HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0432.017 2000-2002 TC~
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December 19, 2001 ~~~r..__ ~
Hawaii County Council
25 Aupuni St.
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
Dear Hawaii County Council,
The proposed expansion of Pu`uhonua O Honaunau National Historic Park is of
utmost importance. These lands that surround the present park have lain relatively
untouched since ancient times, and the presence of the ancient Hawaiian culture is
evidenced by the multitude of ancient features and sites both above ground and below.
The lineal and cultural descendents of these lands hold them in deep reverence, as does
the South Kona community
For the 400,000+ visitors that explore the Pu`uhonua O Honaunau yearly, this
experience is often the only true glimpse that they get of the historical and spiritual
essence of the Hawaiian culture.
The unspoiled setting at Honaunau is no place for the development of luxury home
communities. Any development within view of the boundaries of the park should be
avoided at all costs to preserve this idyllic and historic area for the generations to come.
Kamehameha Schools, a major landowner in the Honaunau area, has recently agreed to
taking 2300 acres of prime coastal land out of proposed resort and urban development to
be conserved for educational and cultural purposes. "Protection of these `Legacy Lands'
is of utmost importance," stated Mr. Neil Hannas, Director of the Land Assets Divisions.
The citizens of South Kona applaud this visionary approach to land management and
hope that other large landowners, as well as the state and county, will become more
aware of their responsibility to the community and the native Hawaiian culture.
Protect Keopuka `Ghana, anon-profit corporation in the state of Hawaii, is a coalition
of native Hawaiian practitioners and environmental activists dedicated to the
preservation, continuation and growth of the native Hawaiian culture. Over half of our
membership of two hundred and fifty individuals is native Hawaiian.
Recently PKO's president Jim Medeiros Sr. and board member Wayne Hanohano
Leslie were invited to Washington, D.C. to testify before the Senate subcommittee
considering expansion for the Pu`uhonua O Honaunau by 236 acres. Both spoke in favor ~
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