Kapulena Hamakua EA PBR Final TMK No. 4-7-005 and 006

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KAPULENA AGRICULTURAL PARK FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Kamehameha H sailed to Kawaihae - this was Kaneuwaine [1819] - the land of the Ali'i was cut up there. Then the Ali'i gave Malanahae to Hikiau. Kaleimoku said "This land is for my kaikaina. " Then the chiefs asked, "To whom ?" To Keoua, he is a kaikaina of us all. Kaleimoku approved /saying/ "This is my very own kaikaina. " Then the Ali'i gave this land to him absolutely. Keoua was with Keeumoku at this time. /The land was held/ from this time. At the time in which Kamehameha H sailed for England, in the night Keoua died, and the next day the Ali'i sailed for England. When he was alive, Keoua directly bequeathed all his lands to me. I am above, my makuahine is below /one the lands held /from Hawaii to Oahu. These are the land which I hereby present /as claims/ at this time (Waihona `Aina 2000). The Pacific Sugar Mill Company was established in 1878 at Kukuihaele and cultivated sugar cane in fields within the current project area. The CIA includes information from the University of Hawai`i's Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association Plantation Archives about the Pacific Sugar Mill Company, documenting that the plantation extended along the coast for four miles and up the mountains from two to nine miles. The elevation ranged from 300 to 1,900 feet giving a variety of growing conditions. Pacific Sugar Mill has the distinction of introducing the mongoose into Hawaii. The plantation had cattle and was unique for the number of sheep. Free mutton was given to employees along with housing and healthcare. The plantation did not prosper due to mis- management and in 1913 it was decided to close the mill and merge with Honokaa Sugar Mill Company. In 1916 the mill equipment was sold. The Honokaa sugar mill grew to encompass more than 9,000 acres. It had an extensive flume system to care the cane to railroad cars and eventually to the mill. Bagged sugar was transported by a tramway from the mill to a warehouse at the boat landing. Wire cable conveyed the bagged sugar from the warehouse to steamships. By this method Honokaa Sugar Company was able to ship raw sugar directly to the US mainland, bypassing Honolulu. The Honokaa Sugar Company eventually operated as the Hamakua Sugar Company which was in operation until October, 1994. Fourteen individuals who either worked for the Hamakua Sugar Company or live in the Hamakua District and have knowledge of the lands of Kapulena were contacted for information for this report. Of the fourteen, twelve responded, and eight of those individuals had knowledge of the project area and provided information. None of the informants had knowledge of past or ongoing cultural practices on the project area. One of the informants, Jim Thropp had detailed knowledge the project site. The CIA summarized the Jim Thropp interview: Jim was born in Honolulu and grew up in Kane `ohe. He was 75 years old at the time of this interview. He studied general agriculture at California Polytechnic State University where he was awarded a degree in general crops production. He worked at a sugar plantation on Kaua `i before being hired by the Hamakua Sugar Company. Jim was in charge of crop logging, tissue testing, and fertilizer application. He remembers that the soil on the study parcel are weak in calcium, nitrogen, and phosphorus. He also stated that the earthen ditches on the project area are contour ditches created to draw water off of the fields and into the gulches. These are part of a man -made drainage system to prevent sheet wash and flooding down - slope. Jim did not remember any traditional Hawaiian features on either of the parcels. He said that by the time he was there, the company was using machinery to work the fields and harvest the crops. That ..