HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0343.049 2012-2014 Paa ee 1 of 1
P/COUNc L
Murashige, Laura cui4 i. 343
From: herbkai @comcast.net 6 9:
Sent: Thursday, March 06, 2014 9:00 AM
To: counciltestimony @co.hawaii.hi.us
Subject: Hawaii Conty Resoltion 140-13 Comment
Attachments: Hawaii County Resolution 140-13 Comment.doc
Please include attach 3 page comment to subject review packet, as scheduled.
Sincerely, Herbert A. Kai
Comm.No. 3 443., 9
Ref.To: P/cs i"c /
Reef. Date MAR 0 7 ?h 14
3/6/2014
From:Herbert A. Kai 6 March 2014
1111 Auwae Road
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
To: Hawaii County Council
Whomever It May Concern
Subj: Hawaii County Resolution 140-13 Comment
My brother-in-law (spouse of Hawaiian Home awardee, my sister) with a
fellow-hiker of Hawaiian ancestry (Kamehameha School graduate) traversed
Na Kahakai/Ala Loa from Kailua to Kawaihae in 1977 for the purpose of
religiously walking in the path of our ancestors. I, a Hawaiian Homes
awardee with 50% aborigine, Hawaiian blood, walked sections from
Puako to Kawaihae when I worked for Kuwae Brothers building the
Kamuela "mudlane" fence and the Kawaihae to Hapuna road in 1962 and
1963, respectively, and portions of Ala Loa from John Young's house
through Hawaiian Homes land to the old pier at Kaiopae Point and Francis
Brown's in Puako to Hapuna when I worked Mauna Kea Beach Hotel in
1965. As a descendant of Thomas Aiu, the Kailua-Kona bailiff to Land
Court for Mahele awards who vouched for petitioners and handwrote the
deeds in longhand Hawaiian, I wanted to walk the Ala Loa/Kahakai from
Keahou (we still own THE property in Kahaluu from pre-Mahele time) to
Mookini Heiau. Couldn't, because this "Great Road" was broken up by
hotels and private owners. It was my cousin, 20 years older than I, who
from 1947 - 1965 took me on portions of Ala LoalKahakai, particularly
those sections he understood were protected by Highway Act of 1892...since
these were lands of the government of the Kingdom of Hawaii then Territory
of Hawaii and now State of Hawaii. He and I went to practise our pule;
auaukai; throw net in the Hawaiian style; running-on-rocks to perfect our
style of jujitsu; an inu kaiwai (drink ocean water) for electrolyte balance;
and so I have aloha for and claim 'ownership' of this "Great Road" that is my
Hawaii highway to Hawaiianess. Leave it alone!
Course, there were many others who used this public works facility which is
an appurtenance to the land for perpetuity and deeded that way. As a by, my
Dad, who worked in the tax office and also with Sheriff Sam Pa, said the tax
collector went straight from collection point to collection point to gather
'taxes' that were placed at the ahu pu aa, or place where the pile of aa rocks
were stacked that numbered the people in that ahupuaa and where the taxes
were piled for the taxman to gather. Then, the tax man moved-on directly to
the next ahu. The Ala Loa, therefore, was the most efficient way for a
runner to deliver messages or food or a baby from Hawi to Kailua! No
'doglegs' nor 'detours' nor 'deviations'!
What I am sharing is to show that all of Ala Loa has been and is being used,
in sections if not in its entirety, by the public, though the government retains
ownership, provides safe passage, and has Mr. Arakaki of National Park
Service supervising the maintenance kuleana...besides me for Hawaiianess
practises. I still go to Anaehoomalu for jujitsu and pule!
Dsid the State deed this portion of Ala Loa within Kohala Kai (no
relation!!!) to the County? Can the County deed over this portion, etc. for an
ala nouveau just to traverse apane Kohala Kai (no relation!!!)? Or, does
Kohala Kai wants to take over this segment as the hotels from Kailua to
Kawaihae have done...convenience and control public use? In Italy historic
sites may be on private owned land but the owner must maintain the site in
good repair, to protect it where it lays especially for scientific study, and
allow the public (I've walked and driven the Apian Way)! Albeit, chopping
up Ala Loa dilutes the "wow" factor...that visual, integral splendor of our
ancestors' efficiency and efficacy, my Hawaiian culture.
Generally, Ala Loa connects ahupuaa's laterally. Within each ahupuaa there
are trails going makua-makai. There is little need for families within each
ahupuaa to go out of the ahupuaa...or travel from moku to moku. These
lateral connections tended to go straight from ahupuaa to ahupuaa or village
to village or site to site within moku...and moku to moku. Wandering
around on other chief/konohiki land was not good. Punishment was terrible:
maybe death. The significance of NOT realigning the 'pathway' in Kohala
Kai is that Ala Loa would appear to be a stupid, wandering trail going nilly-
willy without purpose when in fact this segment of the Ala Loa is a definite,
purposeful beeline-path of significant design (one-man, two-man, man-with-
horse(s), or horse-and-carriage) to get from here to there; ahupuaa to
ahupuaa, ili to ili.
Nevertheless, by the nature as to how efficient the Ala Loa was and how
designed and how located tell a story to the indigenous, observant Hawaiian.
Changing it destroys the story of our, indigenous Hawaiian culture; destroy
access to Hawaiianess. You SHOULD NOT pick-&-choose to align this
public works and public safety feature whimsically, e.g. because it intrudes
on Kohala Kai. Hawaiian trails were efficient and followed except where it
was impassible or difficult...especially with two-horses and/or carriages
Keep the road as straight as possible for night walkers. Commonsense. This
is just as the Romans, Greeks, First Peoples of the world constructed 'roads'
("ala" means "road"; not "trail"), i.e. for man-on-foot, one-horse, two-horses,
and carriage. Alas, government has neglected upkeep of Ala Loa; the
environ is disheveled and in disrepair. Kohala Kai (I hate this: using my
name in vain) wants you, the government, to alter Ala Loa against its public
works and public safety purpose, plus contiguous example of our
Hawaiianess, for the convenience of Kohala Kai.
The Highways Act of 1892 is still applicable to Ala Loa (i.e. under state
jurisiction) but with NPS having kuleana for caretaking. As Hawaiians and
the public did then, and still do now, use this great road, I ask the
government to continue protecting this cultural resource in its entirety as a
historic public works facility that is appurtenant to the aina and Hawaiian
culture.
Aloha, Herb Kai