Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 39, Number 5, 1 May 2022 — Moloka'i's Kawela Stream Restored [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Moloka'i's Kawela Stream Restored

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The State of Hawai'i Commission on Water Resource Management has unanimously restored Moloka'i's Kawela Stream to flow levels not seen in over 100 years - recommending full restoration of the stream within one year. The April 19 decision eame nearly three years after Moloka'i Nō Ka Heke, a community group advocating for protection of Kawela and other streams, formally requested restoration in the summer of 2019. ' After over 100 years of Kawela waters being diverted and wasted, we finally said enough is enough," said Moloka'i Nō Ka Heke member and longtime aloha aina Walter Ritte. "The big ranching and ag operations are gone, and we couldn't just sit and watch this precious water be thrown away." Kawela and neighboring streams have been diverted since the early 1900s to provide water to plantations and ranches on the arid west end of the island, now owned by a hotel operator based in Singapore but still called "Moloka'i Ranch." Water Commission reports document that the ranch has consistently diverted around nine times the amount of water it actually uses. Restoration of the streamflow will begin the process of rehabilitating the stream, its wetlands, and nearshore aquatic environment. "Kawela needs to flow, not just for the health of the fish and limu, but for the health of the people who live the subsistence lifestyle, and the overall health of the aina itself," said Teave Heen of Kawela. Near the dry Kawela river mouth is Kakaha'ia, a National Wildlife Refuge for rare wetland birds that has been severely affected by the diversion of streamflow. Restoration will help revitalize the wetlands that provide habitat for protected species. Moloka'i Ranch has 180 days

to propose plans to fully restore Kawela Stream. Leo Ha'iha'i Competition Highlights Falsetto's Finest Ihe First Annual Carmen Hulu Lindsey Leo Ha'iha'i Falsetto Competiton was held on Saturday, April 16, on the grounds of the Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua, in its newly renovated, open-air Aloha Garden Pavilion. The virtuoso herself was present, along with her family, to kiek off this new competition that honors the Nā Hoku Hanohano winner's long musical career while serving as a platform for new female falsetto singers to showcase their craft. "It's not about singing high. It's about knowing when to

Leo Ho iho i contestonts (l-r): Leimono Purdy, Ieresso ūeneen Weloloni Medeiros Noury, Roinbow Uli'i, Polonimokomoe Kohoko-lou-Kolimo, ond Lohelo Lee Pork. - Photo: Kehau Watson break the notes up," shared Lindsey. "Hardly anyone sings this Hawaiian style of music. I'm honored to be the namesake of this contest and honored to help keep the tradition alive." Five women from across the pae aina entered, eaeh offering

mo'olelo and mele: Polanimakamae Kahakalau-Kalima of Hilo, Hawai'i Island; Leimana Purdy of Waiohuli, Maui; Rainbow Ulii of Honolulu, O'ahu; Lahela Lee Park of Kawaipapa, Hāna; and Teressa Deneen Welolani Medeiros Noury of Lahaina, Maui. Third plaee went to Kahaka-lau-Kalima who performed her mele inoa (name song), He Pō Lani Makamae. In second plaee was Purdy, a senior at Kamehameha Schools Maui, for her rendition oiAloha Punalu'u. First plaee went to Lee Park for her performance of Pua Like 'Ole whieh she dedicated to the late kumu hulu and haku mele, Johnny Lum Ho. Lee Park also received the 'Ōlelo Hawai'i Award whieh was presented by Ritz-Carlton Cultural Advisor Clifford Nae'ole, and General Manager Andrew Rogers. Lee Park is a service ranger at Haleakalā National Park in the Kīpahulu district at 'Ohe'o. A musician by night, she performs weekly at Hāna Farms and the Hāna Maui Resort. Kapalua's Celebration of the flrts Turns 30 Celebration of the Arts, the annual cultural and arts event held at the Ritz Carlton, Kapalua, last month is one of Hawai'i's best community events. While not as widely known as other events, Kapalua's Cultural Director Clifford Nae'ole has personally curated this exquisite showcase to become one of the island's finest exhibits of Hawaiian high art, culture, and fashion. The event has evolved over the years, as Maui artisans and designers have grown in numbers. This year, fashion by Paleleua, Makakū Maui by Kamaka Kukona, Ha Wahine and others had their lines available for purchase - no easy feat the week before Merrie Monarch. Guests were also treated to a lively fashion show where designers ffom Maui and Moloka'i presented the latest designs. Cultural workshops and presentations are also offered during the three-day event, and

this year, in additional to lauhala weaving, lei-making, hula and other workshops, presentations ffom across the islands were offered. On the final night of the eelebration, the First Annual Carmen Hulu Lindsey Leo Ha'iha'i Falsetto Competition was also held, sponsored by the hotel. The hotel was the perfect venue for the competition, as Lindsey herself performed as a musician there for years. 'Ōlelo Hawai'i Production Closes UH Mānoa Mainstage Season

Lily Hi'ilnni Kim-ūela Cruz (sented, center) ns Lili-Lei, Mnki'ilei lshihara as Noe, and Joshua "Baba" Kamoani'ala Tavares as Nane in a scene from Ho'oilina. - Photo: UH Mānoa UH Mānoa's Department of Theatre and Dance closed out its 2021-22 mainstage season on April 15 to 24 with its presentation of Ho'oilina written and directed by UH Mānoa Hawaiian Theatre MFA candidate Ākea Kahikina. Ho'oilina, whieh means Tegacy" or "inheritance" is a comedy set in pre-pandemic Hawai'i that tells the story of a Hawaiian family anxiously poised for the reading of the will of their recently departed and beloved 'ohana matriarch. At stake is a huge inheritance. As the will is about to be read, a stranger appears claiming SEE NEWS BRIEFS ON PAGE 25

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NEWS BRIEFS Continued from page 24 her right to the inheritance. In the chaos that follows family secrets are revealed, relationships are questioned, and their identity and future as Kānaka are explored - including the notion of what is takes to be "eonsidered Hawaiian" within the contexts of capitalism and eultural loss. The play was presented primarily in olelo Hawai'i, however, English and Pidgin were also used, as well as what playwright Kahikina describes as olelo māhū (Queer creole). Kahikina's concept of the māhū dialect is one that he claims descended ffom olelo kake, a traditional form of garbling language to eoneeal information. "Putting that language in there is a way to honor my queer eommunity, my māhū brothers and sisters that I've learned from," said Kahikina, who credits his partner, Ka'imina'auao Cambern for teaching him everything he put into the script. UH Mānoa's Hawaiian Theatre program was founded by Kumu Tammy Haili'iōpua Baker in 2014. Pe'aWinsThird Grammy

E ho'omaika'i to Maui-based musician Kalani Pe'a who won his third Grammy Award at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on April 3! His album, Kau Ka Pe'a, took top honors in the Best Regional Roots category.

Pe'a was the only Native Hawaiian nominee for this year's Grammy Awards. The four other nominees in the Best Regional Roots category were all New Or-leans-based artists/groups. Pe'a's previous Grammy Awards were also won in the Best Regional Roots category; the first in 2017 for his alhum, E Walea, and his second in 2019 for No 'Ane'i. Born and raised on Hawai'i Island, Pe'a is a 2001 graduate of Ke Kula 'o Nāwahīokalaniopu'u, and is fluent in 'ōlelo Hawai'i. Before pursuing his musical eareer full-time, Pe'a worked as a Hawaiian resource coordinator at Kamehameha Schools. His artistic talents also extend to the visual arts - Pe'a has illustrated five Hawaiian language books for keiki. Pe'a now makes his home on Maui. Pe'a also made history at this year's Grammy Awards when he was invited to sing Motown's Dance to the Music with other nominees in the show's Premiere All-Star Band opening performanee. He is the first Native Hawaiian invited to sing onstage at the Grammys, and sang his solo in olelo Hawai'i. Pe'a is planning a two-month world tour this summer and has a Christmas alhum in the works. 'Ōiwi Tapped asCultural Curators at Bishop Museum Bishop Museum recently announced the appointment of cultural curators Healoha Johnston and Sarah Kuaiwa to its Ethnology Department, thanks to support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Their addition is part of the museum's effort to "Build a Paeihe Pipeline" of curators and caretakers, with the goal of preserving and perpetuating the cultural resources and mo'olelo of Hawai'i and the Paeihe. "Bishop Museum's cultural collections are extensive and include tens of thousands of historic items, books, documents

and other priceless cultural treasures - and eaeh has a story to tell," said Cultural Advisor Marques Marzan. The museum's Ethnology Collection consists of over 77,000 items housed in eight collection spaces and is world's largest collection of Hawaiian cultural items. Marzan notes that, through the efforts of the Building a Pacific Pipeline: Te Rangi Hiroa Curators and Caretakers Program, and the expertise of Kuaiwa and Johnston, these treasures will "not only have experienced museum professionals ensuring their care, but also taking an aetive part in telling their stories to a global audience." Johnston is an art historian and previously served as curator at the Smithsonian Institution's Asian Paeihe American Center, and as chief curator and curator of the Arts of Hawai'i, Oeeania, Africa, and the Americas at the Honolulu Museum of Art. Kuaiwa is a historian and genealogist specializing in 19th century Hawai'i. She is currently working on a Ph.D. at the Sainsbury Research Unit for the Arts of Africa, Oeeania and the Americas at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, U.K. Hulihia Seeks Mana'o Regarding Healthcare on Maui Hulihia Center for Sustainable Systems, a sustainability-focused organization with the University of Hawai'i Maui College, invites the puhlie to participate in its final Community Talk Story session on healthcare on May 10. Hulihia utilizes sustainability science rooted in Indigenous knowledge to find creative and robust ways of tackling and solv-

ing issues that affect our eommunity. Currently, they are working on a project at the request of the Maui Representatives in the Hawai'i state legislature that examines healthcare on Maui and Lāna'i. Based on their findings, they will be providing the members of the state legislature and Maui Heahh Systems a clearer

understanding of community needs, opportunities to reduce barriers, and how best to sustainably serve the community going forward. The May 10 Community Talk Story session will be offered online. It is the third in a series of three such sessions. Organizers hope to get vital puhlie feedback regarding healthcare on Maui. To participate, reserve your space at least two days before the event at www.hulihiamaui. eom. For those who are interested in providing feedback, but unable make the Talk Story session on May 10, a brief online survey is also available on Hulihia's website. SEE NEWS BRIEFS 0N PAGE 26

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NEWS BRIEFS Continued from page 25 Healing the Healers Event on Maui Maui United Way along with Hawai'i Land Trust (HILT) and Hui No Ke Ola Pono hosted a "Healing the Healers" event on April 7 at Waihe'e Refuge to mahalo and uplift Maui-based nonprofit and heahh center staff exhausted by the ongoing pandemic. The event included working on the aina with HILT, cultural and heahh activities, and mea'ai from Hui No Ke Ola Pono. "It has been tough for everyone and providing social services during this time has definitely taken a toll. A day of healing and gratitude was in order," said Nicholas Winffey, president and CPO of Maui United Way. Nonprofits fill the gap in eommunity services that government and the private sector don't

provide. Through the COVID-19 pandemic, nonprofits have had limited resources, with growing demand and needs for their work. Nonprofit and heahh center staff report feeling exhausted because of the constant need to adjust their programs and services due to COVID-19 fluctuations, in addition to their already taxing jobs. Across the board, nonprofits and heahh centers report concerns about the emotional heahh and wellbeing of staff, and uncertainty about the future. "Our job as nonprofits is to help and heal our eommunity in many different ways. We can't help if we are worn down," shared Laura Kaakua, CEO of Hawai'i Land Trust. "From a Hawaiian perspective, when we need to heal, we go to the land, we go to the oeean. When we collectively return to the land and oeean, it brings collective healing so we ean continue healing and helping others."

The Story of Kapaemahu Offered as a Children's Book Kapaemahu, an animated short film that made the 2021 Academy Awards' ofhcial short list - the first film by a Native Hawaiian filmmaker to do so - has been reimagined as a ehildren's book. Kapaemahu is a re-telling of a traditional mo'olelo about four individuals of dual male and female spirit, or māhū, who brought healing arts to Hawai'i ffom Tahiti. They settled in Waikīkī and were beloved by the people for their gentle ways and miraculous cures. Before they departed, the people memorialized them by placing four huge stones near their dwelling plaee. The healers transferred their names and healing powers into the stones then vanished. Written, directed, narrated and co-produced by Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, the short film,

Kapaemahu, won critical aeelaim on the international film festival circuit. In creating the book, Wong-Kalu re-assembled the talented team that produced the film: Dean Hamer and Joe Wilson, who helped with the writing, and illustrator Daniel Sousa. The film was narrated in olelo Ni'ihau with English subtitles. Similarly, the picture book will use both olelo Ni'ihau and English. In the book's forward Wong-Kalu writes: "It is our duty as Native people to render our narratives from the heart set and mindset of our ancestors and how they saw the world. That's why I wanted to write a bilingual film and book about Kapaemahu using Olelo Niihau [sic]...We need to be active participants in telling our own stories in our own way." Kapaemahu is a Penguin Young Readers book, a puhlieation of Penguin Random House, and will be available June 7.

SummerScience Camp Scholarships Offered 1hanks to a grant from the Atherton Family Foundation, full scholarships are available for Native Hawaiian students to attend Science Camps of America's highly regarded summer science eamp in Pāhala on Hawai'i Island. Two overnight science camps for teens are available in July 2022. The eamp is open to Native Hawaiian students ffom any island. Ihe scholarships cover all cost for the camps except for airfare to/ffom Hawai'i Island The Land & Sea Camp is scheduled for July H0, and the Air & Space Camp is scheduled for July 1T20. The application deadline is May 15. Interested students should apply soon, as scholarships are limited. For more information go to: https://scicamp.org/scholarship. For session-specific info go to: https://scicamp.org/sci-ence-camps. ■

Kalani Pe'a

<§ Healoha Johnston

£l Sarah Kuniwn

HULIHIA Center for Sustainable Systems