Wednesday, March 14, 2018

Ka‘ū News Briefs Wednesday, March 14, 2018

Proposed roads and trails would skirt historic sites within the South Point National Landmarks Complex.
 The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands aims to provide more protection with its new South
 Point Resources Management Plan. Map from the Management Plan
MORE THAN 80 KA LAE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES are documented in the recently released Department of Hawaiian Home Lands South Point Resources Management Plan. It states that "Kalae is believed to be the site where Polynesians from the Marquesas Islands and possibly other islands first settled when they arrived in Hawaiʻi, which is estimated to have occurred as early as AD 124."
     The 779-page report documents evidence of life in fishing villages along the South Point coast.  Excavations from the 1950s revealed "a plethora of traditional fishhooks that were used to establish a relative chronology of fishhook types," the plan reports.
     The plan includes such special places as Lua O Mākālei, which is listed in the South Point Complex of National Historic Landmarks.
     The Plan's Archaeological Inventory Survey Report describes Lua O Mākālei as a cave made by a lava tube. The site is located near a heavily traveled place where visitors and locals park to walk to Māhana Bay and Green Sands Beach. It is near what is called the Barracks, the remains of military buildings left over from World War II, when the area was used as an airbase. Lua O Mākālei is located about 245 feet south of South Point Road and 820 feet west of Hawaiian Home Land's proposed Pedestrian Path Parking for a walking trail to Māhana Bay and Green Sands Beach.
Lua O Mākālei at Ka Lae. The white image flying above 
the cave is a pueo, Hawaiian owl. Photo from lorayne's flickr
     The plan reports Kaʻū resident and cultural practitioner Nohea Kaʻawa describing Lua O Mākālei's possible use for sheltering and training warriors during Kamehameha I's reign, from 1782 to 1819; a fishermen's work shelter; a teaching site for Hawaiian martial arts; a classroom; and a possible burial site. Carbon dating shows occupation between 1600 and 1850, according to the report.
     The name Lua O Mākālei includes the word lua, which means hole in the ground, or pit, as in against another in battle. The name Mākālei, according to the report, is connected to a supernatural tree of Haumea, goddess of fertility and childbirth, and mother of Pele. Martha Beckwith's book Hawaiian Mythology (1970) states that the naming of the cave centers around Haumea, who owns the stick Mākālei, which attracts fish. Mākālei is also associated with a tree of never-failing food supply. Mākālei is also a lua (martial art) technique that refers to, "(gouge) out the eye," (Lloyd Soehren, Hawaiian Place Names, 2010).
     The Ka Lae Place Name Chant, given to Mary Kawena Pukui in 1935 by her aunt Keli‘ihue Kamali, a kahuna lapa‘au, concludes with a description of Lua O Mākālei:
Map indicating many National Historic Landmarks within the Ka Lae DHHL lands. Circled in green,
 left of the blue rectangle, is Lau O Mākālei. Map from the Management Plan
        Nohomai Mākālei I ke kapu, La‘au pi‘i ona a ka i‘a. E ha‘ina ia mai ka puana, No makou no a pau. It means Mākālei abides in the kapu/That wood that attracts fish. This concludes our song in honor/Of everyone of us.
     The report also includes an interview with Palikapu Dedman, a founding member of the Burial Council, saying that decades ago, he and his companions found Lua O Mākālei filled with barbed wire and rubbish left over from the World War II era of the South Point military base, called Morse Airfield. He stated, "The military filled up Lua o Makalei with rubbish-cans and barbed wire. When we came down, we had them clean up the mess. When the military left, they did not put that place back to the way it was. They had that alternate airport but they didn't clean up that tar pit. They applied to use the Superfund but they never got it. The tar pit is still there," he said.
     The South Point Plan proposes roads, parking lots, pathways, waste disposal facilities, and other improvements to handle visitor and local traffic to the area and states that, "No significant impacts on cultural resources and practices are anticipated to result from the proposed Project." The report also states that "the plan is supported by the majority of those interviewed for the study, as it has potential to positively impact the usage and environment of Ka Lae."
     No steps to further protect Lua O Mākālei are detailed in the South Point Plan, though it does mention a 1984 archaeological survey that suggested protection of all the sites at Ka Lae by providing fencing and a full-time ranger, limiting vehicle access, documenting eroding sites, and conducting further archaeological surveys.
     Archaeological findings documented in the area include: structure platforms, temporary and lava bubble shelters, walls, clearings, mounds, paving, fishhooks, a stone adze fragment, coral abraiders, heaiu, burial sites including iwi, smoothed stones, bait cups, canoe holes, marine shell fragments, walls, hearths, middens, and more.
    The plan also mentions wildlife, noting that Lua O Mākālei serves as a habitat for the Hawaiian owl, the endemic pueo, Asio flammus sanwichensis.
     See March 3March 5March 6March 7March 8March 9March 10March 11March 12, March 13, and future Ka‘ū News Briefs for more in the continuing South Point Resource Management Plan series. See the 799-page plan online.

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WHAT DID YOU DO DURING THOSE THIRTY-EIGHT MINUTES? University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, College of Social Sciences, is asking about the events of Saturday, Jan. 13, from 8:07 a.m. to 8:43 a.m., and invites the public to fill out a survey. Ka‘ū News Briefs  invites comments on the Facebook page, especially from those who reside in the Ka‘ū area.
     When Hawai‘i's Emergency Alert System sent out a ballistic missile alert that morning, which turned out to be human error, it took 38 minutes to issue an official retraction. The aftermath has seen officials fired or resigning, and legislators, like Tulsi Gabbard, submitting bills to insure there will be no repeat.
     National Disaster Preparedness Training Center, a program at UH funded by FEMA, "to develop and deliver training courses to increase safety, security, and resilience of communities exposed to natural and man-made hazards and threats," is conducting research on those 38 minutes.
     The survey link begins with an explanation: "We invite you to participate in this survey so that we may learn about your experience and behavior during the period of alert, your perception and attitude towards the Emergency Alert System, and the use of social media for sharing information during emergencies and disasters."
     During the event, Gabbard was the first person with official influence who tried to mitigate the effect of the false alarm, tweeting in all caps, "HAWAII - THIS IS A FALSE ALARM. THERE IS NO INCOMING MISSILE TO HAWAII. I HAVE CONFIRMED WITH OFFICIALS THERE IS NO INCOMING MISSILE," with Hawaii News Now alerting the public at the same time.
     Take the survey.

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Judge Jill Otake, recently nominated
 to Federal District Court Judge.
NOMINATED TO FEDERAL DISTRICT COURT JUDGE, Jill Otake, US District Court for Hawai'i, went to Senate Judiciary Committee on March 7, where Sen. Mazie Hirono and Sen. Brian Schatz offered testimony in support of her nomination.
     Schatz' testimony was glowing, highlighting several of her past cases where she used good sense and innovative thinking to resolve prosecution of crimes, her caring response of her defendant clients, and her fairness as a sitting judge. He also stated Hawaiʻi State Bar Association unanimously supports Otake's promotion. "Our county will be getting the best with Ms. Otake," Schatz quoted one of her former supervisors as saying.
     Hirono's testimony stated Otake's record, "makes it easy to predict that she will serve with distinction." Hirono also went into Otake's history: birth on O'ahu; graduate of ʻIolani; schooling at Georgetown - Hirono's alma mater - and at University of Washington School of Law; prosecutor in Washington State, and the US Department of Justice in Seattle, WA, and Honolulu, over the course of 20 years, where she received commendations from the FBI, ATF, DEA, and local police departments.
     Hirono also pointed out the diversity efforts of Otake, actively including and promoting success for Asian-Americans, Pacific Islanders, and women working in the legal system.

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FRIENDS OF THE KA‘Ū LIBRARIES HOSTS A CONTEST until Monday, Apr. 2. The contest, open to all ages, asks for participants to create a slogan or motto the organization can use to encourage reading and use of community libraries. To enter, participants must turn in their suggestions to either Nā‘ālehu Public Library or Pāhala Public and School Library. The winner will be awarded a cash prize of $55 on Friday, Apr. 13, at Pāhala Public and School Library’s 55th Anniversary Celebration. For more info, call 929-9244.

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PĀHALA PUBLIC AND SCHOOL LIBRARY CELEBRATES ITS 55TH ANNIVERSARY with the public welcome to join the festivities on Friday, Apr. 13, from 2 to 4 p.m., announces Hawai‘i State Public Library System. The event offers music, food, games and prizes. All programs are subject to change. For a list of other upcoming library events, visit librarieshawaii.org/events.

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KA‘Ū TROJANS BOYS VOLLEYBALL had a great away game on March 12, traveling to Mauka Lani for three games. The boys ended each of the games with 25 points, up by 7 for the first two games and by 4 for the last game.
     The March 13 Girls Softball game at Hilo was cancelled, and has been rescheduled for Thursday, March 22, 3 p.m., at Victor Stadium in Hilo.
     See the full Trojans Spring sports schedule, below.

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See public Ka‘ū events, meetings, entertainment at kaucalendar.com
/janfebmar/februaryevents.htmlSee Ka‘ū exercise, meditation, daily, 
February 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 Softball: Saturday, Mar 17 @ Konawaena
   Monday, Mar 19, KSH @ Ka‘ū
   Thursday, Mar 22, @ Hilo
   Saturday, M
ar 24 @ Kealakehe
   Saturday, Mar 31 @ Honoka‘a
   Monday, Apr 2, @ Kohala
   Saturday, Apr 7, Hawai‘i Prep @ Ka‘ū
   Monday, Apr 9, @ Pāhoa
   Wednesday, Apr 11 @ KSH
   Saturday, Apr 14, Kea‘au @ Ka‘ū
Boys Volleyball: Friday, Mar 16 @ Konawaena
   Monday, Mar 19 @ KSH
   Friday, Mar 23 Pāhoa @ Ka‘ū
   Tuesday, Apr 3, @ Waiakea
   Wednesday, Apr 11, Kea‘au @ Ka‘ū
   Friday, Apr 13, Honoka‘a @ Ka‘ū
   Monday, Apr 16, @ Hilo
   Friday, Apr 20, Parker @ Ka‘ū

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THURSDAY, MARCH 15
VETERAN'S CENTER AND VA MEDICAL SERVICES, Thu, Mar 15, 8:30 a.m. to noon, Ocean View Community Center. No appointment needed to visit with VA counselor and benefit specialist. Contact Matthew at 329-0574. ovcahi.org

STEWARDSHIP OF KῙPUKAPUAULU takes place every Thursday in March: 15, 22, and 29. Participants meet at Kīpukapuaulu parking lot, Mauna Loa Road, off Highway 11, at 9:30 a.m. Volunteers should bring clippers or pruners, sturdy gloves, a hat and water; wear closed-toe shoes. Clothing may be permanently stained by morning glory sap. New volunteers, contact Marilyn Nicholson at nickem@hawaii.rr.com.

STORY TIME WITH AUNTIE LINDA FROM TŪTŪ & ME, Thu, Mar 15, 10:30 a.m. - noon, Nā‘ālehu Public Library. 929-8571.

FINDING SOLUTIONS, GROWING PEACE, free Brown Bag Lunch Series, noon to 1 p.m., Thursday, March 15, at Kuʻikahi Mediation Center at 101 Aupuni St # 1009 in Hilo, featuring Col. Deb Lewis on the topic, "What it Takes to Stay Positive in the Real World." For more, contact Kuʻikahi Program Coordinator Al-Qawi Majidah at 935-7844 x 3 or majidah@hawaiimediation.org, or visit www.hawaiimediation.org.

FISHERY COUNCIL MEETING, Thu, Mar, 15, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m., West HI Civic Center, Liquor Control Room. New membership encouraged - especially recreational, commercial & regional fishers who can provide feedback for the council on a regular basis - then passed on to DLNR. westhawaiifisherycou.ipower.com, mkipapa@gmail.com.

KAMEHAMEHA SCHOOLS ANNUAL HŌʻIKE rock opera Kū I Ka Mana has two performances: Thu, Mar 15, and Fri, Mar 16, both at 6 p.m., in Koaiʻa Gymnasium. Tickets are $5, available online, at the door, or from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. on school days at the high school office or Student Activities Center.

FAMILY READING, Thu, Mar 15, 6 - 7 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

HAWAI‘I ISLAND SAFE NET SPONSORS AN ISLAND-WIDE CANDLELIGHT PRAYER VIGIL, Thu, Mar 15, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., for those wishing to gather and pray for issues relating to human trafficking. Host locations at Ocean View Baptist Church or Volcano Assembly of God Contact Melody Stone at 430-5710 for info.

HAWAIIAN CIVIC CLUB OF KA‘Ū, Thu, Mar 15, 6:30 p.m., United Methodist Church in Nā‘ālehu. Pres. Berkley Yoshida, 747-0197.

THURSDAY NIGHT AT THE CENTER - Film Screening of Kīlauea Summit Eruption: Lava Returns to Halema‘uma‘u and Q&A w/USGS HVO Representatives, Thu, Mar 15, 7 - 9 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Free; suggested $5 donation. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222.

FRIDAY, MARCH 16
STEWARDSHIP AT THE SUMMIT Fri, Mar 16. Participants meet Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center at 8:45 a.m. Volunteers should wear sturdy hiking shoes and long pants, and bring a hat, raingear, day pack, snacks, and water. Gloves and tools provided. Parental or guardian accompaniment, or written consent, required for volunteers under 18. Visit park website for additional planning details: nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/summit_stewardship.htm

PŪ‘OHE (Hawaiian Bamboo Trumpet) DEMONSTRATION, Fri, Mar 16, 10 a.m. - noon, Kahuku Unit, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Make a pū‘ohe, Hawaiian bamboo trumpet. Has a deep sound somewhat like a conch shell. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes’ ‘Ike Hana No‘eau "Experience the Skillful Work" workshops. Free. nps.gov/HAVO

KAMEHAMEHA SCHOOLS ANNUAL HŌʻIKE rock opera Kū I Ka Mana, Fri, Mar 16, at 6 p.m., in Koaiʻa Gymnasium. Tickets are $5, available online, at the door, or from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. on school days at the high school office or Student Activities Center.

SATURDAY, MARCH 17
RAPID ʻŌHIʻA DEATH SYMPOSIUM-EAST, Sat, Mar 17, 8:30 - noon, University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, UCB 100. Register at www.RapidOhiaDeath.org

OPTIMAL NUTRITIONAL GARDENING, Sat, Mar 17, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Hands-on workshop. Students depart with plant materials - seeds and/or cuttings. $30 per VAC member and $35 per non-member. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222.

NATURE & CULTURE: AN UNSEVERABLE RELATIONSHIP, Sat, Mar 17, 9:30 - 11:30 a.m., Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Moderate guided hike along the Palm Trail, approx. 2 miles. Free. nps.gov/HAVO

ST. PATRICK'S DAY LUNCHES - ‘O KA‘Ū KĀKOU, Sat, Mar 17, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Nāʻālehu Methodist Church. $10 per plate Corned Beef & Cabbage lunches for sale - all proceeds go to senior housing project. okaukakou.org

THE ART EXPRESS, Sat, Mar 17, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Discovery Harbour Community Hall. Classes held once monthly. Learn something new or work on a forgotten project. Instructions on oil, acrylic, watercolor, and other mediums. Class size limited to 25. Meliha Corcoran 319-8989, himeliha@yahoo.com, discoveryharbour.net/art-express

OCEAN VIEW C.E.R.T., Sat, Mar 17, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m, Ocean View Community Center. Community Emergency Response Team monthly meeting/training. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

EXPERIMENTAL WATERCOLORS with Patti Pease Johnson, Sat, Mar 17, noon - 3:30 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Students create 3-5, 8"x8", watercolor paintings on hot press paper using pre-broken glass as a catalyst to spark creativity. Beginner and intermediate artists welcome. $45 per VAC member, $50 per non-member, plus a $10 supply fee. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

ST. PATRICK'S DAY BUFFET, Sat, Mar 17, 6 - 10 p.m., Kīlauea Military Camp's Crater Rim Café in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Corned Beef & Cabbage, Lamb Stew, Shepherd’s Pie, and Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie, plus all the fixings. $20/Adult, $11/Child (6-11 years). Irish ale available. Call 967-8356 for more. KMC is open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. kilaueamilitarycamp.com

BUNCO & POTLUCK, Sat, Mar 17, 6 p.m., Discovery Harbour Community Hall. Popular game played with nine dice, also known as Bonko or Bunko. Bring dish to share. Margie Hack, 541-954-8297.

SUNDAY, MARCH 18
PEOPLE AND LAND OF KAHUKU, Sun, Mar 18, 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Free, guided, 2.5-mile, moderately difficult hike over rugged terrain focuses on the area's human history. nps.gov/HAVO

MONDAY, MARCH 19
DISCOVERY HARBOUR NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH MEETING, Mon, Mar 19, 5 - 6:30 p.m., Discovery Harbour Community Hall. 929-9576, discoveryharbour.net

TUESDAY, MARCH 20
WALK INTO THE PAST WITH DR. THOMAS A. JAGGAR, Tuesdays, Mar 20 and 27, at 10 a.m., noon, and 2 p.m., at Kīlauea Visitor Center. Each performance lasts about an hour. To find out more about this living history program, visit the park website: ps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/walk_into_the_past.htm

THE WONDERFUL WORD OF WINE AND WATERCOLOR, Tue, Mar 20, 4 - 7 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Artist Nancy DeLucrezia shows how to transfer a photo onto watercolor paper and introduces basic techniques in watercolor painting. Sampling of several wines from wine store "Grapes" in Hilo. $30 VAC members/$35 non-members, plus $17 supply fee. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222.

DISCOVERY HARBOUR VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPT. Meeting, Tue, Mar 20, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., Discovery Harbour Community Hall. 929-9576, discoveryharbour.net

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21
OVCA BOARD MEETING, Wed, Mar 21, 12 - 1 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

SENIOR BINGO DAY, Wed, Mar 21, free lunch 11 a.m., free bingo 1 - 2:30 p.m., Pāhala Community Center. Prizes for all. ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou, okaukakou.org

ONGOING
TĪ AND SEAS ART EXHIBIT at Volcano Art Center Gallery, featuring oil paintings by Pāhoa resident Steve Irvine, is open to the public through Sun, Mar 25, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., daily - volcanoartcenter.org or 967-8222.

KDEN HOW THE OTHER HALF LOVES - March 9 through 24. Performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 2:30 p.m, Kīlauea Military Camp's Kīlauea Theater, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Kīlauea Drama & Entertainment Network performance. KMC open to authorized KMC patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. Call KDEN for ticket info, 982-7344.

TŪTŪ AND ME OFFERS HOME VISITS to those with keiki zero to five years old: home visits to aid with helpful parenting tips and strategies, educational resources, and a compassionate listening ear. Home visits are free, last 1.5 hours, two to four times a month, for a total of 12 visits, and snacks are provided. For info and to register, call Linda Bong 646-9634.

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