HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0604.057 1996-1998 l O; Od-98 SCE 11:11 F3S 8085285897 [~J001
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J. Curtis Tyler III
COUl\CTLiVIEMBER
County of Hawan
77-639) N~tLtni St., Sie. 104
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 96740
Telephone (808) 326-5684
F,v:: (808) 326-5697
Datc: October 5, 1998
To: Nora Committee Services
From: *_,1e_can
Ro: Testimony - Hzwaiian Civic Club of Hamakua - Mr. J.W, Lukzen
President
Pages including cover sheet: _ 9
MCS--S
Dear Nora: Here's the testimony Thanks so much for
_ making sure it is Dart of the record
Aloha, Megan
Please ca!! Councilman Yyler's Aide, ;llegaa, if there arc arrh pruGlents ivUh tkis
transmission (326-5684) tt//
Oo~ Nw p~ ~ T•
Ftle Ne. r L G
~ ~ ~assnteA F G
OCT 6 t99B
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11-'98 SL~~ 11:11 F:~T 80832dSd9i I~j002
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:~Ai~AZIAI~T CIVIC. CL~ of HP.MA.YC1'JA ~j=-
fox X58
~~onokaa, Hawaii 96727
P~LIC HRINC - August 28, 1998 5 p.m.
4418 Acres of lh~lie panels iiz Iiamakua
Aloha Kakou,
T'he Hawaiian Civic Club of Iiarna]s~aa was pr~pa~od to give an oral
testiutoiiy at the August 28, 199 public h~arin~, reg~arda.aiy our input
on what to do with trams 44.8 acres of county '1aa~ds in Hamakua in
reBponse to the resolutioz,s r:~ade by Mayor $rcve Yaanashiro and
Cotamcile~t~ I7omi~ic Yagong but chose to turn in, a writteaz testimony
after hear~r~g what som~c~ of the peofalE load to testify and chai~ma.n
Aaacon Chung nientiouing tk~jat the cousaci.l would ~ti~.l accept vrritten
testi~iony after August ~8, ~,99~ and before t1~e final decision is
made Which might take n-ionthz-
The I-Lawaiials Civic Club of 3~alnakua is a lion-profit Hawaiian.
Orgarsization which leas been i.~ earistence in Hata}cua s~.nc~ ~~aly 2 ,
1937. Our objective axe to encourage th education of the
xawai.ian youth and to p~.i-petuate our F'lawa'i~,~,an tradition and
cultuze_ The specific pu~~cre k~ehixsd thesle objectives is of
^I~ukul~ Kutnuhaaaa" Which means to Seep watch ',that aZl things are
being dome correctly for ti1:~ ?~€aw~iiara people. This is further
personified with ovr e~otto "U~ Mau Ke ~a 0 Ka Mina I Ka Pono" -The
life of the land is pex-petuated in righteousness _ Our entity is
governed by the F?a°~aai~, Island Council a.~d the State taide
Association of Fiawaiia..u Civic Clubs which is 'represented by mare
than ~6 ~Iawaiian Civic Clubs throughout Hawaii and. II.S_
The HC~H has bcinc~ part of this community fort a .long tzzne as you
can see a~ad havE participated in the many issues along wa.th
perpetuatixag and protecting oum~ ctal.ture all t~raese yews . we have
hel.peci so ~taany people both Hawaiians and NOI~~hHa.waa,a.agls . T.~7e leave
been recogn;zed as onm of the- outstanding cluk}s in our Council and
Association, Conur~u~zi ty end. ?~gation wide for c~tar contribution and
accontpJ.ashrnenta .
T.~e do have many Rlembers that are not Hawaiian but is HaulaXl.an at
Heart.
F'or s~v~zal years noW ever since the closure of the plantation, we
have beeaa observa.ng and attending meetings r~gardi.ng the various
issues which have ta.}G~rl dace iY1 I~atr~kua .
1 _ ~x3seacch versus Hclco _
2. ~`he Dower Hamakua FiitGh Si.tuation_
3 _ I7istr~ution of public state lease Iand~ in Hamakua and its
funding_
q. ,mod now, what is to take place with these 441 acres of county
lands iPl ~-Iatia-kua _
~joos
10. 0..1.98 SL~~ 11:12 F?,1 80826569 i F • y ~
~LgF2I A LUKZEta
1t saddet2s our hearts to see what has happened and. what .is taking
place as we try to hang on to our life style ..and ctiltuxo.
Many who worked for the plantation and others will agree that we
have lost a special life style.
The many jabs that were available wh~thex you had a ~rltlcation
or not.
2 _ Famila,os acid friends at that time were c];ose. You could fee].
that tvgeL'herrtcs5.
3. You. could go to families, friends and peoples homes whether
they lived in a casctp or not anc~ receive that warm aloha. as they do
their cultural thing_
4. You could go anywhere in faasc?akua from the mountain to the ocean
and would mot be stoppec~_ Although certain areas you had to get a
pass.
5. You could travel to azly area along the Hamakua Coast to pick
Opihi, catch fish, hunt pig {Puss) tv bring home food to put aab the
taL~le for yo~ir family to eat x~ot to mention the ?narsy tradi.ciorial
luaus we r2a.d at that tirnP .
6 _ You could travel to the rc?any forests to pick the beautiful
flowers to make ou,r leis axzd also to C1o our cultural thing' .
zany affluenr_ companies and individuals have tnov®d here since the
closure of the plantation trying to get 1a~ad anyway they can
whether to start a business or just for themse~.ves at the same time
trying' to change the exista.ng laws which will affect our life
style.
with the economy being as it is an~3 people who were born, rai.sad
encl who still live in Hama3¢u4~, needing jabs tY#e HCCH has tried to
address these issues with az2 open miaicl and explress our concerns i.n
a professional mater but to ~~hat extent do ~@ let these outside
people a.nd those who nave mo~reci h~r~ recently take our Aiwa away.
At the Cost of our life style?
we unc~erseaxzd that ti~t~~s are cl~axtging and we cannot stop progress
but along with iarogz~ess we wazit Lo snake sure ghat our life style,
natxv~ seed cultural r~.ghts are being protected and not forgot.Cen.
In January of 1997, the HCC}i wrote letters to our public
representatives express~.ng our concerns about Ithese issues and the
tteany probxe?tts which haves surfaced since the closure oP the
plantation. Although we did receive replie~ f rom same of ouz
repreeeritatives the zesporls~ was not favo~•ala',le _ And for those
representatives who said that o'er concerns would be ~iv~tl to the
proper peoplo irking sure that they be addressed in the
C
10.0.?- 98 SL~~ 11:12 FA1 8083265697 C~J00-1
FLOP I A LIJK.ZEh! p-
nGgot3ating GOnGr'2lCt, We 91111 have 11ot 6~e71 ar3ything or received
a reply to these 3.s9ues_
This writteE'1 testimony is ~ reminder of our Concerns to the council
with Lhe hope that this c4unci~ will acknowlel3g'e our cone~rrts and
help protect our Native and Cultural rights ahd life sCy1e.
we are assuming one way or the orlier that these county lands will
be wither sold, exchanged or leased out to the people_ When this
happens and ig our native and culCUxal rights ire not prat-acted and
our concerns are not put into the negotiating comt~cacts, then we
and ouz next gei~erat ion will have no place to ~o to do our cultural
things from L~Iaipio Valley to I~Ii.lo.
Hamakua is our home and backyard. This Aina is whet~e we work, play
end Zive_
Please doll' t sell oz base our forests and those lands that once
were or are forest reserves sh~,wn on the maps..
We the HCCH pray that your deClsion wi_11 ~e in favor of our
concar~ls .
One thing w@ are sure of is that whatever- decision is made only
Bette will tell whether that decision was the night one or not.
Please find attached a ligt cif our concerns_
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10.0-3 AS SL~~ 11:13 F.~1 80832656437 [x}005
r~np r c~ LUKZEhI F' ~ Z
AAw~,IZAN CIVIC CI~II~ OF ,KUA
(C C+ N C E R N S}
We understar_d that ttao9~ lands were part of a forest reserve prior
to the sugar plantation acquiring these laa~d~_
How the Sugar plantation ac~aired these Iangis we don't know but
would thin]c Chat t2~ese ].ands would be x'eturned back to their
earlier status. Howevex', if it was legal for khe County to acquir®
these lands iii lieu of the outstanding taxes t2~e sugar plantation
owed the County and lrhus the County has the right to determine what
to do with these laxzds , thin we pxay you will make tl>,e right
decision.
1. whereas, the County and the Stiate of Hawaii identify and
maintain its governnleut roads in Hamakua es ecially those rc,ads
leading to and through theses CouaaC:y 1.ans iii Kapulena and
Kukui.haele _
2_ whereas, the road leading to these County lands both from a.n
intersectioza just past New Stable Camp west side of >:Ionokaa Town
and ar..intersection at the end of Kona Camp just before Kukuihsele
Town on the State hi,gharay are roads no one seism to claim. It has
almost been three years sinco this question w;as asked anQ we hadv~
not received a final answer to this question. AT THIS TIMIs, >~8 ASK
THAT THE COUNg°Y COUNCIL R~SPOIrTi TO TINS 4II85T2UN ANT) INFORM HCCH
~E'I'HBR THIS I S A COi7NT'Y R0~ OR NOT .
=The road lead~.rig fro~~ the int~r5ection just past New Stable
Camp west side of HonoJcaa Touri`1 was a beautiful, wide paved road but
hastaeCOnze a very dangerous road to travel. on where overgrown grass
and ironwood tree9 co~rzng through its asphalt ~0.as czeated an unsafe
situation wlzez•e at many areas there is enaugi'h room for only one
vehicle . One area. is around a besld where you canxtot see an
oncoming vehicle comi~lg towaxd you. We knout of many si.tuz~tions,
one very recently, where people us~.aag this road almost got into an
accident. This poses a v~:ty serous situation end ask the County to
clean anti widen tri.s 2~oad right away before a. tragedy happens .
The other road ~na.uka an intersect-ion aC the end of Kona camp,
just 7oefore Kukuihaele Town on the State highiway is Mocked by a
locked gate_ `his road leads up to Mud Lane x'o~d (alongside) these
County lands. Ys this a County Rvad? If this road is not a County
road, then the original road from the State h~ghway mauka side of
the Kukuihaele cemetery should be opened for public use.
3. ~7hereas, fences alld gates have been and comtinue to be erected
blocking public access to these lands and forests.
4. Whereas, forest edges, native flora and fauna are being
destroyed by c~nan and his eq-uipme~t by pushing soil and trash up
against these forest rzms_ we mnust protect ovr forests_
r~ 1
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t, LnR~ I A LUKZEN F' - 1~2
5. whereas, publa.c access be made available through these leased
Coualty l~.nds to these native forests by L1Sln~ the existing roads
requiring some r~paix i~iste,ad of_ l:,,uilding a ~ompl~te ne„v road in
li.gbt of the poor economy anc~ ~celicate situation_
6. whereas, the existing roads around these forests be opened for
public access to these forests and maintained. Also, fence lines
al.oiig these Poreet edges be ret~o~~ed and it need be re-insr.alled on
the opposite side of these roads inhere both the lessee and }public
can use.
~ _ t+~hereas, tl:e County acid State of Hawaii recognize the
importance odour natural native forests, both those already ~nar3:ed
as conservation areas and. those that aren't to the Hamakua people
and their culture.
8. r.~fereas, those who are and will be leasing or purchasing these
lands clean up the xubbish, dirt acid debris thzit has been pushed up
against the forest edges.
9_ Whereas, the County aizd Stale of Hawaii stipulate in their
contract agreement whether these lauds are sold or leased out and
that our. native and cultural rights be protested where we can go
and pass through these lands.
10. whereas, any area found to be of significance to the culture
of the Hawaiians be protected aaTld a culture]. inlpacC statement made.
what: w~ have testified doe enot require months of planning. These
problems can be solved right away if the County Council rakes
ac to on .
The HCCH also feel, that those who already have lands in fariuing
and ranching whether it is lease lands or not 9HOULH NO'T` have first
chance at these land as we heaz~d many testify they want more land
to expand thea.r business or pxoperty_
What about the average local born and raised families who live ~.n
HamakUa who do not have any Lease land and wane to try faz7r~ing and
z~anching? Will they get an opportunity to yet these lands?
We have even heard testimony of a lady rancher and others who live
above Kukuihaele Lounty lancl~ who want to lease or buy laud that
at'e shown on maps as b2iilg a fox-est reserve. 'T'hese people .arm only
out for thernse].ves . these arias are for the peopJ.e, public, ziot
for any single individual. If this happens, we will not be able to
go on these lands. w~ }cnow, nor a fact, it is happening right now.
We also feel that iP the Hamakua North Hilo ~o-op is awarded the
1 ea=e of these 4 , X18 acres of County lands it should be pur_ into
the negotiating contract/agreement that the ~'o-op is required to
give firsC opportunity to all the dislocated s~.gar workers who live
xn the Kukui.llaele, Horiokaa/Hair~a, Ahuaioa, Paa~phau and Paauilo area
who sti11 warn to farc~t aizd ranch but do not have lands . Also that
f~~
10.0.-'fl8 SL~~ 11:11 F.~T 8083Z656fli 1~J00i
t;LUFtIra LFJKZEN F.03
the Co-op sai12 do their ut?n,~st ~o help them het start®d.
~y~
r~ ~
10.01-'98 SL~~ 11:11 Fdl 808328~6Ai 0008
GI_ORFa ~U+c?EN P_04
HAWAIIAN CIVIC Cz,L3B OED HP.MAK[7A VISION
':ne Hawaiian Civic Cltab of Haaiakua feels that this is an
opportunity in history where lands have come available that would
tz~ly benefit all the people of Hanzakua as well as the rest of Lhe
Islaxld where our native culture would be pel:petuated arl this 11ii~a_
Can you imagine havincp;
1. A ~ultural_~ark one where all the different cultures cah
parti.cipaLe as one in one place helping each other promoting the
beauty and heritage of the aroma far all to visit, promotiiay tourism
which brings money to revive our economy in Ha~tRak-ua. One whero all
the organizations within this communZty and tn~.ly the born and
raised local families can participate and earn monies at the same
time raking pride in chair accornplishrt~ents as reviving their
economy,
A wi1d~~,~e.Park where a pair of each animal who lives in this
area i s kept iu this park for all to see who visits th~.s park.
Similar to zoo. Ocher animals maybe brought in if approved_
? _ A Recreat.i.o~n.al Park one with cabins and Pavilions where people
can come to and just relax enjoying the scenery or challenge the
outdoors activities relating to the area Like bird watching,
hiking. Also a beauCiful lake for fresh watdr fishing and small
L-aaCing activities like canceing.
g A Ag~,•icultural Park 9rhere fanners can grow the different
variety foods and flot•Ter crops and at the same tune make some money
and ise this park as ail educational one to teach the students from
Lhe various schools how to farm as well as those people wrlo want to
farm.
5. A Park where the different breeds of Cattle are breed and
raised Por bringing iii money as well as for educational purposes
foz those wanting to coo into this type o£ business ox just learni.rig
about rattle. Also where those youth in the 4-~ programs can learn
select and buy theix animal for- the 4-H Program.
6. A ark where the different breeds of horses is breed and
raised for bringing in money as well aS for educational purposes
for those wanting to go into this type of business or just learning
about horses. Also where horses are kept for all to ride whether
young or old ac this park besides the adventuress trail rides
Through the beaut.Ytt?1 forests on Bishop Estate land leading to the
n~.aje8tic lake, waterfall, ponds and view atop the rim overlooking
the historical, waipio Valley_
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10,0.1 '98 St~~ 11: 1 ~ F.~I 40~32656~1 r ~ 009
t~LOFCIi=+ LUf:>EIJ P.k~S
-1, A ~xk where the wild pig {Yua'a? can be 2~read increasing its
population than releasing these ansmals in the various areas where
the ?luI'tteY's C~I1 pe~etuat~: their c~ilture _
~°his is a vision that truly benefits alb. the people of the
different communities living in Haenakua whether they are white,
black, bz'own, rash or poor . If all the people of Haraakua can come
together as one wor}:i1zg together in harmony those with money
helping those who are in need of it or is in need of a joh
along with the support of the State and County wYtrh whatever help
r_hey can assist wh~th®r financially or with equipment than this
vision can became a reality.
ALi, '1°HIP7GS ARH POSSIBLE - If Councilman Dominic Yagong vision oz
plan .includes what we have just mentioned in our testimony Co you
the coulicil, than his plan will tz-uly benefit all the people of
Hamakua makang this place a better one to live in for us and our
younger gelieration to follow .
we have a plan laid out s7~owing our vision and what we have
testified to you.
:'~Ul~[~