2015-09-17 Leeward Exh B (SMA 15-060)

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way; they’ve partaken ‘awa in the ‘awa ceremony. So this positive change is a lifetime commitment. So the first thing that they did is to create within Kamehameha Schools a group, Keauhou Kahalu‘u Educational Group, and from which they actually spearheaded the restoration of the heiau, and they created Hui Kaha Pōhaku. Hui Kaha Pōhaku was founded on Hawaiian tradition and values, and also on plane table mapping, mapping these heiaus. They used Hui Kaha Pōhaku as a vehicle to educate the haumāna in math, reading, writing and art. Today this program is nine years old, and they have 105 students. So every year from the first year they grew, they grew, and they grew, okay? And these haumāna took the knowledge and it took it back home. Some of our students are here from Puna. They took it back to Waipi‘o Valley, Miloli‘i, and also to Kaho‘olawe. Kahalu‘u Ma Kai is very special because you can learn a lot. Practitioners can go down there, they can learn about astronomy, navigation, and the construction about heiaus. One of the heiaus was built between 1422 to 1465; that’s before Christopher Columbus stumbled upon America. So I ask you guys to actually look at the expansion of Kahalu‘u Manowai. And I truly believe that what Kamehameha Schools is doing is they are following the will of Princess Pauahi. And with the expansion of that area more learners, more educators can use and facilitate this place. And that’s all I have to say. Mahalo. UNGER: Thank you. Ms. Punihaole, Ms. David, Mr. Paishon, and Ms. Kualii. Please raise your right hand. Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth before the Planning Commission? TESTIFIERS: Yes. UNGER: Please state your name and where you reside. PUNIHAOLE: My name is Cynthia Punihaole and I’m at 73-4310 Māmalahoa Highway, Kailua-Kona. KUALII: Aloha. I’m Britni Kualii. I reside in Hilo, Waiākea Ahupua‘a. PAISHON: Aloha mai kākou. Chadd Onohi Paishon. I reside in Waimea, Kohala Waho. UNGER: Mahalo. PUNIHAOLE: Aloha, Commissioners. Thank you for your time. I am the director of the Kahalu‘u Bay Education Center. We are neighbors with Kamehameha Schools’ Ma Kai project. It is very important that we really, and it was very humbling to hear kūpuna talk about the past because it is about honoring our past that we can enrich our future. We also look around the room and see these beautiful children and they come from all walks of life, the Hawaiian, haole, Japanese, all of them; they mean you are our future. At Kahalu‘u Bay we experience 400,000 visitors a year. And because of our volunteers there today, the bay is beautiful. In 2006 community came to us, asking for our help and support, University of Hawai‘i Sea Grant also, and the Kohala Center agreed to help expand a program called ReefTeach there. So today we look for more than that; we look for Kamehameha Schools because we as Kohala Center agree and support their project, the Ma Kai project. Because it is important that our children not only understand the cultural histories that I grew up with, my family Kamalu from Hōlualoa and Punihaole from Makalawena, and it is to use our cultural properties and to share our cultural properties that will make our children understand importance of what it means to take care. And it is our responsibility to teach you not only about our culture but about respect and 14 EXHIBIT B