Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 20, Number 04, 1 April 2003 — Kanaloa: restoring a national treasure [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Kanaloa: restoring a national treasure

Kūkākūkā

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By the Protect Kaho'olawe 'Ohana The Protect Kaho'olawe 'Ohana is the grassroots organization that, for the past 27 years. has struggled to stop Navy bombing of Kaho'olawe and restore its cultural and natural resources. We write in respon.se to articles aboul the elean up of ordnance on Kaho'olawe by the Navy. The Navy spoke of the island's significance from a naUona1 defense perspective. From this perspective, it should be noted that by the time of the Gulf War, Kaho'olawe had become obsolete, because primary training shifted to other state-of-the-art electronic target ranges. In 1993, when the U.S. Congress recognized Kaho'olawe as a national treasure, it was the island's cultural and natural resources that led it to spend $400 million to clear the island of ordnanee. Traditionally the island was honored as a realm of sacred Hawaiian deities, in particular, the Hawaiian god of the oeean. Kanaloa. Kaho'olawe was originally name Kanaloa. It was renowned as a training center for celestial navigation between Hawai'i and Tahiti. It was home to Native Hawaiian fishing and farming families. Following contact with the Western world, Kanaloa was progressively degraded by goats, sheep and catde ranching, and finally, live-fire combat training by all branches of the U.S. military and navies of countries involved in RIMPAC exercises. In January 1976, Native Hawaiians first occupied Kanaloa to draw naūonal attention to the desperate conditions of Native Hawaiians. Not only did the protesters witness vast destruction, they also sensed a deep spiritual force. In seeking an explanation, early occupiers sought out Native Hawaiian kūpuna (elders) who shared their traditional knowledge. The original signifieanee of Kanaloa as a sacred island was revealed and led to a revival of the traditional Hawaiian value of aloha 'āina (love and respect of land and nature). Gradually, the movement to stop the desecration of Kanaloa grew into a major cultural renaissance throughout our islands. Beginning in 1980, the Protect Kaho'olawe 'Ohana has taken more than 13,000 persons of every ethnicity to the island under a Consent Decree with the Navy. Given our commitment to ohana (family) values, customs, and practices, these participants have ranged from one year to 86 years in age.

When the Navy states that there is safe and meaningful access to the island, it is due to the hard work and safety protocols carried out by the Protect Kaho'olawe 'Ohana, under the guidance and blessings from our elders and our ancestors. The Navy places numerous obstacles before us and we overcome them, one by one. The goal of the massive and expensive elean up of Kanaloa is to expand safe access for all of Hawai'i's people, native and non-native, to experience and connect with the Native Hawaiian culture that is the core of our island society. Unfortunately, despite the millions of dollars spent, only nine percent of the island will be "cleared" of subsurface ordnance. And in these areas, the Navy ean only guarantee that they have a 90 percent confidence that 85 percent of the ordnance in eaeh area was detected and "cleared." Another 69 percent of the island will be surface cleared and 31 percent will not be cleared at all. What does this mean? Access to our beloved island will continue to be limited to the "cleared" areas and to the uncleared areas with escorts who are trained to detect and handle unexploded ordnance. Activities will focus on the healing and restoration of the cultural and natural

resources of Kanaloa — not on recreation, commercial activities, or re-settlement. And, the Navy needs to be held accountable to clear Kanaloa of remaining ordnance. Is this the end? No. Under state law, when the Navy transfers control of Kanaloa to the State, it will be held in trust for transfer to the sovereign Hawaiian entity when it is re-established and recognized by the federal and state governments. The 'Ohana is committed to hold the Navy accountable to eventually clear the whole island of ordnance. Kanaloa will be returned to the sovereign Hawaiian entity for safe and meaningful use as a cultural reserve. We invite you to join us. (See www.kahoolawe.org) This article was written by PKO members Lopaka Aiwohi, Noa Emmett Aluli, M.D., Alani Apio, Tom Brennon, Kim Ku'ulei Birnie, Jonathan Ching, Kalama Chock, Ginny Heneh, Kelvin Ho, Camille Kanoa, Syd Kawahakui, Keaka LaBenz, Kris Maile, Rev. Richard Matsushita, Davianna McGregor, Keola Silva, Ikaika Soares, Patricia Tannahill and Nāmaka Whitehead. ®

Conner Naho'opi'l leans on his father during the June 2001 PKO access to Kaho'olawe.

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