HomeMy WebLinkAboutKeliʻipio-Kuamoʻo Foundation (submitted by Kelli Bond)
Tsuneda, Kaci
From:Kelli Bond <kbond@kuamoofoundation.org>
Sent:Thursday, August 27, 2026 1:33 AM
To:Council Testimony
Subject:STRONG SUPPORT FOR RESOLUTION 641-26
Aloha Chair Inaba, Vice Chair Onishi, and Members of the Hawaiʻi County Council,
On behalf of the Keliʻipio-Kuamoʻo Foundation, Inc. and the lineal descendants of
Honolulu, Puna, I submit this testimony in strong support of Resolution 641-26.
We extend our deepest mahalo to the Council for bringing forth this Resolution in support
of the Kīpaepae Honolulu Landing. This gathering will celebrate the County of Hawaiʻi’s
acquisition of Honolulu Landing through the Public Access, Open Space, and Natural
Resources Preservation Commission program.
The County’s purchase of this beloved wahi pana represents far more than the acquisition
of land. It ensures that Honolulu Landing—its cultural sites, ancestral history, burial areas,
traditional pathways, natural resources, and enduring connections to our kūpuna—will be
protected and preserved for generations to come.
For our āina hānau and a living connection to our ancestors, ʻohana, Honolulu is an ʻ
including our Tūtū Mary Kauʻi Moke Kuamoʻo Keliʻipio, who was born and raised there.
The protection of Honolulu honors the generations who came before us and establishes a
lasting kuleana to mālama this special place for those yet to come.
We will commemorate this historic achievement through a traditional Kīpaepae—a
culturally grounded ceremony of welcome, acknowledgment, blessing, and relationship-
building. Through oli, hoʻokupu, pule, moʻolelo, and traditional protocol, we will recognize
the kūpuna of this āina, express gratitude to everyone who helped secure its protection, ʻ
and formally begin a new chapter of stewardship.
The Kīpaepae will bring together lineal descendants, cultural practitioners, County
leaders, community members, and partners in a shared commitment to the continued care
of Honolulu Landing. It will celebrate what can be accomplished when government,
community, and ʻohana work together for the protection of Hawaiʻi’s treasured lands.
Modeling such collaboration toward something bigger than ourselves collectively as well
as individually is why this Kīpaepae will be one of the most significant events of my 67
years on Earth. It is so significant, moreover, that three of my Southern California-based
physicians have even cleared me for round-trip air travel to attend!
Mahalo nui loa to the Hawaiʻi County Council, the PONC Commission, County staff, and
all those whose dedication made the preservation of Honolulu Landing possible. We
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respectfully ask for your support of Resolution 641-26 and we invite you to join in
celebration on Saturday, October 17 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Waiʻakahiʻula Park and
Honolulu.
Me ka haʻahaʻa,
Kelli Bond 714.906.3304 kbond@kuamoofoundation.org
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