Kaʻū News Briefs, Monday, July 22, 2019

Kiaʻi, Protectors, of Maunakea gathered above the encampment of those who protest the construction 
of the Thirty Meter Telescope. Photo from Puʻu Honua o Puʻu Huluhulu Maunakea Facebook

KAʻŪ'S COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBER MAILE DAVID HAS PROPOSED A MORATORIUM ON TMT CONSTRUCTION. The resolution submitted to the County Council urges Gov. David Ige and Mayor Harry Kim to call for a 60-day "moratorium on the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope on Mauna A Wakea." The proposal follows and supports a similar request from state Sen. Kaialiʻi Kahele.

     The council will vote on taking up the issue during Wednesday's meeting in Kona. The resolution, if approved, would not be a law. It would would present the council's position.

     The resolution states there are "hundreds of native Hawaiians and supporters peacefully gathered at Puʻuhululu expressing reverence, respect, and support for preserving and protecting the sacred Mauna A Wakea, and have continuously demonstrated non-violence and respect in upholding Kapu Aloha."

     The resolution points to the governor's Proclamation of Emergency, saying it claimed "an imminent danger or threat of an emergency… for the purpose of implementing emergency management functions as allowed by law in order to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the people."

Page header of  Puʻu Honua o Puʻu Huluhulu Maunakea Facebook group, showing Kiaʻi, Protectors, of Maunakea, from
keiki to kūpuna. They are holding their hands in the shape of the mountain they call sacred.
Photo from Puʻu Honua o Puʻu Huluhulu Maunakea Facebook

     According to the councilwoman's resolution, "there appears controversy within the community whether the Proclamation… was necessary and justified as a means to address native Hawaiians' peaceful demonstration in asserting their separate and distinct rights to preserve and protect traditional, cultural, religious and subsistence practices as guaranteed by law and the Hawaiʻi State Constitution; and… in the interest of peace and kapu Aloha, the request for a 60-day construction moratorium of the Thirty Meter Telescope is supported and justified."

     Other officials addressed in the resolution are Chairperson of the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Suzanne Case; Chief of Police, Paul Ferreira; Fire Chief Darren Rosario; Director of Finance, Deanna Sako; Prosecuting Attorney, Mitch Roth; and the Office of the Corporation Counsel.

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Lt. Gov. Josh Green with Noenoe Wong Wilson at Puʻu Huluhulu his morning. Photo from Big Island Video News 

LT. GOV. JOSH GREEN VISITED PROTECTORS OF MAUNAKEA, joining their sunrise service this morning at Puʻu Honua o Puʻu Huluhulu. He promised to ask Gov. David Ige to withdraw all armed law enforcement officers from the site. Green, who started his career as a physician at Kaʻū Hospital and served as a state Senator for West Kaʻū and Kona, arrived to Maunakea in his scrubs, after a 48 hour stint at the Kohala Hospital Emergency Room. He said that at Kohala, he treated a number of people who traveled to Maunakea to prevent construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope. He said some of appeared to be suffering from "spiritual exhaustion."
     Green said he was not afraid to be among the protesters who are blocking the Maunakea Access Road, and noted that his wife and children have Hawaiian blood and that family members have joined the cause. He said he will ask the governor to rescind the emergency proclamation that allows the state to call in the National Guard. He said that place is peaceful and that he wants all weapons taken away from the area. Concerning 80 members of the National Guard who were sent to the protest area, Green said he does not believe the National Guard should be used "in circumstances like this… this is a peaceful gathering of Hawaiian people… I'm sure it won't be necessary."

Law enforcement stand feet from peaceful Kiaʻi civilian protesters at Maunakea Access Road.
Photo from Puʻu Honua o Puʻu Huluhulu Maunakea Facebook

     Green told Hawaiʻi News Now that it is "extremely important" to find harmony in this situation. He apologized on behalf of government "if all of us haven't found a way to reach harmony in our culture… I think that we're seeing something extraordinary here… occurring on the mountain… I think everyone is putting out an incredible amount of their mana, and I wanted to see it first hand and to show respect." He said he hoped this event would culminate in "a peaceful place for our culture," that it would be something to look back on with pride and share "with our ʻohana."

     When asked whether TMT should be built, Green said, "I don't think any project in the history of Hawaiʻi should be allowed to threaten the fabric of our ʻohana." He said he'd heard the Protectors are peaceful and wanted to witness it. He said he wants to ensure that "people feel respected at the highest levels of government… I think that this is a much larger dialogue about more than a telescope. I think this is about our people."    

     Green said the Maunakea protest is "really a reflection of generations of hurt, and generations of people feeling disrespected… This is the time when our whole society has to come together – and it will, one way or another."

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THE COST OF HAWAIʻI COUNTY PROVIDING LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THE MAUNAKEA STANDOFF is a query of Puna County Council member Matt Kanealiʻi-Kleinfelder. He asked the county Department of Finance for an accounting during the current standoff and during another period of resistance to the Twenty Meter Telescope in 2015.
     The councilman issued a statement: "The land lays almost entirely in State jurisdiction. Mauna Kea Access Road is a County paved and maintained road on DHHL property. Mauna Kea is not the County's jurisdiction, yet the County of Hawaiʻi has been told to bear the costs of arrests, prosecution, and manpower. The expenses involved in this State sponsored private venture are building quickly. A recent Honolulu Star Advertiser article stated that expenses would not be reimbursed by TMT. I'm extremely concerned the taxpayers of Hawaiʻi are paying for a project being run by a foreign company both at a County and State level."

One of over 30 kūpuna arrested on Tuesday, July 16. All the arrested were cited and released.
Photo from Puʻu Honua o Puʻu Huluhulu Maunakea Facebook

     He said "a greater concern" is the declared State of Emergency. When he visited Puʻu Honua o Puʻu Huluhulu Maunakea July 13, 14, 15, and 17, he said, "The kiaʻi (Protectors) maintained Kapu Aloha in every situation as promised. The unannounced closures of our highway were both premeditated, unnecessary, and caused undue stress on county residents and visitors. The behavior of the kiaʻi during the arrests was no different Monday than Wednesday. There was no emergency that warranted shutting down the Daniel K. Inouye Highway to date. There was no reason to invoke a State of Emergency to date.
     "With our own administration quiet, I'm speaking up. This is our County. Too many decisions are being made by off Island politicians and business interests that directly affect our social fabric! I have asked for fiscal tracking of all expenses incurred by our county and an expense report August 6, 2019. I urge the other counties to inquire as well what costs they've accumulated so far."

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Keiki observe VAC student Annie Stiefel give a demonstration 

on the wheel at last year's fundraiser. Photo from VAC

A TASTE OF TEA AND POTTERY third annual fundraiser happens Sunday, Aug. 25 from noon to 4 p.m. at Volcano Art Center's Niʻaulani Campus, 19-4074 Old Volcano Rd. in Volcano Village. The event helps fund VAC's "Fire Arts Programs," which include ongoing ceramics and glass classes and workshops. Admission is $30 for VAC Members or $35 for non-Members and includes a choice of one hand made tea cup or bowl, a tasting of several freshly brewed Hawaiʻi grown teas, and the option to participate in a traditional Japanese tea ceremony.

     During the event, VAC ceramics students, along with pottery instructor Erik Wold, will be inviting attendees to get their hands in clay in the ceramics studio. All are welcome to join in or simply observe the action and get a taste of what VAC's ceramics educational program has to offer. Enjoy door prizes and a silent auction as well as cookies, packaged tea, and tea cups, which can be purchased additionally. Attendees can vote for their favorite Hawaiʻi grown tea through the Taster's Choice Award. "A Taste of Tea & Pottery fundraiser is sure to be an entertaining day of tea and ceramics," says a statement from VAC.

High-fired tea cup with Kaʻū volcanic ash glaze by 
Erik Wold. Photo from VAC

     Eva Lee, from Hawaiʻi Tea Society and co-founder of Tea Hawaiʻi & Company of Volcano, will discuss tea cultivation in Hawaiʻi for small family farms and the global market. Lee will also present a summary on the pre event fund raising Arts & Tea Culture Workshops, which were made possible by the support of Volcano ceramic artist guest instructor and tea grower Chiu Leong, and Chado practitioner artist Philippe Nault, infusing tea culture with Hawaiʻi agriculture.

A Taste of Tea & Pottery helps support VAC's ongoing ceramics program, which offers educational opportunities in clay in an atmosphere of camaraderie and shared inspiration where students learn from one another at the ceramics studio in the unique rainforest setting of Volcano, Hawaiʻi. Attendees of the fundraiser will have the opportunity to try a variety of clay forming methods, including handbuilding and wheelthrowing.

VAC instructor Erik Wold working on the stem of a goblet. Photo from VAC

     For those whose interest is sparked, there is always the opportunity to register in one of our regular session series of classes offered throughout the year. "While sustained practice is crucial in developing the skills needed to explore the medium of ceramics in depth, this event is intended to be a fun introduction for those curious to try their hand at working with clay," states teaching artist Erik Wold.

     Wold studied Art, specializing in Ceramics, at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo, graduating in 1993. Erik's primary focus is creating functional high-fired pottery. Erik has been instructing all skill levels, from those entirely new to working with clay, to advanced students in both wheelthrowing and handbuilding techniques, since VAC began its ongoing ceramics programs over three years ago. Key areas of interest have been in the pottery traditions of Japan and, most recently, East African Handbuilding methods which Wold will also demonstrate at the event. 

Activity in VAC's ceramics lab during weekly open studio. Photo from VAC

     A Taste of Tea & Pottery also supports VAC's ongoing glass programs. Programs include Stained Glass Basics I and II with Claudia McCall and Lois Stokes, and Flameworking with Nash Adams-Pruitt. Glass class offerings will be expanding as VAC raises the necessary funds to purchase specialized equipment and expand classroom space. Support these programs by purchasing a ticket or making a donation by calling 808-967-8222 or visiting volcanoartcenter.org.

     VAC is a non-profit educational organization created in 1974 to promote, develop, and perpetuate the artistic and cultural heritage of Hawai‘i's people and environment through activities in the visual, literary, and performing arts.

     A Taste of Tea & Pottery event is co-sponsored by the State of Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture. 

     Visit volcanoartcenter.org.

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HAWAIʻI VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK continues to share Hawaiian culture and tradition ongoing ‘Ike Hana No‘eau demonstrations, After Dark in the Park talks, volunteer programs, and opportunities to explore its Kahuku Unit. Unless otherwise noted, events are free. Here are the July events:

Paniolo in water. Photo from Paniolo Preservation Society

     Paniolo: Hawaiian Cowboys is the After Dark in the Park program on Tuesday, Aug. 6, 7 p.m. at Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. Join Dr. Billy Bergin, local author and expert on Hawaiian ranching and all things paniolo. Dr. Bergin will talk about the introduction of cattle to Hawai‘i in 1793, their protected status, and King Kamehameha III’s decision to bring in a dozen or so vaqueros (Mexican cowboys) in 1833. The vaqueros transformed local cattle tenders into the legendary horsemen of Hawai‘i – including the iconic Jack Purdy and John Palmer Parker, whose cattle operations still exist today.
     Lā‘āu Lāpa‘au Demonstration, part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes' ‘Ike Hana No‘eau, Experience the Skillful Work, workshops, happens Wednesday, Aug. 14 from 10 a.m. to noon at Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai. Join Hawaiian herbal medicine practitioner Ka‘ohu Monfort and learn how local plants are used to nourish and heal. See and touch a variety of traditional medicinal plants including kukui, noni, ‘ōlena, kī and others.

     Concert with Artist-in-Residence Andy Jarema is the After Dark in the Park program on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 7 p.m. at Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. Detroit-based musician and composer Andy Jarema has been selected as August’s artist in residence at Hawai‘i VolcanoesNational Park. This young and innovative composer uses a mix of sound-collage techniques, and his trumpet, as well as traditional scoring to make musical pieces inspired by direct interaction with locales, also known as site-specific work.

Pala‘ie game workshop. NPS photo

     National Park Service Anniversary happens Sunday, Aug. 25 at all fee-charging national parks in America. Celebrate the 103rd anniversary of America's Best Idea with free entrance to all fee-charging national parks, including Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, Pu‘uhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park in Kona, and Haleakalā National Park on Maui.

     Palai‘e Demonstration, part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes' ‘Ike Hana No‘eau, Experience the Skillful Work, workshops, happens Wednesday, Aug. 28 from 10 a.m. to noon at Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai. Create a traditional Hawaiian game using natural materials. Pala‘ie, a ball-and-loop game rarely encountered in modern Hawai‘i, is sometimes played by keiki while chanting ancient mele, song. Join rangers and staff from Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association for this fun activity.

     Stewardship of Kīpukapuaulu. Help remove troublesome plants at Kīpukapuaulu, home to diverse native forest and understory plants. Meet every Thursday at 9:30 a.m. in August: 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29; at Kīpukapuaulu parking lot, Mauna Loa Road, off Highway 11 in the Park. Bring clippers or pruners, sturdy gloves, a hat, and water. Wear closed-toe shoes and clothing that can get permanently stained from morning glory sap. Be prepared for cool and wet, or hot and sunny, weather. New volunteer? Contact Marilyn Nicholson for more info, nickem@hawaii.rr.com.

     Stewardship at the Summit. Volunteer to help remove invasive, non-native plant species that prevent native plants from growing in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, a World Heritage Site. Meet project leaders Paul and Jane Field at 8:45 a.m. at Kīlauea Visitor Center on Aug. Friday, Aug. 2 and 16; Saturday Aug. 10 and 24; and Wednesday, Aug. 28. Wear sturdy hiking shoes and long pants. Bring a hat, raingear, day pack, snacks, and water. Gloves and tools are provided. Under 18? Parental or guardian accompaniment or written consent is required. Visit the park website for additional planning details: nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/summit_stewardship.htm.

Hawaiian practitioner Kaohu Monfort. NPS photo

     A Walk into the Past with Dr. Thomas A. Jaggar. Meet at Kīlauea Visitor Center Tuesdays in August: 6, 13, 20, and 27, at 10 a.m., noon, and 2 p.m. Each performance is about an hour. Walk back to 1912, and meet the founder of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, Dr. Thomas A. Jaggar, at the edge of Kīlauea Volcano. Dressed in period costume, Ka‘ū actor-director Dick Hershberger brings the renowned geologist to life. Dr. Jaggar leads a tour of his tiny lab located below Volcano House, showing original seismograph equipment and other early instruments. Learn what motivated Dr. Jaggar to dedicate his life to the study of Hawaiian volcanoes and how his work helps save lives today. Space is limited; pick up free ticket at Kīlauea Visitor Center's front desk the day of the program. Program includes climbing stairs and entering a confined space. Supported by the Kīlauea Drama Entertainment Network.

     Explore Kahuku. Kahuku Unit is open Wednesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is free. Take a self-guided hike, or join rangers on Sundays in April for a two-hour guided trek at 9:30 a.m.; the trail will vary depending on visitor interest. Enter the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i VolcanoesNational Park on the mauka (inland) side of Highway 11 near mile marker 70.5. Kahuku is located in Ka‘ū, and is about a 50-minute drive south of the park's main entrance. Sturdy footwear, water, raingear, sun protection, and a snack are recommended for all hikes.

     See updates on the Park's online calendar of events, and look for program flyers posted after 9:30 a.m. on the bulletin board at Kīlauea Visitor Center.
     Park programs are free, but entrance fees apply. Some programs are co-sponsored by Friends of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park and Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

See public Kaʻū events, meetings, entertainment. 

See Kaʻū exercise, meditation, daily, and weekly events. 

Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes 

throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on 

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com

and facebook.com/kaucalendar.

2019 Kaʻū High School Athletics Schedule through August
See khpes.org/athletics-home for details and updates; Bowling TBA.

Football, Division II:
Sat., Aug. 24, 1 p.m., Kaʻū hosts Kamehameha

Girls Volleyball, Kaʻū District Gym:
Mon., July 29, 3 to 5 p.m., first day practice
Tue., Aug. 20, 6 p.m., Kaʻū hosts Hilo
Fri., Aug. 23, 6 p.m., Kaʻū hosts St. Joseph
Wed., Aug. 28, 6 p.m., Kaʻū hosts Kohala

Cross Country:

Mon., Aug. 5, 2:30 to 4 p.m., first day practice
Sat., Aug. 31, 10 a.m., @Christian Liberty

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UPCOMING

TUESDAY, JULY 23

Hawai‘i County Council Mtgs., Tuesday, July 23 (Committees), Wednesday, July 24, (Council), Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov.

HOVE Road Maintenance Board Mtg., Tuesday, July 23, 10a.m., HOVE Road Maintenance office. 929-9910, gm@hoveroad.com, hoveroad.com

After Dark in the Park - A Rock in the Park: Tale of the Wanderer, Tuesday, July 23, 7p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. Join historian Hugh Montgomery and actor Dick Hershberger in a two-man play that brings the epic tale of a rediscovered rock within the Park and the voyages of Benjamin Boyd to life. Free; park entrance fees apply. 985-6011, nps.gov/havo

WEDNESDAY, JULY 24

Kāhili Demonstration, Wednesday, July 24, 10a.m.-noon, Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai. Create a small kāhili pa‘a lima, a handheld feather standard. Free; park entrance fees apply. nps.gov/havo

THURSDAY, JULY 25

Ka‘ū Community Children's Council, Thursday, July 25, 3-4p.m., Classroom 35, Building F, Nā‘ālehu Elementary School. Provides local forum for all community members to come together as equal partners to discuss and positively affect multiple systems' issues for the benefit of all students, families, and communities. Chad Domingo, text 808-381-2584, domingoc1975@yahoo.com, ccco.k12.hi.us

Volcano Friends Feeding Friends, Thursday, July 25, 4-6p.m., Cooper Center, Volcano Village. Free community dinner for all. Additional packaged goods to take home for those in need. Donations and volunteers encouraged. 967-7800, thecoopercenter.org

FRIDAY, JULY 26

Coffee Talk at Kahuku, Friday, July 26, 9:30-11a.m., Kahuku Unit Visitor Contact Station. Free. nps.gov/havo

SATURDAY, JULY 27

Volcano's ‘Ōhi‘a Lehua Half Marathon, 7 a.m., 5K, 7:15 a.m., and Keiki Dash, 10 a.m.. Races begin and end at Volcano School of Arts & Sciences Campus on Haunani Road. Half Marathon, along road - $75/person until July 25; $85 July 26-27. 5K, along road - $40/person until July 25; $45/person July 26-27. Keiki Dash, grassy field, $10/child - ages 6 and under run 300 meters; ages 7-10 years old run 600 meters. No T-shirts given for Keiki Dash. Register at webscorer.com/register?raceid=175619. ohialehuahalf.com

Experience Volcano Festival, Saturday, July 27, and Sunday, July 28, multiple locations in Volcano. Features art, food, music, and performances. More details at experiencevolcano.com.

Bingo, Saturday, July 27, 9-11a.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church, Ocean View. Prize donations needed. stjudeshawaii.org

Arts & Tea Culture Workshop Series #3, Saturday, July 27, 1-4p.m., Volcano Art Center. Requires minimum of 6 participants to be held. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Grand Slam performance, Saturday, July 27, 7-10p.m., Kīlauea Military Theater. Cover charge taken at door. Open to all authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. kilaueamilitarycamp.com

SUNDAY, JULY 28
Experience Volcano Festival continues Sunday, July 28, multiple locations in Volcano. Features art, food, music, and performances. More details at experiencevolcano.com.

A Meeting to Establish Child Care for Kaʻū Coffee Farm Workers happens Sunday, July 28 at 3 p.m. at the Kaʻū District Gym Activity Room. Farmers and other supporters of the effort met July 13.
     With the increasing employment of members of Kaʻū's Marshallese community to pick Kaʻū Coffee, organizers in the coffee producing community, led by Laura Diaz, have established a nonprofit organization called Keiki OʻPalehua ʻOhana Program. The group has completed renovations of a room in the Pāhala Hongwanji Schoolhouse, with educational supplies for up to 15 keiki.
     Diaz said the program is looking for an electrician to hang two ceiling fans at the childcare center, for some kind of food service for the keiki, and other donations. A grand opening is planned for Aug. 10.
     Call Diaz at 928-8188 or 408-306-5596.

ONGOING

ʻŌhiʻa Lehua Half Marathon, 5K, and Keiki Dash Registration open through Saturday, July 27, the day of the races. It replaces the Volcano Rain Forest Runs. Register before Thursday, July 25 for lower entry fees. See ohialehuahalf.com.

Kīlauea Drama & Entertainment Network's Summer Musical: Rodgers and Hammerstein's Flower Drum Song, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m., through July 28 at Kīlauea Military Camp's Kīlauea Theater. Tickets are available at Kīlauea General Store, Kea‘au Natural Foods, Basically Books, The Most Irresistible Shop, and at door. $20/general admission, $15/student or over 60, $12/age 12 and under. Park entrance fees may apply. 982-7344, kden73@aol.com, kden.org

Enroll at Volcano School of Arts and Sciences for the 2019-2020 school year, which starts Aug. 5; orientation for new students is Aug. 2. Spaces are available in 1st through 8th grades of the expanding Kula ‘Amakihi Community-Based Education (CBE) Program; the school may also have space or short wait lists for certain grades in the regular on-campus programs. Contact 808-985-9800 or email enrollment@volcanoschool.net to enroll.

Exhibit -The Joy of the Brush: Paintings by Linda J. Varez, daily through Sunday, Aug. 4, 9a.m.-5p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery. Free; park entrance fees may apply. 967-7565, volcanoartcenter.org

Enroll in Tūtū & Me Traveling Preschool. Orientation for enrolled families begins Aug. 5 & 6, with programs continuing following week in Nā‘ālehu on Monday & Wednesday, 8:45-10:45am, and Pāhala, Tuesday & Thursday, 8:30-10:30am. Space is limited. pidfoundation.org

6th Annual Ka‘ū Coffee Trail Run Registration, webscorer.com/register?raceid=166020. 5K, 10K, 1/2 Marathon races through mac nut and coffee fields along slopes of Ka‘ū starting at 7a.m., Saturday, Sept. 21, Ka‘ū Coffee Mill. Sponsored by Ka‘ū Coffee Mill and ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou. Prices increase after July 9. okaukakou.org, kaucoffeemill.com

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