2004-05-28 TNAKAKURA - Laserfiche WebLink

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FUJIKAWA:Go ahead, do your presentation. WONG:Thank you. At this time I’d like to call a living treasure, Tony Vincent. FUJIKAWA:Morning. Could you raise your right hand, please. Your other hand. Do you swear to tell the truth on this matter now before the Hawaii Planning Commission? VINCENT:I do. FUJIKAWA:You want to state your name and your address, please. VINCENT:It’s (microphone) on? WONG:It’s on. VINCENT:My name is Antone Vincent. I live at 1115 Maunawili Road in Kailua, Oahu. And I represent our Vincent clan part of Kohanaiki. FUJIKAWA:Okay, you may proceed. VINCENT:We have Exhibit 1 that we have presented here. I’d like to read it to you on behalf of our team. “I would like to give you a little history of the property located at Kohanaiki. “In 1802, this property was given to Hulikoa, designated chief or guardian of this area at this time. Hulikoa was our great, great, great grandfather. “This area was designated by King Kamehameha to supply fish, limu and other ocean products to be distributed and traded with the people from the mauka (mountain region) area. “In 1832, Hulikoa passed away and his son Na Hulikoa took over the guardianship of the property. During this period, our ancestors had not been introduced to religion but they relied on their strong beliefs as their own religion. One kapu (law) stated that there would be no burning of bodies on the property. If a cremation has to be taken place, a curse would be put upon the land and it’s remaining owners,” or relatives. “In my research, valuable information found in Nana I Ke Kumu, Vol. I, by Mary Kawena Pukui, states that ‘The ultimate desecration was the complete destruction of bones. As Mrs. Pukui explains if the bones were destroyed, the spirit would never be able to join its aumakua.’ No prior records were available,” when we dug into it. 14