The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0284.053 2020-2022 From: keomailani case Sent: Tuesday, July 06, 2021 11:59 AM To: Council Testimony Subject: testimony for Resolution 145-21 for the protection of Mahukona Attachments: Testimony-Letter of Support Resolution 145-21 County Council 7-7-21.pdf Mahalo for the opportunity to offer this testimony in strong support of Resolution 145-21 for the permanent protection of Mahukona. I have attached my testimony to this email. U 11 Mahalo. r� 1-3 W. D. Keamailani Case p 0 Executive Director Na Kalai Wa`a rIO 65-1206 Mamalahoa Hwy. Suite 1-101 Kamuela, Hi. 96743 H office: 808-885-9500 Comm. too. Ref. To: Ref. fete `� 9 l 1 r a Kalal' Wa ' a 'lG'fO[L(ClIG/1201i1ClZ6lIZOIil(-17G'1!)(L((. (9N/`ClCllt)G'ISOIU`GS7CIl1CC, f)IU�IcS�CU1(LIS`'C11U'L'!!/IfJB. 'i July 7, 2021 Chair and Presiding Officer Maile David Vice Chair Aaron Chung County Council County of Hawaii 25 Aupuni Street Hilo, Hawaii 96720 Aloha mai e Chair David, Vice Chair Chung, and Members of the County Council, 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 Kalai Wa`a, Mahukona families 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 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. Na Kalai Wa`a is an education-based, non-profit organization dedicated to the cultural values, knowledge and practices of deep-sea voyaging utilizing the double-hulled sailing canoe Makali`i. NKW was founded in 1993, with a perspective that a voyaging canoe is the maritime parallel of a village and the success of a voyage is a function of the participation of its members. Through our years of sailing we have learned that voyaging improves individual skills and decision-making, teaches sustainability, and brings the community together for an interdependent purpose while strengthening our cultural identity. In the early 1990s, Clay Bertelmann had a dream about a canoe that would strengthen his community and provide a continuous platform for learning. In 1994, the 54-foot voyaging canoe Makali`i was born and his dream was realized. Presently, Na Kalai Wa`a provides educational canoe activities and sailing opportunities for the communities ofHawai`i Island. The staff includes our two Pwo Navigators, our Makali`i Captain, and dedicated crew-members who have many years of experience teaching and guiding the wa`a experiences for our youngest preschool aged children, school aged haumana, families, organizations, and also to the kupuna of our communities. We utilize our learning halau at Kawaihae South Harbor, our 10 acre canoe garden at Hawi, and also the warehouse and cultural sites at Mahukona for all of our learning activities. Na Kalai Wa`a has been blessed to share the knowledge that we have been given by those who came before us and especially the `ike that we have obtained from these wahi pana, or celebrated places, one of which is Mahukona. Na Kalai Wa`a affirms our commitment to protect and steward the lands., coastline, and cultural and historic sites at Mahukona, in partnership with Hawaii Island Land Trust (HILT) and our community. As a primary stewardship partner,Na Kalai Wa`a has met with families of this area and also with our wa`a `ohana to review and discuss our role with intention and purpose. Na K51ai Wa`a has important ties to this place through shared `ohana stories and ancestral connections, and we consider Mahukona our kuleana. We have cared for this area and respected the mo`olelo and teachings that have been shared. Ko`a Holomoana Heiau, located at Mahukona has been the launching site for long voyages for our wa`a Makali`i as well as other Hawaiian wa`a . We gain access to the heiau through our partnership with the Solomon `ohana who are direct lineal descendants of the area. Na Kalai Wa`a is dedicated to our continued stewardship of the lands at Mahukona together with Halau Kealaonamaupua,Na Aikane o Pu`ukohola Heiau, Punana Leo o Waimea and Alo Kehau o ka `Aina Mauna of Waimea who share our dedication to the traditional practices of open ocean voyaging and to the significant area of Mahukona and all that it teaches us. The following highlights the main reasons Na Kalai Wa`a support a conservation purchase and permanent protection of Mahukona: • 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 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. • Permanently protect and allow for `ohana and community stewardship of Mahukona'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 `ape`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. Mahukona is an important part of the kuleana of Na Kalai Wa`a, what we do and what we continue to share with families, students and community,therefore Na K51ai Wa`a is dedicated and strongly affirms our commitment to our stewardship and protection of Mahukona and asks that you join us Mahalo for the opportunity to provide testimony in strong support of Resolution 145-21 for the permanent protection of Mahukona. o- Keomailani Case Executive Director Na Kalai Wa`a 65-1206Mamalahoa Hwy Suite 1-101 Kamuela, Hi. 96743