Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 32, Number 7, 1 July 2015 — The battle of Kuamoʻo [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The battle of Kuamoʻo

nne of the most significant battles in Hawaiian history was fought

% Ē in December 1819 on this property, located south of Keauhou-Kona, on Hawai'i Island. It was the decisive battle between Liholiho's forces led by Kalanimoku and those of Kekuaokalani, nephew of Kamehameha I, who sought to preserve the kapu system. Kekuaokalani and his wife Chiefess Manono fought side

by side, and Manono was slain beside him at battle's end - she is said to have uttered in her dying breath, "Mālama kō aloha" (keep your love). They are said to be buried here along with hundreds of warriors. The property includes burial mounds, platforms, lava tubes, several heiau, shrines, house sites, farming areas and part of the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail. The first group of missionaries arrived only a few months later, forever changing the history of Hawai'i. These lands have been under the ownership and care of the Schattauer and Paris families for many generations. Financial pressures have led the Hawaiian 'ohana to list the property for sale, yet they hope to see the land's eultural significance preserved rather than be lost to development. The Trust for Puhlie Land is working with the nonprofit Mohala Hou Foundation founded by the Beamer family, whieh includes award-winning Hawaiian musician Keola Beamer, son of Winona Kapuailohiamanonokalani Desha Beamer, fondly known as "Aunty Nona," famed Kumu Hula, composer and activist. The Beamers are descendants of Chiefess Manono. They are now working to establish a separate nonprofit named Aloha Kuamo'o 'Āina to hold and manage the land. In consultation with neighboring landowners and the community, AKA's vision for the future is a restored Kuamo'o landscape that links a vibrant loeal eommunity aligned with an international community of those dedicated to eultural and ecological peaee and justice. AKA is developing a land manage-

ment plan for the property that would: (a) provide the puhlie, Native Hawaiians and students with

managed access to the land and contextual and interpretative educational opportunities, (b) restore native coastal vegetation, (e) revive agricultural practices, and (d) explore building a cultural learning center on a portion of the property. The Battle of Kuamo'o was a critical turning point that led to overarching changes in Hawaiian society and political

power. The Beamers and AKA strongly believe that this 'āina - with its painful history of conflict alongside Manono's legacy of mālama kō aloha (keep your love) - should be a center for peaee and reconciliation. If eonserved, Kuamo'o will also be a catalyst for meaningful learning and place-based education integrating Native Hawaiian and indigenous cultures in modern life. The Trust for Puhlie Land and MHF are raising $4.25 million to purchase 47 acres of oceanfront land. The State Legacy Land Conservation Commission ranked this project No. 1 and recommended funding of $3 million (the Board of Land and Natural Resources has approved, and the Governor has released the funds). The Trust for Puhlie land and MHF are now seeking $1.25 million. When the Office of Hawaiian Affairs was approached to participate, my first reaction as Chairperson of the Land and Property Committee was to recommend that we not participate because of our budget constraints. However, I overheard my daughter Napua conversing with Kumu Hula Hokulani Holt at an event about Kuamo'o and Manono. When I asked Napua about the conversation, she replied she was discussing the kahiko that she had chosen to perform at the Merrie Monarch this year. I knew immediately that that was a hō'ailona from our kūpuna; that I should encourage my colleagues to kōkua to preserve this very important land of cultural significance. The Board of Trustees voted in June to contribute $500,000. Mahalo nui! hulul@OHA.org ■

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Carmen "Hulu" Lindsey Trustee, Maui