:

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Aloha Justice Advocates!

Here is the information about how to submit testimony for Thursday’s (September 9, 2010) Board of Land and Natural Resources Meeting. All testimony should be in by tomorrow (Wednesday, September 8, 2010).

Q:  How do I submit testimony?
http://hawaii.gov/dlnr/boards/blnr/q-how-do-i-submit-a-topic-or-agenda-item-to-the/

A:  Written testimony may be submitted in one of the following ways:

fax:       (808) 587-0390  Attn: Board Members

e-mail: adaline.f.cummings@hawaii.gov

mail:     Department of Land and Natural Resources

Attn:  Board Members

1151 Punchbowl, Room 130, Honolulu, Hawaii  96813

Written testimony must be received prior to the Board meeting at which the item is to be acted upon to allow Board members to consider the testimony prior to making a decision.

Oral testimony may be presented on the day of the Land Board meeting.  If possible, please provide a written summary of your testimony to the Board when you approach the Board to present your testimony.

Your testimony:

It doesn’t have to be long – pick a point or two  that resonates with you and write a few sentences (hopefully in opposition). Here’s a simplified version of talking points for you to use in your testimony.

10 Brief Talking Points:

  1. The closure of Kulani was sloppy, ill-conceived and poorly executed. PSD violated federal, state, and county laws. DON’T COMPOUND THIS MESS BY TRANSFERRING THIS LAND WITH NO PUBLIC DISCUSSION
  2. The lands proposed for transfer to DOD are some of our most pristine forest land, choke with endangered species. The forest contains critical habitat for numerous endangered , threatened or candidate species including Mauna Loa Silversword, Oha wai, Haha, Aku, Ha iwale, Laukahi luahiwi, Kiponapona, Anunu, Nene (Hawaiian goose), Hawaiian Hawk, Hawaiian picture-wing fly, Akiapola au, Hawaiian hoary bat, Hawai`i akepa, Hawai`i creeper, Hawaiian petrel, Newell’s shearwater
  3. These are PUBLIC trust lands and should not be transferred without a full public discussion – on all islands – of why Crown lands are being considered and clearly stating the reason for the transfer and how the transfer will benefit Native Hawaiians and the general public
  4. Kulani is the perfect location for a wellness center and training our next wave of agricultural workers who can develop the skills at Kulani that can assist those exiting incarceration to successfully transition to the community
  5. If PSD does not reopen Kulani and restore its successful programming, then turn it into a Wellness Center to help individuals successfully transition from prison to the community with skills and self-esteem and a stake in their community. Kulani was the perfect location for the most successful sex offender treatment program in the nation – less than 2% recidivism since 1988!
  6. Conversely, Kulani is too remote to put 75-100 youth there according to Juvenile Justice experts. This is dangerous and increases the state’s liability
  7. How can 75-100 youth and some teachers/counselors maintain the facility and grounds that a 200 bed prison and staff maintained for decades?
  8. How much did DLNR save by Kulani inmates building fences, propagating koa seedlings, and replanting koa in the forest? Who will do that work now?
  9. What about child labor laws? Can you have minors doing this type of work? What is their compensation, who will monitor and enforce labor laws there?
  10. STOP! turning over our precious resources to the military. If we truly value our natural and cultural resources, we would not even consider military training in the forest

I hope this helps. I have heard from individuals inside the Department of Public Safety that they hope to reopen Kulani. Transferring this land now, as this administration is 90 days from exiting (but who’s counting?!) is UNWISE at best. Please ask the board not to compound this colossal error.

Mahalo nui for caring about Hawai`i and her people… We CAN make a difference. RAISE YOUR VOICE NOW!

Love,

Kat

Posted on

Student personal information will go to military recruiters unless they opt out

ALERT!   All secondary students and parents should know about the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) military recruitment list opt-out form and deadline for opting out!

AFSC Hawai’i’s CHOICES project, Truth2Youth, Maui Careers in Peacemaking, and the Kaua’i Alliance for Peace and Social Justice have worked for years to get the Hawai’i Department of Education to improve its “opt out” procedures for the military recruitment list created under the NCLB.  The forms were inaccessible and difficult to understand. Some schools did not notify students or notified students until after the deadline.  And there were cases where parents opted out and the names were still given to the military.

According to the Haleakala Times, when students were first allowed to opt out themselves in the 2006/2007 school year, the opt out roll jumped from 1,913 the previous year to 21,836, nearly a quarter of the secondary student body.

This year, we received reports that the opt-out forms were in the registration packets as we had recommended. A teacher at Farrington reported that he had a 4-inch high stack of student-completed opt-out forms.

>><<

http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/breaking/101860428.html#axzz0yDAYbaqs

Students given chance to remove names from schools’ list given to military recruiters

By Star-Advertiser Staff

POSTED: 09:51 p.m. HST, Aug 30, 2010

Students and parents at state middle, intermediate and high schools have until Sept. 15 to remove their names from a national list given annually to military recruiters by the Department of Education under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

The DOE has developed an opt-out form for military recruiting for students and parents, available for download on the DOE website. Students or guardians that submit the forms will have their names and contact information removed from a list sent to Inter-Service Recruitment Council in mid-October. Requests filed between 2007 and 2010 will be honored until the students leave the DOE system.

Request forms are accepted year-round, but may take longer to process if submitted after the Sept. 15 deadline. For more information, students and parents can call the DOE at (808) 692-7290.

Posted on

Protest at Pohakuloa “By Invitation ONLY” Army meeting on Depleted Uranium hazard

Press Release:

Community Press Conference OUTSIDE PTA main gate

Tuesday, Aug. 31st at 1:15PM

further contact: Jim Albertini 966-7622

There will be a press conference outside the Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA) main gate on Tuesday, Aug. 31st at 1:15PM The press conference will raise questions about the “By Invitation ONLY” meeting inside Pohakuloa at 2PM on the Depleted Uranium (DU) contamination from military training. Questions will include: Why wasn’t the meeting held in the community on the Hilo and Kona sides of the island and open to the public? Why won’t the military participate in balance public community forums on the issue of DU? Why have questions hand delivered to the military in 2007 about DU contamination not yet been answered? Was air monitoring done during the recent fires around PTA to detect possible airborne DU? If so, were .45 micron or smaller air filters used? How have Army air sampling plans changed since the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) found the Army’s plans deficient earlier this year? When will all live-fire and other activities that create dust be stopped and the DU cleaned up at PTA?

A community forum on DU is being held on Monday, Aug. 30, 2010 from 7-9PM at the Keaau Community Center. The event is free and open to the public. The Army was invited to participate but once again declined an invitation from Malu ‘Aina, sponsor of the event.

There will be a peaceful protest of the Army’s “By Invitation Only” meeting outside the PTA main gate from 1-3PM. Everyone is invited!

-pau-

—

Jim Albertini

Malu ‘Aina Center for Non-violent Education & Action

P.O.Box AB

Kurtistown, Hawai’i 96760

phone: 808-966-7622

email: JA@interpac.net

Visit us on the web at: www.malu-aina.org

Posted on

Navy plans expansion of range and training activities in the Pacific

Hawaii-Southern California Traning and Testing Environmental Impact Statement and Overseas Environmental Impact Statement

Here is the link to the Navy website for the project.

The Navy proposes to expand its Hawaii Range Complex to the International Date Line.  It already encompasses 2.1 million square miles of sea, air and land.  The new proposal also includes new training and testing activities involving sonar that could harm marine mammals.   In the first phase of preparation of an environmental impact statement, the Navy is conducting scoping meetings to seek input on what impact issues it must study and address in its investigation.  The meetings are being held in a format that does not allow for public speaking in a forum.  They have broken up the sessions into informational stations to disperse public interaction and opposition.

hstt_region

HAWAI’I SCOPING MEETINGS

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

4:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Kauai Community College Cafeteria

3-1901 Kaumualii Highway

Lihue, Hawaii

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

4:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Keehi Lagoon –Disabled American Veterans Hall – Weinberg Hall

2685 North Nimitz Highway

Honolulu, Hawaii

Thursday, August 26, 2010

4:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Hilo High School Cafeteria

556 Waianuenue Ave.

Hilo, Hawaii

Friday, August 27, 2010

4:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Maui Waena Intermediate School Cafeteria

795 Onehee Ave.

Kahului, Hawaii

Posted on

Marines expansion threatens to “radically change” aircraft stationing and training in Hawai’i

The Marine Corps is threatening a major expansion in Hawai’i including basing of new aircraft, an increase in troops and dependents and expanded training.  The Navy/Marine Corps is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement for this expansion.  There will be public scoping meetings held in Aug 24-30. From the project website  http://www.mcbh.usmc.mil/mv22h1eis/:

Public Scoping Open Houses

Federal, state, and county agencies and interested parties are invited to attend any of these open houses and encouraged to provide comments. The Navy will consider these comments in determining the scope of the EIS. Five meetings, using an informal open-house format, will be held on the islands of Hawai‘i, O‘ahu, and Moloka‘i as follows:

Meeting Dates/Locations

August 24, 2010 | 5-8pm

Hilo High School Cafeteria

556 Waianuenue Avenue

Hilo, HI 96720

August 25, 2010 | 4-7pm

Waikoloa Elementary & Middle School Cafeteria

68-1730 Ho’oko Street

Waikoloa, HI 96738

August 26, 2010 | 5-8pm

King Intermediate School Cafeteria

46-155 Kamehameha Hwy.

Kāne‘ohe, HI 96744

August 28, 2010 | 1-4pm

Kaunakakai Elementary School Library

Ailoa Street

Kaunakakai, HI 96748

August 30, 2010 | 5-8pm

Waimānalo Elementary & Intermediate School Cafeteria

41-1330 Kalanianaole Hwy.

Waimānalo, HI 96795

Project Overview

The Department of the Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement MV-22 Aircraft (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Kelsey J. Green (Released))(EIS) for the basing and operation of MV-22 tiltrotor Osprey aircraft and H-1 Cobra and Huey attack helicopters in support of III Marine Expeditionary Force elements stationed in Hawai’i. Because the squadrons would train on land owned or controlled by the Department of the Army, the Navy has requested that the Army be a cooperating agency for preparation of this EIS.

AH-1Z Aircraft (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Christopher O'Quin (Released))The EIS will evaluate a proposal to introduce up to two Marine Medium Tiltrotor (VMM) squadrons with a total of 24 MV-22 aircraft, and one Marine Light Attack Helicopter (HMLA) squadron composed of 18 AH-1Z and 9 UH-1Y helicopters, construction of improvements to accommodate the new aviation squadrons, improvements to training facilities in Hawai’i used by the Marine Corps, and use of Department of Defense training areas statewide.

UH-1Y Aircraft (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Christopher O'Quin (Released))This website provides information about the proposed action and alternatives, the EIS schedule, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process, and points of contact. Project documents will be posted here as they become available.

The Marine Corps requests your input to identify community concerns and issues to be addressed in the EIS. You can participate in a variety of ways:

  • Attend a public scoping open house.
  • Visit this website to learn more about the EIS throughout the process.
  • E-mail us at mv22h1eis@beltcollins.com to submit comments.
  • Mail written comments to Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific, Attn: EV21, MV-22/H-1 EIS Project Manager, 258 Makalapa Drive, Suite 100, Pearl Harbor, HI 96860-3134.

Written comments must be submitted no later than September 7, 2010. Thank you for your interest.

Posted on

Ann Wright Speaking Events in Hawai’i

Ann Wright was on the Gaza flotilla in May, 2010 and will be speaking about her experience at a number of venues in Hawai’i.   She is raising funds for a US ship to join the October, 2010 flotilla.

Please see www.ustogaza.org for more information about the project and how you could  donate if you wish.

Speaking schedule for Ann Wright on Oahu, Maui and the Big Island:

http://www.voicesofconscience.com/events.php

Sunday, Aug 15, 2010

3 p.m. – Gaza Flotilla and Ending the Siege of Gaza

Revolution Books, 2626 S King St, Honolulu, Hawaii 96826

Contact Carolyn Hadfield

revolutionbks@yahoo.com

Monday, Aug 16, 2010

7 p.m. – Gaza Flotilla and Ending the Siege of Gaza

Ka Huina Gallery, Hilo, Hawaii

Contact Jim Albertini

JA@interpac.net

Tuesday, Aug 17, 2010

12 p.m. – Afghanistan and Gaza

Democratic party meeting, Century Club, Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii

Contact Lance Holter

holter@ maui.net

7 p.m. – Gaza Flotilla Survivor Tells Her Story

Hana, Maui, Hawaii

Contact Arnie Kotler

arnoldkotler@aol.com

Wednesday, Aug 18, 2010

7 p.m. – Gaza Flotilla Report Back with Ann Wright

Ka Lama building, Room103, University of Hawaii in Maui

Contact Mele Stokesberry

holamaui@earthlink.net

Friday, Aug 20, 2010

Time to be determine – Gaza Flotilla and Ending the Siege of Gaza

Downtown Honolulu campus, Hawaii Pacific University

Contact Dr. Carlos Juarez

cjuarez@hpu.edu

Monday, August 23, 2010

6:30 p.m. – Gaza Flotilla Survivor Tells Her Story

St. John Auditorium at University of Hawaii, Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii

Contact Ibrahim Aoude

aoude@hawaii.edu

Here’s an article in the Maui Time newspaper.

Posted on

Ann Wright to speak about the Gaza Freedom Flotilla and Israel’s murder of activists

Sunday, August 15 at 3pm

Talk by Ann Wright

On the Gaza Freedom Flotilla

and Israel’s Murder of Activists Aboard the Mavi Marmara

On May 31st Israeli military forces stormed the Mavi Marmara, one of six ships carrying humanitarian relief to Gaza. At least nine activists were murdered and many others were seriously injured. Ann had been on the Mavi Marmara, and was on the ship next to the Mavi Marmara when it was attacked. The ship she was on was also boarded and Ann, along with all of the other activists were kidnapped, taken to Israel, and imprisoned for several days before being deported. The humanitarian supplies aboard the ship were taken to Israel, and personal possessions (including cameras and computers) were confiscated. They were subsequently deported.

While the attack on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla and the massacre on board the Mavi Marmara was covered extensively in the media when it happened, much of the “news” was actually disinformation disseminated by Israel (and then mainstream newspapers in the US and around the world). However, the attack further isolated Israel and the U.S. is representing that Israel’s blockade of Gaza has fundamentally changed.

We know everyone has a lot of questions about the flotilla, what actually happened onboard the Mavi Marmara, and subsequent events. This is your chance to get a first-hand account, raise your questions, and get into discussion.

Those of you who have heard Ann before know that she’ll tell the story straight and will welcome your questions.

Ann’s talk will be followed by a substantial time for questions and discussion, and then an informal time for socializing and refreshments.

Revolution Books

2626 South King Street

Tel: 944-3106

www.revolutionbookshonolulu.org

Free parking in front of the store.

Posted on

On Maui: Hiroshima Commemoration

Hiroshima2010

MAUI TIME WEEKLY, JULY 29, 2010

http://www.mauitime.com/Articles-i-2010-07-29-74029.113117_Remembering_Hiroshima_As_An_Act_of_Liberation.html

Remembering Hiroshima As An Act of Liberation

The militarization of Hawaii and its effect on our economy and collective psyche is often overlooked. Activist Kyle Kajihiro wants to change that

July 29, 2010 | 09:33 AM
Outpost of Empire
The militarization of Hawaii and its effect on our economy and collective psyche is often overlooked. Activist Kyle Kajihiro wants to change that

On Friday, August 6, beginning at 6pm, Maui Peace Action will hold a Hiroshima Remembrance Day at UH Maui College, commemorating the 65-year anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bomb “Little Boy” on the Japanese city. The keynote speaker will be Kyle Kajihiro, director of the anti-war American Friends Service Committee Hawaii.

Ahead of his Maui appearance, we asked Kyle to discuss the legacy of Hiroshima, the militarization of Hawaii and the current state of war and peace.

*

The title of your talk is “Remembering Hiroshima As An Act of Liberation.” Explain what you mean by that.

The world has been held hostage by nuclear terror since the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. As the country with the largest nuclear arsenal, the U.S. has used nuclear weapons as the ultimate “big stick” to intimidate, threaten and coerce other countries to do its bidding. In this way, the U.S. uses nuclear weapons the same way that a robber uses a loaded gun to get people to do something. Whether or not the gun is fired, it is still a form of assault.

Today, more than ever, the danger of nuclear weapons hangs over humanity. The nuclear survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki have been an important voice for peace and the abolition of nuclear weapons. Yet commemorations of these horrific events can become too safe if they don’t address the urgent issues of our time. Remembering Hiroshima must be an act of liberation from nuclear terror and passivity; it should reignite our commitment to the political and moral project of nuclear disarmament and demilitarization.

*

Do you think we’ll see another nuclear weapon used in our lifetime?

I think nuclear weapons have been used many times to terrorize countries without necessarily launching and exploding them. But I am optimistic that the tide of world opinion is against nuclear weapons and will prevent their active use in our lifetime.

*

For those who don’t know, explain, in broad terms, how Hawaii came to be such an important place, militarily, for the United States.

The U.S. invaded and occupied the independent Kingdom of Hawai’i primarily to establish a forward military base in the Pacific as a stepping stone to Asia. From the point of view of American imperialists, once the genocide of American Indians and the taking of their land was completed, the next logical step was to take Hawaii, then the Philippines, Guam and other Pacific nations and extend “manifest destiny” to Asia. The U.S. military still uses Hawaii and its other Pacific island colonies as outposts of empire.

*

What would you say is the most common misconception about—or unknown aspect of—the military presence in Hawaii?

I think most people don’t realize the social, environmental or cultural costs and impacts of the enormous military presence in Hawaii. The impact of the military on land is huge. The military controls nearly a quarter of the island of Oahu, most of it crown and government lands of the Hawaiian Kingdom that were wrongfully taken. On these lands are more than 800 documented and reported contamination sites that include depleted uranium, chemical weapons, lead, mercury, PCB, solvents and unexploded ordnance.

*

As with tourism, when people question the wisdom or necessity of the state’s military bases, proponents cite the economy: where would we be without those military dollars? How do you respond to this?

The military economy is so enormous that it has distorted our development in Hawaii in ways that I would argue have been detrimental to the long-term health of our economy. In many ways, the military-tourism economy is like a fast food diet. You can get plenty of calories from a fast food meal, but if that was the only food you ate, it would eventually make you obese and sick. Fast food diets are also addictive because of the sugar “high” that gives a temporary sense of wellbeing.

The overreliance on tourism and militarism as the only two pillars of the economy have resulted in destructive patterns of overdevelopment, the atrophy of other productive capabilities such as agriculture or clean energy production and the failure to invest in sectors such as education and environmental restoration that are necessary for a sustainable future. There is also the hidden environmental, social and cultural costs of militarism. In a military economy some people get paid, often very well, while others pay the price of lost land, culture and health.

*

What’s your take on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the Obama Administration’s strategies and policies thus far?

Despite all the hype about change, the Obama Administration has pretty much followed the failed policies of the Bush Administration. The cost of the wars have just exceeded $1 trillion. The recent Wikileaks disclosures are revealing the disastrous human cost of Obama’s policies.

Posted on

Wai’anae Environmental Jusice Bus Tour

10.7.24 EJ bus tour flyer july 24

10.7.24 EJ bus tour flyer july 24

The Concerned Elders of Wai‘anae hope you will join us on July 24th for the fourth Huaka‘i Aloha ‘Aina o Wai‘anae, an environmental justice bus tour. This is a unique opportunity to visit the moku of Wai‘anae and experience the rich history of this vibrant community and fertile land. This is also a great opportunity to connect with the many Wai‘anae residents working to protect one of O‘ahu’s remaining breadbaskets.  Together, we can work to bring local, sustainable food production back to Hawai‘i, defend Hawai‘i’s rural communities and open spaces from inappropriate development, and protect the public’s health from contamination of our land and ocean.

We will be meeting at 8 AM at the Waianae Campus of the Leeward Community College.  We will visit successful farms in Wai‘anae, see farmland currently in jeopardy of industrialization, and meet with real Wai‘anae farmers.  We will pick up lunch at Wai‘anae’s own Farmers’ Market.

Seating on the tour bus is limited, so please RSVP to Marti at 524-8220 or marti@kahea.org.  See attached flyer for more details.

Mahalo!
Marti.

Directions:
The LCC-Wai‘anae Campus is located at 86-088 Farrington Highway.
Please proceed along Farrington Highway, past Leihoku Street and Longs Drugstore.  LCC-Wai‘anae is on the mauka-side of the road, on the top of the 2-story building behind the Cathay Chinese Restaurant and the Tesoro Gas Station. If you have trouble finding us, please call:

LCC-W front desk: 696-6378
Miwa: 228-7219
Marti: 372-1314

Posted on

TONIGHT: OHA to hold informational meeting on cultural study of Kūkaniloko

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 19, 2010

COMMUNITY INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN UPCOMING OHA MEETING ON KŪKANILOKO

OHA to hold informational meeting on cultural study of Kūkaniloko

WAHIAWĀ – The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) is conducting a study of Kūkaniloko, and is encouraging and welcoming the surrounding communities of Wahiawā and central O‘ahu to attend an informational meeting and provide ideas about the site’s importance and management needs. The meeting is free and open to the public on Thursday, July 22, 2010 at Wahiawā District Park in the Hale Ho‘okipa Room from 6 to 8:30 p.m.

OHA beneficiaries, community members and organizations urged OHA to conduct a Traditional Cultural Property Study (TCP study) of Kūkaniloko. A TCP study is a more holistic approach to studying, protecting and perpetuating wahi kapu and wahi pana (sacred and celebrated places) while focusing on why a community values the area. OHA has contracted Hui ‘Imi ‘Ike to perform the study and plans to start documenting collective knowledge of Kūkaniloko through meeting with people in the surrounding communities to gain a sense of Kūkaniloko’s role in Wahiawa, O‘ahu and all of Hawai‘i.

An extremely important cultural site, Kūkaniloko, still survives near the Wahiawā area of O‘ahu. When O‘ahu was a famous and powerful kingdom in these islands from the 1400s until the late 1700s, the area today referred to as the Wahiawā-Schofield–Wheeler area was one of its royal centers, where the ruler and high chiefs often resided. A vital part of this royal center was Kūkaniloko, which had birthing stones where the nobility frequently came to have their children born. This cultural site was one of the most sacred on the island of O‘ahu, famed into the time of Kamehameha and through the 1800s. Today it is little known, and needs better protection.

“Our beneficiaries’ request to do the TCP study was timely and fit into OHA’s vision to develop ways to understand the sacredness and breath of a landscape and its role in informing our collective sense of place. This is especially so in regard to the use of land as a foundation and empowering tool for the heritage of Hawaiian people,” said Kevin Chang, Land Manager of OHA’s Land and Property Management Program, we believe this study will be of great interest to our beneficiaries, cultural practitioners, hula hālau, long term residents, scholars, historians and the greater community alike.”

Contact:
Lloyd Yonenaka
Media Relations and Messaging Manager
Office: 808-594-1982
Cell: 808-754-0078
Email: lloydy@oha.org

Proudly powered by WordPress