Ka‘ū News Briefs Tuesday, January 2, 2018

Astronomer Dean Regas, of Star Gazers on PBS, will host two events at the end of this month in Hawai‘i
Volcanoes National Park. See story below. Photo by Janice Wei/ National Park Service

THE MOA‘ULA KA‘Ū COFFEE FARMS contain some burial sites and they were the subject of a Burial Council meeting in late December. Making a plan for the burials is part of the ongoing process of the owners subdividing the farmlands to sell them off. A number of native Hawaiians came to the meeting held in Nā‘ālehu to make sure the burials will be treated respectfully.
     Keoni Fox, who said he is a descendent of those buried there, asked for a larger buffer area and that burial caves be treated as a whole rather than using a "cookie cutter" approach across the property. Fox said he has concerns about access and fencing. He talked about preserving cultural landscapes and protecting them as a whole, and mentioned a non-burial cave next to the burials as a cultural site also to be preserved.
     The archaeologist from Scientific Consultant Services, hired by the owner of the land being subdivided, is studying the site. He mentioned that the owner leases lands to farmers and is selling lands to farmers. "I think they are doing a re-subdivision to sell the lands to farmers," he said. He said there will be a burial plan in consultation with descendants of those buried there.

Palekapu Dedman called on protection of the graves, with native
Hawaiians determining their future. Photo from Big Island Video News

     Palekapu Dedman, who farms coffee in the area, and is a known preservation activist, said that Hawaiian ancestral bones - their burials and treatment - is an emotional issue. He has been a member of the Burial Council in the past and noted that back in 1986, it was accepted that property owners owned graves. "In 1986 - you could get off the plane, buy a piece of property - you own by tūtū (grandparent)," he said. He recommended that the graves be covered and new owners be given full disclosure of where they are located and directions to protect them.
     Dedman also accused the Burial Council of not being Hawaiian enough. He said that "we already know how it is to be colonialized and being controlled by non-Hawaiians and the Hawaiians themselves become conditioned to accept that." He said the Hawaiians don't need a burial plan with "foreign ideals." He said that Burial Council members should come from a spiritual tradition. He contended that "Christian Hawaiians - they dig up and move burials all day long."
     He said that dealing with iwi is not like dealing with forestry and aquatics. "These are bones," said Dedman.
     A woman said she is a lineal descendent of those buried on the Moa‘ula coffee lands. She talked about overall planning, urging "to keep it Ka‘ū culturally, preserved and for our mo‘opuna (descendants) to learn and continue, cause it's real hope." She said that kahu, spiritual leaders on this island and around the state, know that Ka‘ū "will continue to be preserved and our people fight to keep it." The council took no action on the burial plan, which remains in draft form.

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Astronomer Dean Regas, co-host of PBS
Star Gazers, comes to Volcano.
Photo from Dean Regas

MEET ASTRONOMER DEAN REGAS, CO-HOST OF PBS STAR GAZERS, at two separate events at the end of this month in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.
     The first, Kīlauea Star Party, takes place Monday, Jan. 29, at 7 p.m., and will be the park's first-ever Star Party at Kīlauea Overlook. Regas offers attendees the opportunity to learn about an endangered resource and sacred cultural connection: Hawai‘i Islands' dark night skies. Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park invites the public to "journey through time as we explore nearby planets and deep-space celestial wonders above the glow of Halema‘uma‘u Crater."
     Event goers will be able to view the night sky through powerful telescopes. Dark Skies Rangers will be available to answer questions and guide visitors through the night sky.
     The second event, Witness the Lunar Eclipse, takes place on Jan. 30, at 8:30 p.m., following After Dark in the Park at Kīlauea Overlook. Regas will guide attendees through the January 2018 lunar eclipse. A lunar eclipse can only occur the night of the full moon, when the sun, earth, and moon are aligned. As the earth’s shadow (umbra) passes across the moon, it creates a lunar eclipse. Every so often, this alignment is perfect or nearly so, and creates a total lunar eclipse.
     Both events are free to attend; however, they are subject to weather conditions, and park entrance fees apply. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

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HAWAI‘I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK ANNOUNCES Kīlauea Volcano's East Rift Zone: 35 Years and Still Erupting as the After Dark in the Park talk scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 9, starting at 7 p.m., in the Kīlauea Visitor Center auditorium of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. U.S.G.S. Hawai‘i Volcano Observatory geologist Carolyn Parcheta briefly describes the early history of the East Rift Zone eruption that began 35 years ago, and provides an in-depth look at lava flow activity during the past year. The event is free; however, park entrance fees apply. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

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See public Ka‘ū events, meetings, entertainment at 

 kaucalendar.com/janfebmar/januaryevents.html. 

See Ka‘ū exercise, meditation, daily, weekly events at 
kaucalendar.com/janfebmar/januarycommunity.html.
January print edition of The Ka‘ū Calendar is
free to 5,500 mailboxes throughout Ka‘ū, from Miloli‘i 
through Volcano. Also available free on stands throughout
the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com.

KA‘Ū TROJANS SPORTS SCHEDULE

Girls Basketball: Friday, Jan. 5, Konawaena @ Ka‘ū.
     Wednesday, Jan. 10, Honoka‘a @ Ka‘ū.
     Friday, Jan. 12, @ Laupahoehoe.
     Monday, Jan. 15, @ HPA.

Boys Basketball: Saturday, Jan. 6, Laupahoehoe @ Ka‘ū.
     Monday, Jan. 8, @ Honoka‘a.
     Wednesday, Jan. 10, @ St. Joseph.
     Monday, Jan. 15, Pāhoa @ Ka‘ū.

Swimming: Saturday, Jan. 6, @ Kamehameha.
     Saturday, Jan. 13, @ HPA.

Boys Soccer: Saturday, Jan. 6, Konawaena @ Ka‘ū.
     Tuesday, Jan. 9, Pāhoa @ Ka‘ū.

Wrestling: Saturday, Jan. 6, @ Kea‘au.
     Saturday, Jan. 13, @ Konawaena.

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‘O KA‘Ū KĀKOU WALK FOR SENIOR HOUSING IN NĀ‘ĀLEHU continues today from Honoka‘a through Friday, Jan. 5, to Nā‘ālehu. ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou President Wayne Kawachi will walk 100 miles to raise $250,000, in an effort to purchase 1.9 acres in Nā‘ālehu for future senior housing. Make a donation to support his quest at okaukakou.org. For more call Karachi at 937-4773.

OPEN MIC NIGHT AT KĪLAUEA MILITARY CAMP'S LAVA LOUNGE is Wednesday, Jan. 3, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., welcoming singers, bands, comedians, and other performers to take the stand. Call 967-8365 after 4 p.m. to sign up. Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests 21 years and older. The lounge is inside Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. For more, visit kilaueamilitarycamp.com.

Photo from nps.gov/HAVO

HAWAI‘I COUNTY COUNCIL committees meet Wednesday, Jan. 3, with a full council meeting on Thursday, Jan. 4. Both meeting days take place in Hilo. The committees will meet again on Wednesday, Jan. 23, and a full Council meets Thursday, Jan. 24, both in Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov.

STEWARDSHIP OF KĪPUKAPUAULU begins at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 4, with volunteers meeting in the Kīpukapuaulu parking lot on Mauna Loa Road off Hwy 11 in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Volunteers will help remove invasive plants, like morning glory, from an area said to be home to an "astonishing diversity of native forest and understory plants." The event will take place again on Jan. 11, 18, and 25. Free; park entrance fees apply. For more, contact Marilyn Nicholson at nickem@hawaii.rr.com or visit nps.gov/HAVO.

OCEAN VIEW NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH meets Thursday, Jan. 4, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m, at Ocean View Community Center. For more, call 939-7033 or visit ovcahi.org.

TROPICAL FLOWER ARRANGING WITH HAWAIIAN CULTURAL PRACTITIONER Kaipo Ah Chong takes place Friday, Jan. 5, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., at Volcano Art Center's Ni‘aulani Campus in Volcano Village. Ah Chong offers a popular tropical flower arranging workshop and provides flowers for all those in attendance; however, individuals must bring their own clippers. Pre-registration is required. The class fee is $45 plus a $20 supply fee per person. For more, visit volcanoartcenter.org.

FEARLESS ABSTRACT PAINTING, an acrylic paint art class, is set for Saturday, Jan. 6, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Volcano Art Center in Volcano Village. Professional artist Samantha daSilva shares her unique method of painting using rollers, tables, lots of paint and water, canvas manipulation and plaster, sand, and wood shavings to create textured abstracts. No experience necessary. Class fee is $85 for VAC members and $90 for non-members, plus $15 supply fee per person. Register online, at volcanoartcenter.org, or call 967-8222.

STEWARDSHIP AT THE SUMMIT offers four days in January for volunteers to help remove invasive, non-native plant species that prevent native plants from growing in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The upcoming meeting is Saturday, Jan. 6. Interested volunteers should meet Paul and Jane Filed at Kīlauea Visitor Center at 8:45 a.m. Other opportunities this month take place Jan. 13, 19, and 26. Free; park entrance fees apply. For more see nps.gov/HAVO.

Margaret "Peggy" Stanton leads an ongoing series
 of workshops for artists of all levels. See details below.
Photo from Volcano Art Center

DISCOVER THE HAWAIIAN GODDESSES HI‘IAKA & PELE and the natural phenomena they represent on a free, moderate, one-mile walk on Saturday, Jan. 6, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., at the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. For more, see nps.gov/HAVO.

HAM RADIO OPERATORS POTLUCK PICNIC is Sunday, Jan. 7, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., at Manukā Park. The event organizers invite American Radio Emergency Service members, anyone interested in learning how to operate a ham radio, and families. For more, call Dennis Smith at 989-3028.

TAKE A FREE GUIDED HIKE ALONG THE PALM TRAIL and learn about native plants that play a vital role in Hawaiian culture in Nature & Culture: An Unseverable Relationship, on Sunday, Jan. 7, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., in the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The hike is approximately 2 miles and moderately difficult. Observe the catastrophic change and restoration of the land as it transitions from the 1868 lava flow to deeper soils with more diversity and older flora. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

PAINTING WITH PEGGY, an acrylic painting class with Margaret "Peggy" Stanton is set for Monday, Jan. 8, from noon to 3 p.m., at Volcano Art Center's Ni‘aulani Campus in Volcano Village. It is part of an ongoing series of workshops for artists of all levels headed by Stanton. The class is $15 for VAC members and $20 for non-members per session. The class will take place again on Jan. 15. Register online at volcanoartcenter.org.

DISCOVERY HARBOUR/ NĀ‘ĀLEHU C.E.R.T. meets Tuesday, Jan. 9, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., at Discovery Harbour Community Hall. The public is invited to come see what Community Emergency Response Team is about, as well as participate in training scenarios. For more, contact Dina Shisler at dinashisler24@yahoo.com or 410-935-8087.

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