Burial Desecration at Naue

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

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.

Maunaʻala: The Royal Masoleum

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Ka Huaka'i I Kahuwai ia Kahuwai

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!?!

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.”

Read more here.

Kahu Kuʻuna II: Foundations

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?