Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 25, Number 3, 1 March 2008 — Tyranny and iwi exposed [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Tyranny and iwi exposed

Editor's note: Alika Poe Silva is Kahu Kulaiwi, Koa Mana, Kupuka'āina o Wai'anae, Hawaiian Naūonal. The views expressed in this community forum do not necessarily reflect the views ofthe Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Aloha no 'ohana, I am writing regarding why our ancestors' iwi and our Hawaiian Kingdom State war memorials are being systematically desecrated and destroyed by the U.S. nūlitary and govermnent. As we noted in our KWO eommentary, our 'ohana's iwi desecrated at Mauna Lahilahi by the city and the desecration of our Hawaiian Kingdom State war memorials and traditional cultural properties (TCPs) that the U.S. Army is responsible to protect are obligatory for protection by internaūonal law. Why did the U.S. Army allow new Lono ahu with Hui Mālama in Mākua Valley and violate their own law! Lono tradition is alien

to Kanehunamoku-Mākua Valley. The U.S. Army is based on hierarchy, eonūol and govermnent-nūli-tarism, and we ask that the Office of Hawaiian Affairs ensures the protection of our Hawaiian sites! The Kāne traditions are based on knowledge, understanding and insight through the kupuka'āina (original Kāne people from that plaee). Remember, 'ohana, what our kūpuna knew, practiced and taught us. It is about the path of the Sun — nānā ka lā, nānā 'ike kmnu and nānā i ka piko. We know Kūkaniloko is the center of O'ahu. Om 'ohana knows why these eonnections and the Kāne religion are of traditional euhmal significance and why Kanehunamoku-Mākua Valley is directly tied to Kūkaniloko and being significant world and naūonal treasures. These sites are highly significant components of the Mākua Valley TCPs given their spiritual importance as a symbol of the center of Life as the life-giving qualities of the god Kāne; 'āina birth; of the eonneeūon between

the kupuka'āina and the landscape (see photo). The ancestors piko ma'i connotes the sexual organ, and the "higher self ' or consciousness of the po'o, the crown of the head (Blaisdell 1993). In this context, the piko stone of Kūkaniloko and Mākua are as valuable, and symbolically important, as the Arc of the Covenant and other well-known religious objects throughout the world that crystallize a peoples' beliefs on many levels. The fact that these objects were fonned entirely by nature, rather than by the hand of man, does not dinūnish its signiūeanee: the raw material, voleanie rock, without whieh there would be no land to live upon, and its natural manufactme make it even more spiritually valuable. The fact that these objects are significant to the kupuka'āina is irrelevant in a historic-preservation or world-treasures sense — what om kūpuna knew and taught us is vitally valuable to us and the future generations to eome. Concerning our Hawaiian Kingdom State war memorials in Mākua Valley, Līhu'e in Wai'anae,

and Wahiawā, they must be better protected by OHA. Spirit and intent are vitally needed! How many times do we have to make agreements with the U.S. Army (August 2006) and the SHPD (September 2001) for them to follow their secūon 106 TCP Model Study Law to protect om Hawaiian naūonal treasmes and sacred 'āina? 'Ohana please kōkua and eall upon OHA to assist, and in yom prayers, pray for the speedy return of our Hawaiian Kingdom State so we may save om history, traditions and naūonal treasures! Also ask OHA to do its own TCP study for these cultural landscapes to clarify significant components and

the euhmal value of om ancestors' sacred sites for preservation from illegal nūlitary oeeupaūon since 1893. Remember, 'ohana, the wisdom of our Queen Lili'uokalani — her spirit is always with us. "A hiki mai ke aloha (eome with love), a e pono mai ana (eome with righteousness), Kekahekakai kapu a Kāne (sacred is Kane)." A me " 'Onipa'a kākou (seek justice my people)." Alohano 'ohanaforyourkōkua. Stay tuned for Part 5. I 'O lako 'ohana, ua mau ke ea o ka 'āina i ka pono. This is the fourth in a series of commentaries. S

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