Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 24, Number 12, 1 December 2007 — Mākua makahiki [ARTICLE]

Mākua makahiki

A makahiki festival at Mākua Military Reservation was canceled after a 250-pound World War II era bomb was unearthed about 500 yards from the gate to the live-frre training ground.

The Army, whieh found the bomb Nov. 1 under an internal access road, said access would not be allowed at least through Dec. 10 while it sweeps the area for more munitions. The eaneellahon eame a week before the start of makahiki, traditionalfy a season for peaee, sport and honoring the fertihty god Lono. Hui Mālama o Mākua had been planning a makahiki festival at Mākua for Nov. 16 and 17, but instead spent both days holding a vigil outside the reservation's gates with another eommunity group, Mālama Mākua, and the groups' supporters. Earthlustice said the groups protested the Army's failure to remove the bomb, whieh the Army says threatens public safety on Farrington Highway and Mākua Beach Park. Earthlustice negotiated a 2001 agreement between the Army and Mālama Mākua that allows for cultural access and calls for eleanup of unexploded ordnance posing a danger to the public beyond the military reservation's boundaries. The Army said it is bound by procediue and regulations before it ean detonate the bomb and it is working to restore cultural access as soon as possible, within the guidelines imposed upon it.