Kahu Ku`una: Natural and Cultural Resource Stewardship

Hawaiian Salt

2010-10-29T16:21:00.000-07:00

SAVE OUR NATIVE HAWAIIAN BURIAL CAVE OUR GOAL $12,000

2010-09-21T03:52:00.000-07:00

Maui's birthplace in Lualualei

2010-09-08T02:07:00.001-07:00

Protect Ag Land and Maui's birthplace in Lualualei from industrial development!
Watch the video by Ka Makani Kaiaulu 'o Wai'anae about environmental justice in Wai'anae.

Waiʻanae: Kū I Ka Pono, Kūʻē I Ka Hewa from kyle kajihiro on Vimeo.

Kekuewa Kikiloi's Doctoral Research Online

2010-08-16T16:22:00.000-07:00

Click here to access the article in the Hana Hou/Hawaiian Air Magazine to read about Kekuewa researchin the Northwest Hawaiian Islands.

Hawaii Stewardship on Kauai

2010-08-12T19:26:00.000-07:00

An agreement between the County of Kaua‘i and the Hui Malama O Kaneiolouma, Friday, will help breathe new life into the Kaneiolouma Heiau located in Po‘ipu.

Click the above photo for more information.

Whatʻs Up with Kahu Kuuna

2010-01-26T03:56:00.000-08:00

Well if youʻre interested.... This semester's Kahu Kuʻuna class got cancelled for low enrollment. Attrition bites! Well, that doesn't mean the program is dead... we just gotta figure out how to recruit more students and keep them interested. A few of my students however continue to be active in resource management. Two are currently doing an internship with KS and Tom Dye and Associates doing collections inventory and we are planning a summer class for them as well that is connected to the PIPES Natural Resource Management program at UH-Hilo. I am also planning a two day workshop to learn plane table mapping... so thongs are still moving in the positive despite a little setback....

mai poina.... malama ka ʻāina e kokua kakkou

TheGardenIsland.com News Kauai News Planning Commission to review Brescia?s permit

2009-10-14T18:45:00.001-07:00

TheGardenIsland.com News Kauai News Planning Commission to review Brescia?s permit

Shared via AddThis

Ceded or Seized Lands!?!

2009-10-14T01:35:00.000-07:00

Support needed for Kunia/Pohakea

2009-10-12T13:52:00.001-07:00

We spent last night with a beautiful community of Paniolo who live in the lands of Pohakea. Pohakea is in great need of our protection at this time. Campbell Estates are in the process of selling lands of Pohakea and surrounding acreage which will emcompass 854 acres to C&C Farms LLC. The sale hasnʻt been completed yet and C&C Farms LLC have already started to sell parcels and collect "good faith deposits from people."

Pohakea is one of the peaks in the Honoʻuliʻuli area you drive right past it everytime you drive on Kunia Road. Last night as I sang "Hopoe" at the foot of Pohakea I cried and at times couldnʻt sing the rigth words because as I could clearly see destruction coming to this place just as Hiʻiaka could see the destruction of her beloved oʻhia forest and friend. In the past few dayʻs numerous wahi pana (sacred sites) have been identified, however according to PBR Consultants the firm who represents C&C Farms LLC they have done their "due dilegence" (not!) and are already planning and plotting... literally!

It was our privilege to meet the strong and hard working people who make up this Paniolo Community. They are all from different back grounds and races but share a culture that can only be created when we allow our diversity to become our strength. I know that my life is richer because a community like theirs exists.

Each and everyone of you have been tagged for a purpose and on purpose. Time is of the essence. This Wednesday October 14th the gates to Pohakea will be locked to the people of Pohakea. The following is just a few ideaʻs by last nightʻs discussion:

1. Educate and inform community at large and go viral on the web with the facts and fiction of this situation.

2. Kukulukumuhana- pull our strengths with purpose. Again if you have been tagged it is for a purpose and on purpose.

3. The ʻĀina of Pohakea is famous in legend and in song. If anyone is maʻa to any mele and or moʻolelo please send me a message. This could become the begining of a TCP Study (Traditional Cultural Properties) which could really assist us in long term preservation and protection of this the wahi pana. We really need the kokua of our kumu and kumu hula on this one..... Ke ʻoluʻolu.

4. If you are a member of NāKiʻiKeAho or any other hui or organizations commited to the preservation or protection of our wahi pana we really need your mana, time and experience.

Please respond to this kahea and add "Wahine ʻo Kunia Honoʻuliʻuli" as a friend on fb. Thereʻs some information on their profile. Mahalo nui loa for your time and consideration on this matter of great importance. Mahalo Piha. We would be very intrested in hearing your manaʻo on how we can kukulukumuhana and work together to preserve and protect Pohakea.

Me Ka Haʻahaʻa,
Leimaile Quitevis

Native American Video on Visiting Sites with Respect.

2009-09-25T09:45:00.000-07:00

Is Hawaiian Archaeology Really Hawaiian?

2009-09-15T11:39:00.001-07:00

Click here to read a 2007 presentation from the Society for American Archaeology Conference in SanDiego.

Kahu Kuʻuna III: Protocols

2009-08-28T02:16:00.001-07:00

The third class in the series is this semester. We will be exploring protocols for use in this program. Looking forward to producing a document that this program can adopt as its own.
We will use "Basic Protocols" by Coochie Cayan as a starting point. Click here to view this document.

Another article on protocols by Moses Crabbe written for Maunakea. Click here to view this document.

Follow this link to Dr. Sam Gon's explanation of Hawaiʻi protocols. Click here.

Kanaloa moku protocols. Click here.

Read another article by Sam Gon. "Application of Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Practices of Indigenous Hawaiians
to the Revegetation of Kaho‘olawe. Click here for the article.

Updates on Key Failures for the Protection of Our Iwi

2009-08-14T14:15:00.000-07:00

This is an update on 3 key failures (but many more exist!) of the "system" in protecting our iwi kupuna. Mahalo to Alan Murakami of NHLC for the info.

The situation worsens by the day....

* The central story in Naue is that the SHPD is allowing Brescia
to build his house over an ancient Hawaiian cemetery without proper
prior approval of a burial treatment plan that reflects the will of the
island burial council to preserve those iwi kupuna in place. If
allowed, the SHPD will in effect reverse the island burial council's
preservation determination by treating a house over a cemetery as a
preservation measure. The judge refused to recognize the construction
as an alteration of a burial site.
* In the Wal Mart case, the city permitting agency refused to seek
expert archaeological opinion at critical time in the permitting process
before approval of the permits to build a major store over iwi kupuna on
the property, which would have been identified if the SHPD had required
a prior archaeological inventory survey. Ultimately, whereas no iwi
kupuna were thought to be present on the property when construction
began, contractor encountered 64 burials which had to be dug up to make
room for the store. The judge refused to stop construction despite the
flawed process followed.
* In the Ward Village Shops case, initial archaeological work
identified only 11 iwi kupuna on the project site. Without the SHPD
demanding timely and more comprehensive archaeological testing to
determine whether more burials were present, construction activity
ultimately uncovered 62 burials discovered much later than they should
have been. Then the judge refused to stop work despite the obvious flaw
in the SHPD review.

Burial Desecration at Naue

2009-08-04T15:59:00.000-07:00

Updated news concerning the situation at Naue on Kauai. Sad, sad news...

Burial Desecration at Naue from New Pacific Voice on Vimeo.

Kilohi Kalaemanō Summer Bridge 2009

2009-07-22T16:15:00.000-07:00

Outdoor classrooms are great! Kahu Kuʻuna and Geography of Hawaiʻi class... nice match!

Planting some natives at the Hawaiʻi garden at the Kona Village Resort

Looking at some koehana (artifacts) that were returned by archaeologists.

Jamaica Osorio... Words that hit home.

2009-05-14T18:48:00.001-07:00

Maunaʻala: The Royal Masoleum

2009-04-13T14:24:00.001-07:00

Click here for information.
More information here

Ka Huaka'i I Kahuwai ia Kahuwai

2009-03-27T02:29:00.000-07:00

On March 22nd, students in the Kahu Kuuna II class began their journey at Kumukahi Point. "E Ala e" echoed along the coast as we witnessed the rising of the sun at the eastern most point of Moku O Keawe. We then continued to the village of Kahuwai in Puna. Kahu Keone Kalawe, a descendent of the people from this ancient village provided us a tour of this coastal village.

To be continued...

Ceded Lands? or Seized Lands!?!

2009-03-02T09:11:00.000-08:00

The Myth of Ceded Lands and the State of Hawai`i’s
Claim to Perfect Title

In the recent Ceded lands hearing at the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., on February 25, 2009, Attorney General Mark Bennett repeatedly asserted in the hearings that the State of Hawai`i has perfect title to over one million acres of land that were transferred to the United States government upon annexation in 1898 and then transferred to the State of Hawai`i in 1959. This is an incorrect statement. This falsehood, however, is not based on arguments for or against the highly charged Hawaiian sovereignty movement; rather, it is a simple question to answer since ownership of land is not a matter of rhetoric but dependent on a sequence of deeds in a chain of title between the party granting title and the party receiving title. In fact, the term "perfect title" in real estate terms means “a title that is free of liens and legal questions as to ownership of the property. A requirement for the sale of real estate.”

Kahu Kuʻuna II: Foundations

2009-02-06T21:43:00.000-08:00

Tommorrow is the first class! The direction of this class will be guided by students. We have many opportunities and I hope that as a learning community we all can decide on the focus for the semester. The over-arching theme for the class is "Foundations". It is essential that we identify what foundational base-line we have before moving on to affect the larger stewardship community.

How did our kupuna flourish on these islands?

What aspects of their society or traditional stewardship methods allowed them to successfully interact with the environment?

Who in their society maintained this delicate balance?

Were there consequences for upsetting this balance?

What were the advantages for maintaining this balance?

What aspects of their stewardship do we see today?

Can these practices be implemented in our modern social environment?

Do any of our laws support traditional stewardship methods?

Kalaupapa National Park

2009-01-27T19:39:00.001-08:00

Few places in the world better illustrate the human capacity for endurance or for charity than the remote Kalaupapa Peninsula, on the island of Moloka’i. The area achieved notoriety in 1865 when the Kingdom of Hawaii`i instituted a century-long policy of forced segregation of persons afflicted with Hansen’s disease, also known as leprosy. During the 75-year epidemic, leprosy considerations permeated the islands' legal code, the Hawaiian government spent up to five percent of its total budget for the care of the sick, and for a time an estimated two percent of the Hawaiians were afflicted with leprosy.

The number of people living in the Kalaupapa Peninsula and its neighboring valleys when the isolation settlement was established at Kalawao was small. As throughout the rest of Hawaii, a series of epidemics in the mid- to late 19th century decimated the Hawaiian population. In 1866 when the first leprosy patients were left at Kalawao, the remaining original inhabitants were subsequently relocated with the sale of their lands to the Board of Health. By 1900 non-patient Hawaiians were gone from the entire peninsula. Nine hundred years of connection with the local region were broken.

The Kalaupapa Peninsula was chosen as a place to set apart land to seclude people believed capable of spreading the disease because it was isolated and fairly inaccessible. To the south, the peninsula was cut off from the rest of Moloka`i by a sheer cliff about 2,000 feet high. The ocean surrounded the east, north and west sides. In good weather, landings were only practical at Kalaupapa and Kalawao; both inhabited by Hawaiians. Second, the land could support people. Vegetables such as sweet potatoes, fruits, and taro could be grown. The ocean and tidal pools provided food and fresh water was available from Waikolu and Waihanau Valleys.

On January 6, 1866, the first group of nine men and three women leprosy patients were dropped off at the mouth of Waikolu Valley, the closest accessible point to Kalawao on the southeast side of the peninsula. By October, 101 men and 41 women had been left in an isolation settlement surrounded by controversy and concern from the beginning. At first, the Board of Health thought patients would be self-supporting. After all, Hawaiian people had lived on the peninsula for generations, sustaining themselves and raising sweet potatoes for export, and the very first patients moved into houses left behind by Hawaiians who had lived in the area. It soon became apparent that most patients were too ill or demoralized to be self-sufficient. As stories spread of the deplorable conditions, many Hawaiian people hid their afflicted relatives and friends, hoping to prevent their discovery and a one-way trip to certain death.

In spite of the Board of Health’s efforts to improve conditions, including building a hospital and homes, supplies of food and clothing, housing, and medical care could not keep up with the numbers of people being sent to Kalawao. Starting in 1873 major improvements were made because of the arrival of Father Damien, a Catholic Priest, and the interest and support of the next two Hawaiian kings, William Charles Lunalilo and David Kalakaua. Father Damien suffered from the disease during the final four years of his 16-year voluntary service to the lepers of the peninsula. The news of Damien's presence among the colony brought better facilities to the settlement and upon his death in 1893 he became famous as the "martyr of Molokai," generating world-wide movements of concern for those suffering from Hansen's disease and the search for a cure.

During the years 1888 to 1902 the isolation laws in Hawaii were strictly enforced and the population at Kalawao swelled to over 1,100. During this period the Bishop Home for girls opened in Kalaupapa (managed by Mother Marianne Cope and the Sisters of St. Francis), and the Baldwin Home for boys opened in Kalawao (managed by Brother Joseph Dutton and the Brothers of the Sacred Heart). It was also during this time that people began gradually moving to west side of the peninsula to the Hawaiian fishing village of Kalaupapa.

The Board of Health began relocating patients and facilities from the windward side of the peninsula to the leeward side, where the climate was warmer and dryer, and where freight and passengers could be landed more easily. Water lines were extended from Waikolu Valley to Kalaupapa to supply fresh water. The isolation settlement was expanded to include not just Kalawao, but the entire peninsula. The last remaining private property was purchased and all non-patients removed.

By 1919 treatments of chaulmoogra oil, derived from seeds of trees found in India and Southeast Asia, offered hope as a cure for Hansen’s disease. People dared to think Kalaupapa settlement could be closed. After 10 years, however, belief in the curative powers of the oil waned and despite years of medical research a cure seemed as remote as ever. Kalaupapa’s physical infrastructure was in need of an overhaul. Territory of Hawaii Governor Lawrence M. Judd reorganized the leprosy control program in the early 1930s and undertook ambitious construction and rehabilitation projects. State-of-the-art water and power systems were installed; facilities such as a hospital, store, service station, and houses were built; and roads were paved. After Brother Joseph Dutton died in 1931, a new home for boys was built at Kalaupapa and all of the children moved over from Kalawao.

Dramatic changes both in the treatment of Hansen’s disease and in attitudes towards patients occurred with the discovery of sulfone drugs as a cure for the disease. Introduced into Hawaii in 1946, the new medications brought almost immediate reductions of symptoms and vast improvements in the quality of health and life. Former Governor Judd became Kalaupapa’s resident superintendent in 1947, and he and his wife Eva Marie promoted social activities and adult education classes. Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Lion’s Club, American Legion, and other organizations opened Kalaupapa to the wider world. Many remaining physical barriers separating patients from workers were removed.

With drug therapies, Hansen’s disease patients were no longer contagious and there was no further need for isolation. In 1969 the century-old laws were finally abolished. Former Hansen’s disease patients living in Kalaupapa today have chosen to remain here, most for the rest of their lives. Today, people can visit the Kalaupapa National Historic Park on the island of Molokai in the state of Hawaii. The Kalaupapa Leprosy Settlement is also a designated National Historic Landmark.

Native American Anthropological Scholarship

2008-12-22T10:50:00.000-08:00

Follow this link to see a great opportunity for someone to take advantage of. It is the Society for American Archaeology's Native American Scholarship. I received it in 2004 and it allowed me to go to Rapanui for a summer field school. Please check it out if you're interested. There are a number of possible field schools here and abroad that you can think about attending in the summer of 2009. Let me know if you're interested.

Click here for more info.

Kahu Kuuna II: Foundations

2008-12-03T03:39:00.000-08:00

Aloha ... for those students that were patient, next semester's class is finally up. Register for the class under HwSt 197D.

Maunakea Discussion

2008-11-19T19:17:00.000-08:00

The class today engaged in a very interesting discussion focused on Maunakea. Sorren shared her experience of going to the Comprehensive Management Plan community meeting. This definitely added to our conversation. It is obvious to us that there are many issues and challenges ahead and we are concerned about the potential outcomes for Maunakea. I think that we are in agreement that there needs to be a management plan in place for Maunakea, but we don't know who should be the ones put in position to make those decisions.

Should the University be tasked with the preparation and implementation of this managemnt plan?
Why doesn't the State take a lead role in this CMP?
Will the concerns of the communities involved be seriously addressed?
Why can't OHA play a larger role in this? Or should they?
What about the $1 a year situation?
How does the "Ceded lands" issue play into the situation?
What about soveriegnty concerns?
How can this class make a difference?
What about the gorse on Maunakea?

We don't have any answers, just more questions...

My question... How does any of this truly benefit Mauna a Wakea?

Hawaiʻi Volcano National Park

2008-11-14T02:59:00.000-08:00

Although we were a small group that went to visit Tūtū Pele, what we gained was by no means small. We began our day with Keola Awong at Uwekahuna, a bluff overlooking Tūtū Pele. We offered our hoʻokupu that was prepared by our class. Keola took us to the Puʻuloa petroglyph site. It was truly amazing to witness first hand the extent of the site. We spent quite awhile there exploring the artwork of our kupuna. We then went to meet up with Bobby Camara who provided us a tremendous amount of information about the native plants in the park. We then had an opportunity to visit some of the collections that the park maintains. There is definitely a lot of mana in those collections. Mahalo to the staff at the park for always being available to share the work that they are doing in cultural resource management.

Maunakea Assignment

2008-11-10T12:03:00.000-08:00

Here are some links for the Maunakea Assignment:

Contemporary Land Issues Regarding Maunakea

Comprehensive Management Plan for Maunakea

The Cultural Significance of Maunakea

The Thirty-Meter Telescope

Maunakea Issues and Opportunities

Maunakea Observatories

Malama Maunakea: The Office of Maunakea Management

Moving Forward and the Mountain

Maunakea by Pualani Kanahele

Science, Culture Clash over Mountain

Buried Epistemologies

Big Air on Maunakea

Pacific Clues TeleSchool Program

2008-10-28T15:54:00.000-07:00

Please visit the Hawaii State Department of Education Teleschool website to view a series of short video about archaeology.

Follow this link to watch Kekuewa Kikiloi's presentation about his research on Nihoa and Mokumanamana.

Pacific Clues Program 2

Our Huakaʻi to Hakalau Forest Reserve

2008-09-29T11:38:00.000-07:00

Out planting native plants in the Hakalau Forest Reserve with Jack Jeffery senior wildlife biologist at the reserve.

The Puʻu Akala cabin, built in the late 1800s. Built entirely with koa milled from the area.

Forbes Cave Controversy

2008-09-24T12:48:00.001-07:00

Hawaiian artifacts, including a funerary bowl studded with human teeth, are at the center of a legal battle.

Click here to read more.

Save La'au Point

2008-09-24T12:42:00.000-07:00

Click here to view a video about La'au Point

Kanupa Cave

2008-09-24T12:24:00.001-07:00

Kanupa Cave in Kohala on the Big Island showed signs of
disturbance.

Click here to read more.

Whole Foods and our Iwi

2008-09-24T12:10:00.000-07:00

Work has been halted at this construction site in Honolulu, Friday, May 18, 2007. Construction has been halted due to the discovery of about 50 ancient Hawaiian human remains, some of which are being excavated under the plastic tarps shown in foreground. The property will be the home of Hawaii's first Whole Foods Market, an apartment building and small shops. Numerous ancient Hawaiian burial sites have been unearthed amid an island wide building boom, sometimes spurring legal battles, costly construction delays or redesigns and bad blood with some Native Hawaiians who say burials should remain undisturbed.

Click here to read more.

Walmart and our Iwi

2008-09-24T12:04:00.001-07:00

Paulette Kaleikini stands in front of a Wal-Mart superstore in Honolulu, Friday, May 18, 2007, where 64 Native Hawaiian human remains will be buried. The skeletal remains were found during construction in 2003 and 2004 and are locked up in a trailer under a parking ramp. Kaleikini, a cultural descendant of the deceased, says the remains should have never been disturbed. Numerous ancient Hawaiian burial sites have been unearthed amid an island wide building boom, often spurring legal battles, costly construction delays or redesigns and bad blood with some Native Hawaiians who say burials should remain undisturbed.

Click here to read more

"Unearthing Burial Laws"

2008-09-24T11:57:00.001-07:00

Click here to read an article about the Naue, Kauai situation.

SHA 2008 Archaeology Conference

2008-09-22T23:30:00.000-07:00

Please join this year's Hawaiian Archaeology Conference here in Hilo. October 17th-19th, 2008.

Click here to go to the sign up form from the Society for Hawaiian Archaeology.

Third Uhau Humu Pōhaku Conference 2008

2008-09-15T11:51:00.000-07:00

The Kamehameha Investment Corporation (KIC) and Hui Hoʻoniho held the Third Uhau Humu Pōhaku (Hawaiian dry stack masonry) Conference September 12-14 in Keauhou, Kona Hawaiʻi. This conference is held to "promote and perpetuate uhau humu pōhaku" as a healthy and continuing practice in our Native Hawaiian communities.

Around 90 Native Hawaiians participated with the intent to network with each other, learn about the various efforts that are ongoing in our respective communities, and to explore our kuleana to "maintain traditiona

l stone structures and sites and to build contemporary sites for future use". The main activities attendees participated in were at Lekeleke Battlegrounds (with Mason Billy Fields, above left) and at the Kaloko Fishpond (with Mason Peter Keka). Numerous practitioners of uhau humu pōhaku attended and all participants gained a huge amount of knowledge from these practitioners.

These photos are from the work that took place at the Kaloko Fishpond.

Keʻekū Heiau

2008-09-15T11:39:00.001-07:00

Hapaialiʻi and Keʻekū prior to restoration.

Keʻekū will be completed by the end of 2008

Uhau Humu Pōhaku

2008-09-15T08:40:00.000-07:00

Click here for more photos

Lekeleke Battle Grounds

2008-09-15T08:09:00.000-07:00

This is the Lekeleke Burial Grounds. The year following the death of Kamehameha I in 1819 was a turbulent time for Hawaiians. The Native community was divided by the abolishment of the ʻaikapu by Liholiho (Kamehameha II) and Kamehameha I's wife Kaʻahumanu. Many Hawaiians still believed in the traditional ways, beliefs, and gods. One chief named Kekuaokalani (Liholiho's cousin), called "The Last Defender of the Hawaiian Gods" by Kalākaua and his wife Manono led their warriors to battle against the forces of Liholiho to defend the traditional ways.

Heavily armed with guns, Liholiho's warriors defeated Kekuaokalani and his warriors at this site. Their slain bodies were covered with pōhaku and to this day remain buried here at Lekeleke.

Hapaiali'i

2008-09-15T08:00:00.001-07:00

2008 Preservation Honor Awards

http://papaku.smugmug.com/gallery/4019529_2mDTs#233931929_5VVbN

Hoʻi I Ka Pono: A film about Molokai

2008-09-03T19:14:00.000-07:00

Here is a short video that speaks to what stewardship is all about. The Molokai community is rallying together to maintain its life style. Rallying to protect their way of life as practiced for centuries by our kupuna.

Click here to view a video by Matt Yamashita.

2008-09-01T05:53:00.001-07:00

Click here to read about Maui's ʻAnakala Charles Maxwell's understanding and participation in the protection of our kupuna's iwi.

...E hoʻi i te pito o te henua...

2008-08-20T10:29:00.000-07:00

Discussions are underway to plan for a huakaʻi to Rapanui. HLS staff will begin planning for a Fall 2009 Pamaomao class to prepare students for a cultural and educational exchange in Spring 2010 in Rapanui. Select learners from the Kahu Kuʻuna Track and the Mahiʻai track will be afforded an opportunity to experience this fascinating place. Considered one of the most isolated islands in the Pacific, Polynesian explorers traveled here and populated this tiny island. Probably best known for the monolithic stone statues called moai, Rapanui was a thriving society. In the summer of 2004, I spent 6 weeks doing my graduate fieldwork and I was truly impressed by the landscape, people, and culture of Rapanui. We are excited at HLS to be able begin planning for this exciting opportunity. "Rivariva!!"

Hoʻihi Ka Ulu Laʻau-Respect the Forest

2008-08-20T03:31:00.000-07:00

A 1994 article about Marie McDonald-Master Lei-Maker <click here>

Early Polynesians Sailed Thousands of Miles for Trade

2008-08-13T08:15:00.000-07:00

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/pf/72569889.html

Hawaiian Archaeologist's Newest Discovery

2008-08-11T07:03:00.000-07:00

Follow this link to see what archaeologist Kekuewa Kikiloi is doing at Mokukapapa.

http://kgmb9.com/main/content/view/8746/173/

Planned Huakaʻi's for Fall 2008

2008-07-31T16:27:00.000-07:00

Kahuwai with archaeologist Keone Kalawe.

At the time of the Mahele in 1848, the ahupua‘a of Kahuwai was granted to Victoria Kamāmalu, the daughter of Kīna‘u and Kekūanāo‘a. Kamāmalu inherited the lands of her mother Kīna‘u and Ka‘ahumanu. Kamāmalu’s lands were the inheritance of the kuhina nui and were part of the largest single award of lands at the Mahele. Upon Victoria’s death in 1866, the lands were passed to her brother Lot Kamehameha and then to Princess Ruth Ke‘elikōlani in 1872. Upon Princess Ruth’s death in 1883, Kahuwai was passed to Bernice Pauahi Bishop and became part of her perpetual estate in 1887.

Today, the land is managed by the Kamehameha Schools, Land Assets Division. The village settlement at Kapele Bay evolved over hundreds of years of continuous occupation. Little is known of its early history. The rocky bay provided coastal access and may have served as a place to launch and land canoes used to fish the rich windward shoreline.

Early settlement may have evolved around the bay and expanded inland with a mix of house sites, agricultural fields, trails, heiau, burials and other sites. It is clear from the density of sites and structures that Kahuwai was well populated and that both lawai‘a (fishing) and mahi ‘ai (farming) were important parts of daily life. The large size of some walls and trails may also indicate an ali‘i presence in the village that could direct the building of large structures.

The first written accounts of life at Kahuwai come from the Rev. William Ellis, who traveled around the island in 1823. His journal indicates that 150 people gathered to hear him speak at Kahuwai. Subsequent research in tax records show 17 households paying taxes from Kahuwai in 1863. Twenty years later in 1882 only two households were reported. Permanent residency at Kahuwai may have ended in the early 1900s.

(from Imua April 2004)

2008-07-14T11:48:00.000-07:00

View the Kahu Kuʻuna: Cultural Resource Stewardship A.A. Program Flyer

Kaʻū Kiʻekiʻe Summer Bridge 2008

2008-07-11T13:38:00.000-07:00

These photos represent some of the activities in a two-week summer class held in Pahala for residents of the Kaʻū area. Classes were held in the newly renovated Pahala Clubhouse. Students met from 8:00am to 1:00pm each day and

explored the connections between Hawaiians and their surrounding environment. The class, Kahu Kuʻuna I: Natural and Cultural Resource Stewardship, allowed students to develop and regain their understanding of the unique relationship that Hawaiians maintain with the elements and each other.

Using this as a foundation, students then explore the world of Cultural Resource Management (CRM) and see how this cultural foundation can define how they can bridge traditional perspectives and stewardship methods with the ever-changing landscapes to become more efficient stewards towards realizing our kuleana here to Hawaiʻi.

The Kaʻū area is rich with natural and cultural resources that are constantly under the threat of encroaching development. The residents of Kaʻū are known to be fierce in the face of adversity. This class will provide the students and the community with an additional tool to further assist them in their struggle to keep Kaʻū as pristine and free from the rampant irresponsible processes associated with development. Awareness and pro-activeness are important steps towards being able to maintain our cultural foundations for future generations.

HwSt 197 Semester No. 1 Complete

2008-05-09T04:44:00.000-07:00

The experimental course HwSt 197: Kahu Kuʻuna I is pau! From its rocky beginnings to a successful hōʻike this first class went well. As a new teacher, I have learned a lot about myself as a teacher and also ways in which I can further develop this course. I hope that the students were able to sift through some of the confusion at times and were able to take a little bit of info with them as to the importance of the connection we, as people of this ʻāina share and understand that we have a kuleana to malama this special place and the special and unique things associated with the stewardship of our wahi kupuna. I hope that the creation of this blog allows for new and former members of this class a place to share experiences and information. The important thing to know about the creation of this track is that the only way we can move towards making and effecting positive change to a system that has been resistant to culturally appropriate methods and perspectives is to begin these discussions, explore the practices, form collaborative relationships, and unite in a cohesive manner from a solid foundation of cultural integrity.

So to those of you who endured this first semester I say to you... mahalo... and of course remember to continue towards becoming warriors for the ʻāina!

House Resolution Concerning the Creation of a M.A. Program @ UH-Hilo in Cultural Resource Management

2008-05-09T04:28:00.000-07:00

Follow this link to see the House version of a bill to support the creation of a new M.A. program at UH-Hilo. Dr. Peter Mills has been actively pursuing this new program and has been working with HawCC to develop a collaborative environment to facilitate a bridging for our students. Note the mention of the Kahu Kuʻuna track in the bill.

http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2008/bills/HR130_.htm