Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 10, Number 7, 1 July 1993 — 'Creating the future' through community economie projects is new video's message [ARTICLE]

'Creating the future' through community economie projects is new video's message

by Patrick Johnston OHA, in collaboration with Juniroa Productions has produced a 30-minute video introducing community-based eeonomie development (CBED) and its benefits for Hawaiians. The video, titled "Creating the Future," was put together under the direction of OHA eeonomie development specialist Christine van Bergeijk> It is divided into four sections; "Taking Control,"

"Culture," "Community," and "Alternative Eeonomie Approaches," and includes interviews with Hawaiians actively involved in promoting small scale, locally based, businesses. "Taking control" brings up the issue of the powerlessness that many Hawaiians feel in the face of a system controlled by a few powerful interests that aren't overly concerned about the wellbeing of ordinary people. "What ean I do?" a young woman asks. "Who is going to listen to me? I'm not the one ealling the shots." The video then shows how community-based eeonomie development allows people to get some of that power back. Bob Agres, coordinator for the state CBED program explains, "Community based eeonomie development allows communities to take control of the future by allowing them to make decisions about controlling their resources, creating eeonomie opportunities, building their skills and sharing the benefits of those kinds of efforts." As an example of a successful CBED project the video introduces the Waiāhole Poi factory on the Windward coast, an operation that processes taro produced by loeal growers (see story page

7). Waiāhole farmer Charles Reppun says the project not only serves as an outlet for loeal produce but is also a way to help expand the agriculture of the area. "The Waiāhole Poi factory had been closed for a long time ... there were a lot of developments planned for our area but people wanted to see agriculture not only preserved but expanded." Participants in the video explain that community-based eeonomie development projects such as Waiāhole have an important cultural component because they help stabilize the community and allow people to focus on and expand their loeal culture rather than work outside the area. It also benefits the community by allowing people to get to know eaeh other, strengthen personal ties and provide assistance during times of crises. "We believe in small eommunities where people stay and not just pass through all the time," Reppun says. "When they stay they get to know eaeh other and when worse comes to worse they ean help eaeh other out. ... Too often people live someplace and they go someplace else to work and they don't have mueh eonnection with the plaee where they work." The final section, "Alternative Eeonomie Approaches", discusses the future. La France KapakaArboleda, vice president of the Hawai'i Allianee for Community-Based Development, explains that a good case for CBED ean be made using the example of Kaua'i whieh relied heavily on tourism for its eeonomie well-being and was virtually wiped out by Hurricane 'Iniki. "I think it's healthy for any community to broaden its base and choices of eeonomie diversification. ... So if you have little Mom and Pop shops or eommu-nity-based projects then at least

when one goes out we all don't go out and there is still some infrastructure left to circulate eeonomie benefits." Colette Machado, director of Ke Kua 'Āina in Moloka'i points

out that what people do now has value not only for their own lives but also for future generations. "You must believe that what you do has benefits beyond your lifetime. That what we do on this

earth or what we do for our eommunity and for our race of people must have lasting effects past our lifetime." To see the video, eall Christine van Bergeijk at 586-3745.

"Community-based eeonomie development allows eommunities to take control of the future by allowing them to make decisions about eontrolling their resources, creating eeonomie opportunities, building their skills and sharing the benefits of those kinds of efforts." - Bob Agres