Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 24, Number 12, 1 December 2007 — ʻAha Moku eouneil moves forward with newly announced advisory committee [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

ʻAha Moku eouneil moves forward with newly announced advisory committee

By KWŪ Staff More than 100 Native Hawaiian experts and kūpuna (elders) versed in Native Hawaiian traditional fishing and fanning practices gathered Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 in Honolulu to discuss the nuts and bolts of creating a modern day 'Aha Moku Oouneil System. Based on pre-contact natural resource governance in Hawai'i, the 'Aha Moku system recognizes the traditional geo-political division of eaeh island into ahupua'a (akin to the present-day concept of watershed areas) and moku (a polkieal district of two or more adjacent ahupua'a). The 24th Hawai'i Legislature endorsed the 'Aha Moku Council System with passage of Act 212, whieh Gov. Linda Lingle signed into law on lune 27, 2007. The Act, among other things, creates an eight-member advisory eommittee to facilitate creation of the 'Aha Moku Council System. Under the Act, the various moku on eaeh island will select an 'Aha Kiole, and the eight 'Aha Kiole will form an 'Aha Moku Council Coimnission, whieh will oversee the 'Aha Moku Council System and be its liaison to the legislature. The eight members selected for the 'Aha Moku advisory coimnittee are: Vanda Wahinekuipua Hanakahi, Moloka'i, chair of the eonnnihee, a conununity cultural specialist. In her childhood home, Hawaiian was the spoken language and Hawaiian cultural practices were a way of life. Timmy Paulokaleioku Bailey, Maui, a biological science technieian at Haleakalā Nahonal Park. He is recognized as an authority on the relationship between Native Hawaiian natural resources and culture.

Winifred "Winnie" Mano Basques, Lāna'i, is retired from Lāna'i Coimnunity Hospital and serves on the County of Maui's Council of Aging. She learned the lawai'a and mahi'ai practices and knowledge of her ancestors from her kūpuna Jean Ilei Beniamina, Kaua 'i, an assistant professor in student services, Kaua'i Coimnunity College. She is an award-winning singer/ songwriter, leading organizer and coimnunity liaison for Hawai'ian education and one of the founders of 'Aha Punana Leo, being named the Native Hawaiian Education Association's 2007 Educator of the Year. Charles William Kanaha Kapua, O'ahu, is retired from the Honolulu Poliee Department and the U.S. Army Reserve. He was taught the ways of mahi'ai and lawai'a from his grandparents, Elizabeth and David Hoopi'i, who beganteachinghimfromtheageof6. Leslie Aipalena Kuloloio, Kaho'olawe, is a cultural expert who believes in a simple Hawaiian lifestyle, whieh includes fishing and planting using natural resources found within one's own moku boundaries. The island of Kaho 'olawe is part of his ancestral and cultural connections through both of his parents' genealogies. Hugh "Buttons" Lovell, Hawai'i, agricultural research specialist, Research Corporation of the University of Hawai'i, Kamuela, Hawai'i. He was raised by his mother and grandparents, lohn and Precious Puniwai in Pu'ue'o, island of Hawai'i (Moku 'O Keawe), from whom he learned traditional planting, gathering and fishing practices. Sharon Pomroy, Kaua'i, Lehua Mamo Flower Farm. One acre of her six-acre farm is dedicated to restoring the native forest that onee grew there. She offers her

knowledge in planting native tress to her neighbors and helps with plantings for the Kanuikapono Charter School in Anahola.

Nominees for the advisory eonunihee, as mandated by Act 212, were nominated by the Association of Hawaiian Civic

Clubs and selected by Gov. Lingle. The eight members of the newly formed advisory conunittee were sworn in on Nov. 1. □

NŪ HOU • NEWS

The eight members of the 'Aha Moku advisory committee were sworn in Nov. 1. From left to right, Jean llei Beniamina (Ni'ihau), Chairperson Vanda Wahinekuipua Hanakahi (Moloka'i), Winifred "Winnie" Mano Basques (Lana'i), Charles Kapua (O'ahu), Leslie Aipalena Kuloloio (Kaho'olawe), Timmy Paulokaleioku Bailey (Maui), Sharon Pomroy (Kaua'i) and Hugh "Buttons" Lovell (Hawai'i). - Photo: Courtesy of 'Aha Moku advisory committee.