-6/19/09 - West Hawaii Today / EditorialRESTRICTED ACCESSHeiau Access QuestionedRarely have I experienced the warm welcome that I did on a recent10-day visit to the Big Island. Everywhere I went, I was in completeawe of the unique beauty of the island and its people. I had only oneunpleasant experience and it was such a shocking anomaly that I felt Ihad to share it.My friend and I visited the Ahuena Heiau behind the King Kamehameha'sKona Beach Hotel at sunset on our only afternoon in Kailua-Kona. Wewere surprised to find that access to the heiau was restricted in theevening - unless one purchased a $70.00 ticket to a luau that used itas the backdrop for their performance and changing room for theirperformers. Apparently even reading the interpretative sign was anintrusion and we were forcefully escorted off the site after rudelybeing told we should swim to the heiau if we really wished to see it.I have no problem with restricting tourist access to sensitive andspiritual sites. In fact, I support it. There is only one Hawsaii andit is much too precious to be run over by tourists who can't possiblyunderstand or appreciate the natural resources of the island as thosewho live there do.However, appropriating the Ahuena Heiau for a tourist luau andcharging for entry is not just prohibitive for visitors and the localresidents, it is completely disrepectful of the spiritual meaning ofthe site and the traditional native practitioners to whom itrightfully belongs.Why does the community allow a site of such cultural, historical andspiritual value to be appropriated for private profit?Lara Cushing, Oakland CA.KAMAKAHONU, CRUCIBLE OF TRUTH (Unedited)Letter to the Editor submitted to West Hawaii Today, Hawaii TribuneHerald, New York Times, Kahea Action Alliance, Melissa Block AllThings Considered, Life of the Land Hawaii, The Hawaii People's FundI’d like to thank Ms. Lara Cushing of Oakland CA. for her succinct andpurposeful letter posted last week in WHT. I applaud her for takingthe time to write this effective summary of life at Kamakahonu –today.Kamakahonu, yesterday in time, is a snapshot of a country’s capital,the residence of the Ruler of the Kingdom, in this case, Kamehamehathe Great. Working to promote a flourishing society, as rulers hadbefore him, Ahu’ena Heiau was where the King honored the faith of hisancestors and people, presented his Kingdom's first flag, and departedhis earthly domain on May 8,1819.There were at least 15 sacred components clustered to compose hisenclosure. Jeweled by at least two Heiau, each with its own Lana Nu’uMamao (Oracles), these temples were among eleven temples of Hawaiiisland of that significance (the highest) of Kamehameha’s time(1736-1819).Kamehameha erected the “House-to-see-the-Garden” (Hale Nana Mahina’ai,54’ X 131’) upon a house foundation built centuries earlier by hisancestor, King ‘Umi-A-Liloa.. From that vantage point, Kamehamehacould overlook his fishing grounds (ko’a) and his planting fieldsespecially his Garden of Kuahewa, upland.Located near Ahu’ena Heiau, was the house foundation of the chiefKeawe-A-Mahi whose residence Kamakahonu was until Kamehameha acquiredit. This, on his return from O’ahu following the unification of theislands with the exception of Kaua’i, ceded to the Kingdom later.Kalaku was the name of the fishing shrine there (ku’ula). When aschool of fish such as akule or ‘opelu was seen, the priest and chiefwould hold a ritual of thanksgiving in this shrine.House foundations for the Hale Mua, prayer houses of Ka Mo’iKamehameha Kunuiakea, Chief Hoapili and Kalanimoku and the famedAlanai’o fishponds of Kamehameha are other features located on theland now occupied by King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel and - as ofthe late nineties - the residence of world philanthropist, Paul Allen.There, too, are many other foundations such as the Hale Noa and Hale‘Aina of the families of the King.Big Surf Trust purchased this land from the family whose members arenoted in island history. Asa Thurston, born in Fitchburg,Massachusetts, led the first company of Calvinist missionaries to theislands setting sail from the east coast just 5 months after thepassing of Kamehameha. Landing in Tai’erua (Kailua) Bay in 1820, hebecame a part of the work in the unified Kingdom, while hisdescendant, Lorrin A. Thurston led a group of American businessmen inan overthrow of that Kingdom 73 years later.As Lara Cushing asks, “why does the community allow a site of suchcultural, historical and spiritual value to be appropriated forprivate profit?” There’s more to the abbreviated answer I offer here.What is happening to Kamakahonu is a metaphor for what’s happening toall of Hawaii. Commercial interests and businessmen protected by thede facto State of Hawaii (SHPD) seek to make artifacts / "historicalsites" of the living faith of Hawaii. This is the same as creating astatue of the living Pope and no longer allowing people to worship inhis church because his faith is "of the past". Is this done toChristianity? Why is it done to the faith of the lands of Hawaii?Ahu'ena Heiau was restored by 'Oiwi in 1975 and rededicated to Lono by'Oiwi in 2007. Ahu'ena Heiau lives as surely as 'Oiwi of Hawaii live.America is trying to “own” and guide God’s spiritual home, Hawaii.Hawaii belongs to Hawaii of the Pacific. God’s spirit is what bringspeople to our shores. Healing is the quest of the family of man.Sacred sites in Hawaii still serve their purposes. They await thereturn of their first people from the slumber of consciousness. It’s amovement from the inside – out. Awakening comes from inside and actionbegins to take place on the outside. Such is the truth of the HawaiianRenaissance that continued into the early seventies and moves throughthe present with strong resistance to the Akaka Bill. In that period,many ‘Oiwi gathered together to weave the fabric of the true unity.Hokule’a journeyed to Tahiti proving the Pacific was the highwaytraversed constantly by Pacific people. In those years, Ahu’ena Heiauwas restored by ‘Oiwi in the traditions of ‘Oiwi. I know the subjectwell, it was my father, David Kahelemauna Roy, Jr. who led the firstcrew of ‘Oiwi to restore the temple of Hawaii’s King Kamehameha theGreat.The overthrow was illegal and is a myth – occupation is not ownership.Where title of the Hawaiian Islands is questioned, the title ofKamakahonu lands is questioned. Both Jewels referred to as Ahu’enaHeiau are submerged in the sea daily. Submerged lands are ceded lands- the same as the whole of Mauna Kea. Clouded is the discussion of“ceded” lands. The whole of the islands are “stolen” lands. In the ageof information, people of the world are finally becoming clear thatthe territory of Hawaii emerged based upon an illegal overthrow. Whyhas this truth been concealed for so long?One answer brings us back to Kamakahonu. Lorrin A. Thurston, leader ofthe overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom, was the grandson of Asa andLucy Thurston. He published the Pacific Commercial Advertiser(forerunner of the present-day Honolulu Advertiser), and was thegrandfather of Thurston Twigg-Smith.Born in 1921 Twigg-Smith worked for the Advertiser / Star Bulletin in1947 and in 1961 took control of the newspaper with others. In 1993 hesold the business to a regional subsidiary of the Gannett Company for$250 million. Are you familiar with the web of influence that thenewspapers of America wield? I observe that the truth about Hawaii hasnot left our shores or our households. Why would Hawaii residentsinvolve themselves in such controversy? And why would ‘Oiwi strugglingto stay alive – landless and dependent on foreign supplies, spend anyof the vitality needed for their families to contest the publiclyhushed subject?The Queen never expected an overthrow. Even more, she never expectedthe failure of America to restore her to her throne. Persons close tothe day-to-day affairs at Kamakahonu never expected this landholder,H.T. Hayashi to shun the community that has supported the success ofKamakahonu and their own success since they purchased the propertyfrom Amfac (Amfac financed the restoration of Ahu'ena Heiau).H.T. Hayashi and newly formed IWF-KKH have broken their promise touphold the care of Ahu’ena Heiau and Kamakahonu for the community. Mr.Paul Allen presents deaf ears to the population who would be his kindneighbors at Kamakahonu. How is this different from the response ofMr. Joseph Brescia at Naue? And where the U.S. claims they DO ownHawaii, how is the state of Hawaii protecting the civil liberties ofall persons to exercise their traditional religious heritage at Naue -at Kamakahonu and throughout Hawaii?The words to sum up the status quo at Kamakahonu resemble magma risingin a volcano. They only begin with “deplorable” and “unacceptable”.But what power do these descriptive words hold compared to thosedescribing the illegal seizure of all of Hawaii of which Kamakahonu isthe significant part?‘O Kamakahonu Kahi ‘Ula Waiwai, Kahe Ka Wai a Kane, Kani Ka Pahu OLono. Kamakahonu abides, the place of the Royal Wealth; the flow ofthe waters of Kane – the sounds of the drums of Lono.Mikahala RoyMikahala Roy
You know Waihili, the world is dying. The oceans are dying. The waterways are drying up. People aren't friendly like they used to be. Life is harsh. As Kanaka Maoli, we know how to do certain things and want so badly to be ourselves...and share that with others. But, we must first be ALLOWED to be free, to be ourselves...and then we can share with the world. First things first.
mahalo...Donna
Thank you. Your struggle close to my heart. I have felt many things there -- and if I can feel them, not being of the 'oiwi, it is truly a potent place indeed -- and how much more deeply must it speak to you and yours.
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mahalo...Donna
Nani