Friday, March 12, 2010 Honolulu Advertiser 

State approves building Kauai house atop ancient Hawaiian graves

LIHUE, Hawaii — A landowner on Kauai has at last received state permission to build his house atop 30 ancient Hawaiian graves.

The approval of Joseph Brescia's 16th draft of his burial treatment plan by the State Historic Preservation Division came this week, after it was rejected by the Kauai/Niihau Island Burial Council.

Division Administrator Pua Aiu says the 16th draft provides "adequate protection" to the burials. She cited concrete caps over a number of them and special vertical buffers for one burial that sits under the spot that will one day be the home's driveway.

The state's decision is opposed by Hawaiian cultural practitioner Puanani Rogers, who called it "outrageous." She says everyone except the division knows you're not supposed to build on a graveyard.

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  • pomai,
    Just wanted to let you know Aunty Nani, Waldeen, Noelani and Kaiulani had a meeting of the minds today. So thanks for posting, I told them about the article on Maoliworld.
  • this is not pono....i am so moved to scream out against this...when will the stop....arghhhhh
    • i am glad this issue was brought to our attention again, on maui nui i experienced the hewa of a hawaiian, not one kanaka maoli in heart, he came on our ahupua'a by ways of a nonprofit hui, he made decisions out side from
      asking the birth heirs for any mana'o or guidance from the heirs, lacking Respect and Honor to our living kupunas and our ahupua'a.......sadly due to his stubborness, he now is legally BLIND and just had his legs cut off, AUWE!!!!

      my living kupuna calls him, PO'OPAKIKI---(hard head) for not heeding the words of our living kupunas of that ahu! as ululani related in her experience, our kupuna kahiko not sleeping to know every step and intent of GREED...they will come and eat you up alive!!!, for it has been spoken~~~from above and below!

      however, if there is a time when all illegal/intruders gravesites is cleared away from our Kingdom Lands/Islands, we will have no tears, but to remove them immediately and send them back home. for we no cover toxins we remove it...mahalo Ke Akua..................Don't take my Aloha for Weakness.................mauruuru......~da princess~
  • Drum for our Sacred Sites and our Kupuna - Hawai'i State Capitol - Friday, March 19th 12pm-1pm - Please join us

    Aloha,

    In the Fall of 2009 a simple kahea (a call) came from Hawea Heiau in Maunalua and was heard worldwide. The kahea went out for us to all join together to drum to ensure
    our sacred cultural sites are properly protected and respected throughout Hawai’i nei --- AND the drumming was done to let the State Historic Preservation Division hear that
    throughout our islands we have lost faith in their ability to properly protect and respect our priceless cultural areas.

    We now again put out a kahea to you all. The State Historic Preservation Division in Hawai'i continues to not properly protect and preserve our sacred sites and
    our Kupuna. The time is short for us to get our message heard by the State Legislature. Please help us.

    The recent news from Nau'e, Kaua'i that SHPD has approved a developer's burial treatment plan which allows the developer to build concrete pilings for his home on top of
    30 burials of Hawaiian women and children, is outrageous and disrespectful. This has to end! It is a plan the Kaua'i Burial Council unanimously rejected. The very agency entrusted
    as an advocate to protect and preserve sacred, historic, cultural and burial sites for the people of Hawai'i is failing all of us: Hawaiians and non-Hawaiians.

    Resolution HCR 50, introduced by Rep. Lyla Berg, requests an audit of the State Historic Preservation Division, and is currently still in the House Committee on Water,
    Land and Ocean Resources.

    The audit calls for an objective evaluation of SHPD so that measures can be enacted to correct the deficiencies and to assess if other legislation needs to be enacted
    to strengthen the protection and preservation of our sacred sites and our Kupuna.

    Many across the State have major concerns about SHPD's operating procedures over the past several years. The destruction of sites and the desecration of Kupuna have
    been increasing at an alarming rate. Under SHPD's mismanagement major bulldozing incidents have occurred at sites containing heiau, petroglyphs and springs. SHPD's pattern
    of permitting the desecration of Kupuna has even extended to the breaching of Queen Kapiolani's family burial plot in Kawaiahao Church Cemetery on O'ahu.

    It is time for us, Hawaiians and non-Hawaiians alike, to voice our concern. SHPD is the ONLY agency that addresses preservation and protection of Hawaiian sites and our Kupuna.
    If the agency is not functioning appropriately, what little is left of our cultural connections to the past will be destroyed --- what we leave for the generations to follow will be paltry, at best.

    The resolution has been heard in the House by Water, Land, Ocean resources Chair Rep. Ken Ito and Vice-Chair Rep. Sharon Har. The resolution needs to be passed out of their committee
    and moved into the Legislative Management Committee chaired by Kaua'i Rep. Jimmy Tokioka and Vice-Chair Blake Oshiro.

    Where the drums will beat: The Hawai'i State Capitol Rotunda

    Date & Time: Friday, March 19th from 12pm-1pm

    Please support our efforts by joining us on Friday at the Capitol! Use the pahu, the ipu, ohe pu or whatever instrument you need to join us. This can be as simple as tapping gently over your heart,
    but most importantly come with the beat of our hearts, the beat that unites us all as Hawaiians and non-Hawaiians.

    All those who participate will do so to create a positive environment with the purpose of creating positive change. For those of you who cannot attend, know your support can be given by
    going to your sacred sites and drumming, or by your choosing to simply tap over your heart in unsion with us at the designated time so our kahea will be sent as a unified voice for change.

    As in all things we do, we ask our ancestors for their wisdom and guidance on this day to ensure the message will be heard by those who have the power and authority
    to enact positive change.

    Our kupuna are with us always, in the sky, the land, the sea and in our hearts and we will fight to make sure they know we are with them and we have not forgotten how important
    they are to all of us - Hawaiian and non-Hawaiian.

    Please join us.

    Mahalo,

    Kaleo Paik, Cultural Keeper

    Chris Cramer, East O'ahu Historian, Maunalua Resident

    Ann Marie Kirk, Maunalua Resident


    Please email or call Rep. Ito and Rep. Har to pass Resolution HCR 50 out of their committee ASAP and moved on to the Legislative Management Committee.

    Rep Ken Ito 586-8470
    repito@Capitol.hawaii.gov

    Rep. Har 586-8504
    rephar@Capitol.hawaii.gov

    Please email or call Rep. Jimmy Tokioka to let him know we want HCR 50 to be heard in his committee and passed ASAP!

    Rep. Jimmy Tokioka 586-6570
    reptokioka@Capitol.hawaii.gov
  • As far as I know with all indigeneous peoples Burial sites are Tapu (sacred) and to desecrate these sites will bring dire consequences to that person and their families for generations to come. I find it appalling to think that someone would be so stupid as to build on top of 30 Ancient Hawaiian graves. Either they are incredibly stupid or they think that they are bullet proof (spiritually)
  • http://www.starbulletin.com/news/breaking/87496602.html

    This epitomizes how important it is for Hawaiians and their legal heirs to research their mo'okuauhau to know exactly what they as legal heirs are theirs.

    That is the first step. Know who you are then connect with the right people who know their mo'okuaukau and who do not step on the ali'i in order to try to elevate themselves especially those who say that they are pro-Queen Lili'uokalani yet their actions are radially opposed to what they say.

    Like with Brescia. He says that he is respectful but his actions are anything but respectful.

    I am not too concerned though he (Brescia) thinks has "won" something.

    One of my cousins who was on the Hawai'i "State" Commission for statehood lost one of his sons in a tragic car accident and not one but TWO grandsons due to suicide. Sins of the father.

    Is it worth it???? Patrick Hanifin anyone?

    In 1982 Hanifin wrote "Hawaiian Reparations: Nothing Lost, Nothing Owed" in the Hawai'i Bar Journal then in 2003 bam! He died at the young age of 48. He died while on the operating table:

    Patrick William Hanifin, 48, of Honolulu, an attorney and partner with Im, Hanifin & Parsons, died June 14. He is survived by sisters Kaila Boulton and Teresa Hanifin Wong and fiancee Nena Uche. Services: 6:30 p.m. Thursday at St. Andrew's Cathedral. Burial: 10:30 a.m. Friday at Diamond Head Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, donations suggested to St. Nicholas Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 700501, Kapolei 96709.

    http://archives.starbulletin.com/2003/06/22/news/obits.html




    I no fool around with that kine stuff.

    E malama pono.
  • If it was George Washington's or Benjamin Franklin's Grave they would turn it into a shrine...
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