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From: Donnamarie Pabre <br /> To: WPCtestimony <br /> Subject: Punalu"u <br /> Date: Saturday,March 9,2024 11:47:45 AM <br /> The people of Ka'u are as rugged as the land. Ka'u was the only district that Kamehameha <br /> couldn't defeat. Most of the Kanaka Maoli ohana in Ka'u are related and it's said that our <br /> ancestors fought extra hard because they fought alongside family. I am the 39th generation of <br /> a Ka'u Lineal Mokuauhau, or genealogy chart. There were four generations of Kanaka ohana <br /> attending the recent mtg in hilo. N folks from near n far joined us in support. I started going to <br /> public mugs since I was barely 18. I was the kid watching my kupuna. Today, I'm nearing <br /> kupuna stats myself n my heart is full to see the nx gens step up. We by been fighting this <br /> fight for too long.N it's still sosdd. We by evolved. Have you? We know the county, state,n <br /> fed playbook well.N our leaders have advanced degrees in ivy league schools. Plus, our lahui <br /> is more organized n we are winning legal cases n setting legal precedents for more. One in <br /> particular is kuleana lands n allodial titles. Punalu'u has kuleana lands n the descendants are <br /> being aided by a Maui group who have successfully challenged the state n won. The county n <br /> owner had 3 yrs to clean up the mess left by the previous owner n fix the broken infrastructure <br /> incl leaking water tank,manual water pump, 8 out of 18 fire hydrants not working.. in a show <br /> of good faith. Instead, she chose to seduce leading members of the community w her money n <br /> cause division among lifelong friends n family. It's lk a bad Netflix movie. This is the largest <br /> beach for Ka'u ohana n we will fight for it. We will go thru legal avenues knowing full well <br /> that it's all rigged. But if we can't prevail, then we will stand in the way with our bodies. <br /> Within one week,we got I Ik sigs on a petition n got people from near n far to attend the mtg <br /> n support us. We are tired of the fake state tyranny n we aren't afraid of being arrested. This <br /> project is no less shoddy than the rest. If there's one thing that brings all the different people of <br /> Ka'u together- it's protecting n defending her from you. The attendance on Thursday was <br /> peanuts compared to what you will see in Naalehu. Brace yourselves. Punalu'u is a Lahaina in <br /> the making but y'all are clueless about our drying ohia in the upland forests that feeds the <br /> lowlands. N just like Lahaina,the county n business interests by done more harm than good in <br /> drying out our lowlands.No more. We will not allow it. We can turn this into another Mauna <br /> Kea if need be. Our Hawaiian communities are strong n united now n we can get thousands to <br /> stand w us. This is not a pono project n will destroy our way of life. Punalu'u is a community <br /> place for locals not a playground for tourists. Pls make the pono choice. Ka'u over kala. <br />