HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0459.105 2024-2026From: LISA MCNAMARRA C4 oC,
Sent: Thursday, August 28, 2025 12:32 PM c
To: Council Testimony na -<z
Cc: Lisa McNamarra co O-<
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Subject: Resolution #286-25 Honolulu Landing �r—
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Aloha Honorable Members of the County of Hawai'i Council, v
1 am writing in strong support of Resolution #286-25 and the recommendation from the Land Acquisition Advisory Committee
(LAAC) to acquire and preserve the 364-acre property known as the Honolulu Landing Project, located in Wa'awa'a, Pahoa, which is
scheduled to be heard on Tuesday, September 2, 2025.
The Honolulu ahupua'a contains one of the oldest undisturbed village sites along the Puna coastline. This coastline is historically
recognized as one of the very first areas settled by Polynesians voyaging from the South Pacific. Within this landscape remain
numerous intact cultural sites, including house sites, agricultural complexes, and sacred burial areas. These features not only
demonstrate the ingenuity and resilience of our kupuna but also qualify the area for listing as a State Historic Site.
It is important to recognize that these parcels were already approved for acquisition by PONC in 2007. Sadly, negotiations were
never carried through to completion, leaving Honolulu vulnerable to further desecration and irreversible loss. That must not
happen.
The 364+ acres known as Honolulu Landing represent far more than just land; they are the site of an Ancient Historical Hawaiian
Village that must be preserved and protected from commercial development. Honolulu Landing encompasses the entire ahupua'a
of Honolulu in Puna —a pans (storied place) of profound cultural, historical, and ecological significance.
The County has both a legal and moral obligation to safeguard Native Hawaiian cultural resources under state and federal law,
including the Hawaii Revised Statutes, Chapter 6E, and federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA).
Failure to acquire and protect this property would constitute continued neglect of these statutory obligations and would perpetuate
historical injustices endured by Native Hawaiians, including cultural suppression, land dispossession, and desecration of sacred
sites.
Acquisition and preservation of the Honolulu Landing Project is not merely an act of heritage conservation —it is an act of justice,
dignity, and reconciliation. By protecting this land, the County has the opportunity to demonstrate leadership in honoring Indigenous
rights, safeguarding cultural patrimony, and modeling responsible stewardship for governing bodies worldwide. '
This land deserves reverence, protection, and recognition as a sacred and historical site. I strongly urge the County to act
immediately, secure these 364 acres, and preserve them for the benefit of Native Hawaiians, the residents of Hawai'i Island, and
future generations.
Therefore, I respectfully and urgently urge Mayor Alameda, the Hawaii County Council, the LAAC, and the PONC
Commission to reaffirm and complete the purchase acquisition thatwas already approved in 2007.
This is not just a matter of protecting land —it is a matter of honoring our kupuna, upholding our cultural identity, and ensuring that
the people of Hawaii can continue to connect with and care for this profound cultural, historical, and ecological significance
place.
Mahalo nui too foryour consideration of this urgent matter.
With respect and aloha,
Lisa Maunakapu McNamarra
Resident of Kea'au, Waikahakaha (Hawaiian Paradise Park)
Comm. . O
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