HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0284.020 2020-2022 3
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Kohala Unupa'a
P. O. Box 208
Hawi, Hi. 96719
jkching64@yahoo.com
June 5, 2021
Chair and Presiding Officer Matt Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder
Vice Chair Heather L. Kimball
Committee on Finance, County Council
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County of Hawaii
25 Aupuni Street
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
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Aloha mai e Chair Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder,Vice Chair Kimball, and Members of the Committee on
Finance,
Mahalo for the opportunity to provide testimony in strong support of Resolution 145-21 for the
permanent protection of Mahukona. We understand that Hawaiian Islands Land Trust(HILT),
Na K51ai Wa`a, Mahukona familis and the Kohala community are working together with the
County's Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Commission process, among
others, to raise public and private funding in order to purchase and permanently protect the lands 3
of Mahukona, located along the Kohala, Hawaii Island coastline, covering 642 acres and six
ahupua`a (from south to north) Kaoma, Hihiu, Mahukona, Kamano, Kou, and Kapa`anui.
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Kohala Unupa'a was established in the year 2013. We are an after school mentorship program
that comes out of the Kohala School Complex. For the past 8 years we have taken our haumana
to hike the Ma Kai shoreline trail that runs from Mahukona Wharf to Kapa'a Beach Park. The
history of place is shared by kupuna who once lived and labored that aina. Our haumana have
learned the place names of the shoreline area, the bays and the famous fishing spots of the area.
The piling (relationship) that our haumana have to Mahukona is significant. Kohala is the home
of our haumana and Mahukona is a piece of that home. We pick up trash and keep the trail
cleaned and manicured. Our students do shoreline cleanups and also dive cleanups to cut fishing
line off the ocean floor. They have learned to steward the land and will be the future who will
carry on this practice.
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The following highlights the main reasons Kohala Unupa'a support a conservation purchase and
permanent protection of Mahukona:
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• Effectively prohibit future subdivision and development of Hawai`i's agricultural lands,
while protecting Kohala's agricultural tradition of the Kohala Field System. With its
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prime location and agricultural and resort land use designations, the lands of Mahukona
are at risk to be sold to resort and high-scale residential developers.
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• Permanently protect and allow for `ohana and community stewardship of M5hukona's
prominent Hawaiian cultural landscape and the hundreds of ancient heiau and cultural
sites still cared for by `ohana and practitioners, while protecting the integrity and
continuation of the area's ongoing cultural and religious practices including but not
limited to non-instrumental navigation and subsistence fishing practices.
• Protect Mahukona's native flora and fauna habitat, including that for the endangered
`ope`ape`a(Hawaiian Hoary Bat) and Hawaiian monk seal, and other unidentified
threatened, endangered or at-risk species (TER), while equally providing habitat
restoration opportunities for other TER species.
• Maintain recreational use of the area's trails and swimming areas.
• Successfully complete a portion of the conservation corridor, connecting the protection of
Lapakahi State Historical Park to the south to the County's Kapa`a Beach Park to the
north, effectively contributing to the Kohala community's vision for a conservation
corridor and protection of scenic view planes as outlined in the North Kohala Community
Development Plan.
• Ensure the integrity and health of Mahukona's ocean resources, including endemic and
endangered marine species.
• Use of public funds for the protection of Mahukona is a proactive opportunity for the
County and State to uphold their constitutional obligations to protect Native Hawaiian
subsistence, cultural, and religious practices and Public Trust resources.
The haumana of Kohala Unupa'a have a sentimental relationship to Mahukona, They have been
inspired to be the voice to speak up on what they believe is the best for the people and places of
Kohala. Mahukona has been the icebox to many ohana from Kohala who gather to feed their
families. It is the famous coastline that we all come to relax and rejuvenate our souls. On behalf
of the Keiki of Kohala we peacefully ask to please give Hawaiians Island Land Trust and Na
Kalai Wa'a the opportunity to take on the responsibility of keeping Kohala"Country" and to be
the stewards of this magical place we call Mahukona.
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Mahalo for the opportunity to provide testimony in strong support of Resolution 145-21 for the
permanent protection of Mahukona.
Johnelle "Amoo" Ching Kainoa
Project Director Kohala Unupa'a
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