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Pepeluali 2009
Mid-
Month Extra Edition |
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Nū Hou - Newsbriefs
By Ka Wai Ola Loa Staff
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Kawaiaha'o Church breaks ground
for multipurpose center
Historic Kawaiaha'o Church in Honolulu, O'ahu broke ground on Feb. 15 for the church's new two-story multipurpose center, to replace an old administration building and Likeke Hall.
The new center will provide office space, classrooms, meeting rooms, a conference room, a social hall, and a kitchen for the congregation, the Native Hawaiian community, and the many members of the general public that use the facilities. The center will also include a reading library, the church archives, and a mini-museum of Kawaiaha'o's history.
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| On Dec. 11, 2007, Kawaiaha'o Church began demoliltion of the old Likeke Hall to make way for this expansion. - Photo: Blaine Fergerstrom |
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| Members of the church community, led by Kahu Curt Kekuna, broke ground on Feb. 15, 2009 for the replacement facility. - Photo: Blaine Fergerstrom |
Kawaiaha'o ensured that the boundaries of the on-site cemetery were respected in the site preparations for the new center, establishing the Nā Iwi Committee to establish culturally appropriate protocols to manage the cemetery. The church also brought in the expertise of Native Hawaiian-owned consulting firms Ku'iwalu and Aukahi, as well as Cultural Surveys Hawai'i.
"We believe Kawaiaha'o is setting a new standard for planning development in areas where cultural sensitivity is called for," noted project manager Don Caindec.
Built in 1842, Kawaiaha'o Church was the first Christian church to be built on O'ahu. The current kahu of Kawaiaha'o is Kahu Curtis P. Kekuna.
Two Kaua'i parks are the focus
of new advisory council
The newly appointed Kōke'e Advisory Council has begun to meet on a regular basis for the purpose of providing the Department of Land and Natural Resources with community-based input on the management of Kōke'e and Waimea Canyon State Parks. Among the council's priority duties will be to give feedback on a master plan for both parks, which has yet to be finalized. A draft master plan released by DLNR in 2007 drew criticism from many Kaua'i residents objecting to proposals for increased commercial activity inside the parks, a popular destination for hikers and hunters as well as hālau members who frequent the area to practice gathering rights.
Particularly at issue was the proposed construction of commercial concessions at park lookouts. The ad hoc citizens group Save Kōke'e formed to urge the state to do more to preserve the wilderness character of both parks. The group's efforts gained steam on Kaua'i and contributed to the Legislature's decision last year to establish the Kōke'e Advisory Council, consisting of nine voting and four non-voting members appointed by the governor and House and Senate leaders.
At the inaugural council meeting on Jan. 16, State Parks Administrator Dan Quinn announced that planned infrastructure improvements already underway at Kōke'e and Waimea Canyon Parks include the replacement of the water line system and parking improvements at Kalalau Lookout.
Quinn also highlighted DLNR's newly proposed "Recreational Renaissance," a $240 program that would rely on a combination of land leases and visitor fees to generate revenue for upgrading parks throughout the state. As part of the program, non-resident visitors to Kōke'e would be charged entrance fees, Quinn said. Newly installed Kōke'e Advisory Council Canen Ho'okano said the majority of Kaua'i residents who attended 2007 Kōke'e management meetings opposed any plan to establish toll gates at the entrance to the two state parks.
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| The comment period is open until Mar. 10 on the Mauna Kea Comprehensive Management Plan Draft Environmental Assessment. Photo: Blaine Fergerstrom |
Draft Environmental Assessment of
Mauna Kea plan available for comment
The Mauna Kea Comprehensive Management Plan is nearing completion, and the University of Hawai'i expects to submit the plan to the state Board of Land and Natural Resources for approval in April. In the meantime a draft Environmental Assessment, the required document that identifies impacts that the acceptance of the CMP would have, is available for review and public comment. A link to download the 193-page document is below.
The draft concludes that there will be no significant impacts on the environment due to the guidelines proposed in the Mauna Kea Comprehensive Management Plan.
Comments on the assessment will be accepted until March 10, 2009. Submit your written comments to all three of the following addresses:
University of Hawai'i
Office of the President
2444 Dole St., Bachman 202
Honolulu, HI 96822Pacific Consulting Services Inc.
Attention: Doug Hazelwood
720 Iwilei Road, Suite 424
Honolulu, HI 96817Katherine Puana Kealoha, Director
Office of Environmental Quality Control
235 S. Beretania St., Suite 702
Honolulu, HI 96813
Download the Draft Environmental Assessment of the Mauna Kea Comprehensive Management Plan (from the state Office of Environmental Quality Control) at this link or http://tr.im/foe5 or from oha.org.
To request a printed copy of the draft Environmental Assessment or for more information, contact Pacific Consulting Services at the address above or by phone at (808) 546-5557, ext. 209.
HCA to train community on youth
financial education programs statewide
Hawaiian Community Assets (HCA) has scheduled a first round of train-the-trainer sessions in March for service providers, teachers, and interested individuals on how to implement and deliver their own youth financial education programs using HCA's latest curriculum – Kahua Waiwai, 'Ōpio Edition.
"These 2-day sessions will provide our community with the tools necessary to stand-up and sustain financial education programs that are both culturally relevant and sensitive to the diverse needs of our next generation," said HCA Executive Director Michelle Kauhane. "Initially, we had anticipated holding these sessions later in the year, but strong energy within the community combined with the current economic environment has called on us to move ahead sooner rather than later."
All sessions run 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days. Cost is $25 per attendee, with morning refreshments and lunch provided. The schedule is as follows:
- O'ahu: March 3 and 4 at Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, 1050 Queen St., #200, Honolulu
- Maui: Tuesday, March 10 and 11, at Queen Lili'uokalani Children's Center, 1719 Wili Pa Loop, Wailuku
- Hawai'i: March 17 and 18, at Hawai'i County Offices, 1990 Kino'ole St., Hilo
Over the last year, the nonprofit has worked with community leaders, service providers, teachers, parents, and teenagers to develop a youth financial education curriculum rooted in traditional Hawaiian values and specific to Hawai'i communities. After conducting subsequent stakeholder meetings and delivering workshops, a broad coalition of organizations have come together with the goal of launching financial education programs for teenagers throughout the state beginning April 1 in commemoration of Financial Literacy Month.
"In this kind of economic climate people struggle to find solutions to very serious problems," continued Kauhane. "With (Kahua Waiwai, 'Ōpio Edition) and these training sessions, HCA and the broader coalition seeks to increase the community's knowledge of both these problems and of potential solutions as exemplified by our ancestors – examples that promote conservation over consumption, community and family well-being over individual wealth, and sustainability and self-sufficiency over unsustainable dependence."
Upon successful completion of the train-the-trainer sessions, attendees will receive an Instructor's Certificate, Instructor's Guide with supplemental workshop CD-ROM, and a predetermined number of student handbooks. In addition, attendees will be eligible to receive CDs of the computer program Quicken, additional student handbooks, and follow-up customized technical assistance to further help with implementation and delivery of such programs.
For registration forms or more information contact HCA Programs Coordinator Jeff Gilbreath at 587-7653 or via email at jeff@hclending.com.
ACLU offers pamphlet on your right to protest
The American Civil Liberties Union is distributing a locally produced brochure targeted to the interests and needs of Native Hawaiians and supporters who participate in protest marches and events similar to the Jan. 17 Kū I Ka Pono rally, organized to show opposition to the state's ceded lands appeal to the Supreme Court.
The brochure, titled Your Right to Protest, is available in 'ōlelo Hawai'i, which was provided by ACLU volunteer Abraham Pi'ianaia. It answers some of the common questions of people who take part in political demonstrations, such as "Do we need a permit?" and "What if we are confronted by police?" The ACLU first produced 15,000 copies a similar brochure in 1993 in time for the mass gatherings that marked the 100th anniversary of the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Following the Rice v. Cayetano 2000 court decision, which galvanized protests and a public show of support for the Native Hawaiian self-determination movement, the ACLU responded to requests to re-issue the brochure – and they did so with the Hawaiian translation. With the state's ceded lands appeal set to be heard by the Supreme Court on Feb. 25, public rallies are being planned by several Hawaiian groups, prompting the ACLU to again circulate the free brochure as a public service. "The right to publicly protest government actions is protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The ACLU provides the 'Right to Protest' brochure to increase awareness of personal freedoms," said ACLU Executive Director Vanessa Chong. For a free copy, contact the local ACLU at (808) 522-5900, www.acluhawaii.org or e-mail office@acluhawaii.org.
2009 NHEA convention to be held on Maui
The Native Hawaiian Education Association (NHEA) is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a return to the place it all began: The 2009 NHEA convention will be at Maui Community College on Tue.-Wed., Mar. 24-25. The 2009 convention's mana'o is "Hānau ka pāku'iku'i noho i kai, kia'i 'ia e ka lā'au kukui noho i uka." (Born is the pāku'iku'i fish in the sea, protected by the kukui tree in the uplands.)
The symbolism is to become like the elegant, poised, experience kukui tree, one must be as industrious as the pāku'iku'i fish in his or her work. The mana'o also demonstrates the balance of our environment as we journey through it on our educational journey in life.
Participants in this year's convention will discuss and develop priorities in Hawaiian Education. "The time is perfect for our association, over 600 members strong, to provide President Obama and the U.S. Department of Education with specific strategies and programs that work with our Native Hawaiian population," said NHEA president Ohua Morando.
The Native Hawaiian Association is an organization of Native Hawaiian educators founded in 1998 with its first convention, supporting networking and collaboration between its Native Hawaiian educator members.
Scholarships are available to cover the cost of convention registration. Call Wendy Mow-Taira at (808) 235-7478 or visit www.nhea.net.
'Ōlelo Hawai'i, new hike at Waimea Valley
Waimea Valley has announced a new daily Hawaiian language program and a guided family hike in the O'ahu valley.
"Ma Ka 'Ōlelo Hawai'i" will introduce visitors to a new Hawaiian word each day. The half hour program will go through pronunciation, literal meaning, and kaona, or hidden meaning, of the word. The meaning of the word will also be demonstrated in sentences, stories, and songs. "Ma Ka 'Ōlelo Hawai'i" will take place at 10:30 a.m. daily at Hale Kipa in the valley.
"Not only will visitors have the opportunity to learn a Hawaiian word, but also understand the cultural value of the word as it relates to the mission of Waimea Valley", said Ke'ala Inciong, Cultural Programs Group Manager.
Also, a guided Family Hike from Waihī Falls to Kalahe'e Ridge will be offered beginning February 28, 2009. Led by Waimea Valley Conservation Land Specialist Laurent Pool, the 2 mile round trip hike follows the newly marked Ala Kī trail. Difficulty is moderate, and reservations are required. Cost is $5 in addition to Waimea Valley admission.
General admission to Waimea Valley is $3 for kama'āina and military keiki and seniors, $5 for other keiki and seniors, $6 for kama'āina and military adults, and $10.00 for adults.
Waimea Valley is a living pu'uhonua, significant in the history of Hawai'i and a repository for Hawaiian traditions. The valley is managed by Hi'ipaka LLC, established in 2007 by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. For more information, visit www.waimeavalley.net. For reservations, call (808) 638-7766.
Victims of December floods can get
legal help for disaster recovery
Residents hard hit by the severe storms and flooding of mid-December may be eligible for free help with legal services related to the disaster situation. The American Bar Association's Young Lawyer Division and the Hawai'i State Bar Association are offering the assistance under a grant provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Flooding from bad weather Dec. 10-16, 2008, caused an estimated $50 million in damage to homes, businesses, farms and public property and prompted evacuations in communities on O'ahu and Kaua'i. Heavily impacted areas included neighborhoods with large Native Hawaiian populations.
Anyone affected by the flooding can apply for the legal disaster services by calling (808) 792-7346. Services covered under the FEMA grant include the following: help with insurance counseling, claims on landlord-tenant issues; assistance with home repair contracts, consumer protection matters, mortgage foreclosure problems and the replacement of flood-damaged important documents; drafting of powers of attorney and other estate administration issues; and referrals to state or local agencies for more help.
FEMA is also issuing a warning to victims of the December flooding to be wary of scam artists claiming to "expedite disaster assistance" and requesting by phone credit card or other personal information. A FEMA press release in January said that legitimate disaster relief workers do not ask individuals to pay them for their services or programs. Anyone with questions about damage suffered in the December rains and flooding is urged to contact FEMA by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362) or visit www.disasterassistance.gov.
'Ōiwi looking for submissions
'Ōiwi: A Native Hawaiian Journal is currently seeking submissions of written or visual arts by Native Hawaiian writers and artists. The theme for this volume: "Kūpa'a mākou ma hope o ka 'āina – Hawaiian voices on annexation, statehood, and ceded lands," a timely topic given the pending Supreme Court case regarding ceded lands and this August's 50th anniversary of Hawai'i statehood.
"We hope that 'Ōiwi will be a historical record of our time," said 'Ōiwi editor Ku'ualoha Ho'omanawanui, Assistant Professor of Hawaiian Literature at UH Mānoa, the only professor with such a specialty in a university English department. "We still strive to be as prolific as our kūpuna in our literary arts, and we hope that others will be inspired by seeing the work of fellow Native Hawaiians in print."
'Ōiwi Volume 4 is set to be published this August, and the deadline for submitting works is March 31. The journal accepts submissions of any kind of literary or visual arts that can be reproduced in the pages of the book. Past volumes have included essays, poetry, paintings, and excerpts from plays. 'Ōiwi is particularly interested in Hawaiian language pieces in any genre.
Also on the horizon is 'Ōiwi Volume 5, "Mālama: Hawaiian arts and environment." Deadline for Volume 5 submissions will be in December, and the book will be published in 2010.
For information on submitting your work, contact oiwi@hawaii.edu, or call (808) 956-3031. For information on past volumes, visit www.hawaii.edu/oiwi.
Peggy Chun art sale benefit
A huge sale will be held to clean out the Nu'uanu, O'ahu home of the late watercolor artist Peggy Chun, who died on Nov. 19, 2008 after a battle with Lou Gehrig's disease. Artwork, furniture, books, household items, and more from Chun's personal collection will be sold at Chun's former home, 3115 'Alika Ave. in Nu'uanu.
The proceeds of the sale will go toward opening a gallery in Chun's honor in Chinatown, and will also go toward paying Chun's medical debts incurred over the course of her illness. The sale will run Sat. and Sun., Feb. 21-22, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day.
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