Ka`u News Briefs Monday, April 7, 2014

Adrian Boone shares his visit to the Philippines, including the Banaue Rice Terraces, at tomorrow's After Dark in the Park.
Photo from NPS

A PROTECT OPIHI RESOLUTION passed the state House of Representatives last Thursday and will soon be up for a vote in the state Senate. Championed by state Rep. Faye Hanohano, of Puna, who chairs the House Committee on Ocean, Marine Resources & Hawaiian Affairs, it asks the state Department of Land & Natural Resources for a study. 

    House Concurrent Resolution 229 notes that “opihi comprises four species of saltwater Hawaiian limpets that are found nowhere else on Earth.” It states that “the popularity of opihi as a delicacy has led to statewide overharvesting and the decline of natural populations,” and that during “the past century, there was a ten-fold decline in the amount of opihi available in markets, and the average amount of opihi has further been halved in the past forty years.” It advises that “the key to increasing the sustainable harvest of opihi is protecting a portion of opihi populations so that they may reproduce and create the next generation.”

Different sizes of opihi species make establishing harvesting size limits difficult.

     Resolution 229 asks that the DLNR conduct an opihi management study on the replenishment of natural populations of all Hawaiian opihi species for all islands of the state, including the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. It asks DLNR to recommend best management practices for each island area, with effective enforcement mechanisms for implementing the best management practices. The DLNR would “consult with the Aha Moku Advisory Committee and any other individual or entity that has expertise that is relevant to the study.” The study would be due by Dec. 19.
     Scientists from University of Hawai`i suggested a rotation kapu, letting opihi habitats rest for two years at a time. They said that size limits would not work since size among species vary, with the koele larger than the yellowfoot and blackfoot. Seasonal harvesting would be inappropriate they said, since it takes almost all year for opihi to mature and reproduce.
    Opihi are limpets. The yellowfoot and blackfoot grow in the surfline on rocky shores. The koele live in calmer, deeper waters. Opihi picking is considered the most dangerous job in Hawai`i, with pickers swept away by waves, injured and killed by surf pounding them into rocks or falling to their deaths from remote coastal hiking trails that lead to opihi picking sites. The high price and tradition, with opihi being one of the most popular delicacies at family lu`au, keep the pickers going. The least valued opihi was recently selling for more than $42 a pound in Honolulu markets, Chris Bird, of the University of Hawai`i Institute of Marine Biology, told lawmakers. He also described the opihi population on the Big Island as “at the tipping point of decline.” He said, “O`ahu is decimated.”
     Bird and other scientists estimated that over a century ago, more than 140,000 pounds of opihi were sold each year in Hawai`i. As of 2005, the number was down to 13,000 pounds per year.
      To weigh in on HCR229, go to capitol.hawaii.gov.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Compared to farmed salmon, GMO salmon are larger. Photo from kcrw.com

POPULAR LU`AU FOOD LOMI SALMON may eventually have a GMO version. However, fast growing salmon, which would be the first genetically modified fish to be approved for human consumption by the FDA, is facing jittery investors and some federal pushback. According to an Associated Press story today, the Obama administration has stalled for more than four years on deciding whether to approve GMO salmon, and “opponents of the technology have taken advantage of increasing consumer concern about genetically modified foods and have urged several major retailers not to sell it. So far, two of the nation’s biggest grocers, Safeway and Kroger, have pledged to keep the salmon off their shelves if it is approved.” 

    Mary Clare Jalonick writes that “supporters of genetically engineered fish and meat say they expect Food and Drug Administration approval of the salmon and still hope to find a market for it. However, the retailers’ caution and lengthy regulatory delays have made investors skittish.”
    In its April edition, Consumer Reports writes that it expects an FDA ruling on genetically engineered salmon soon. Consumer Reports recommends labeling of all GMO foods and points out that Maine and Connecticut have passed the legislation.
      See consumerreports.org/cro/news/2014/04/why-we-need-to-label-gmo-foods/index.htm.

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RESOLUTIONS RECENTLY PASSED BY THE STATE SENATE include two addressing issues at the University of Hawai`i. 

      Senate Concurent Resolution 38 urges the Board of Regents not to raise student fees to balance the budget of the university’s Athletics Department or budget deficit of any other UH department.
      The resolution says that, if student fees are raised, the amount should be based on an objective criteria or an appropriate formula, “rather than an apparently arbitrary amount decided by the university. It also says that, if the university raises student fees to balance the budget of the Athletics Department or budget deficit of any other UH department, “once those budgets are balanced, the student fees should be reduced accordingly.”
      SCR128 requests that the university create a task force to develop a plan to increase the number of students in science, technology, engineering and math majors relevant to industry demands in Hawai`i.
      The task force would conduct a mapping exercise and report on current initiatives that impact STEM readiness for students, including initiatives that increase preparedness of Department of Education and UH students for STEM majors or careers, including the type of initiatives, source of funding, targeted student groups, numbers of students in the targeted student groups and proven impact.
      The task force would recommend solutions to increase the readiness of students to pursue STEM fields as well as explore and identify trends in workforce needs in various STEM fields in Hawai`i.
     The report task force’s findings, recommendations, overall plan and any proposed legislation would be due prior to the convening of next year’s legislative session.

      To see and testify on these and other resolutions, go to capitol.hawaii.gov.

      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.  

TODAY IS THE DEADLINE TO REGISTER for Ka`u Rural Health Community Association, Inc.’s 17th annual Rural Health Conference to be held this Friday, April 11 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Pahala Community Center. Call 928-0101.

VOLUNTEERS CAN HELP FRIENDS of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park with a Forest Restoration Project Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. by planting native tree seedlings in the Mauna Loa section of the park. RSVP to 352-1402 or forest@fhvnp.org today.

Puerta Princesa Subterranean River National Park was one of the stops during
Adrian Boone's visit to the Philippines. Photo from wikipedia

AT TOMORROW’S AFTER DARK IN THE PARK, Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park Ranger Adrian Boone shares his visit to the Philippines last November when Typhoon Haiyan bore down on the island nation. His travels included several UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the 2,000-year-old Banaue Rice Terraces and Puerta Princesa Subterranean River National Park. He explored the hanging coffins of Sagada, the limestone caves of Sumaguing, northern Luzon, Manila, the ancient Spanish city Vigan in Ilocos Sur and much more. 
 

      The free program begins at 7 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium. $2 donations support future programs, and park entrance fees apply.

VENDOR BOOTHS ARE AVAILABLE FOR $10 at Kauaha`ao Congregational Church’s Fundraising Bazaar on Saturday, April 12 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The church will offer laulau plate lunches, chili and rice, hot dogs, baked goods and more. Call Walter Wong Yuen at 928-8039 after 7 p.m.

KA`U HIGH SCHOOL BOYS VOLLEYBALL hosted the Kealakehe Waveriders on Friday, Apr. 4 at Ka`u High School Gym. The Junior Varsity team lost in three sets. Scores were 25-19, 7-25, 16-18. The Varsity team also lost in three sets. Scores were 26-28, 23-25, 23-25. Ka`u hosts the Kamehameha Warriors tomorrow at 6 p.m. 

ESTEVE SALMO CONTINUED HIS WINNING STREAK for Trojan’s track on Saturday, Apr. 5 in Kea`au. Salmo took first in the long jump with a leap of 20 feet, 2.5 inches. Andrew Garcia, also a Trojan, took second in the high jump, reaching 5 feet, 6 inches. Next meet for the Trojans is on Saturday, Apr. 12 at Konawaena at 9 a.m.

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Ka`u News Briefs Sunday, April 6, 2014

Anna Cariaga spoke her mind last night when OHA came to Ka`u to kick off gathering more names for an Official Roll for
Native Hawaiians. Photo by Julia Neal

URGING HAWAIIANS TO SIGN UP for the Official Roll, representatives of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs began in Ka`u where the Polynesians first landed to live in Hawai`i. Last night in Pahala, OHA kicked off its first of 18 meetings around the state to help move forward the process of nation building. The deadline to sign up for anyone of any percentage Hawaiian blood be be included on the Official Roll is May 1. Details are on OHA's website www.oha.org/nationbuilding.
     "Rise. Be Heard. Ho'olu Lahui," - raise a beloved nation, said the image beamed on the wall of Pahala Communitty Center. "Native Hawaiians are encouraged to register with the Official Roll during this special open enrollment period if they have not already done so," said a poster provided to attendees.
     What is the process? A brochure put forth, "The nation building process will begin and end with our people. Native Hawaiians on the Official Roll may choose to elect delegates to an 'aha or convention. Delegates to the 'aha would draft a governing entity. Those on the Official Roll would then vote in a referendum to approve or disapprove of the draft governing document. If approved, the governing document would determine the next steps."

Pua`ena Ahn lectures about Hawaiian sovereignty issues as Jeanette Howard,
Hannah Uribes and Dr. Kehaunani Abad listen. Photo by Julia Neal

     Kawika Riley, whose OHA title is Ka Pou Kihi Ko, Chief Advocate, said that OHA, which is governed by a board chosen through State of Hawai`i general elections, plans to serve as a facilitator for the process for Native Hawaiians to form a governing entity. A third party would oversee elections.
    Dr. Kehaunani Abad, whose OHA title is Ka Poukihi, Director of Ka Paia Lono, Community Engagement, said the move toward self governance "is about the seizure of 1.8 million acres from our queen." She was referring to the lands absorbed by the U.S. government when Hawa'i became a territory in 1898. Almost two million of the 4.1 million acres that make up the Hawaiian Islands were under the stewardship of Queen Lili'uokalani when she was overthrown. The queen's image is depicted on the Official Roll poster with her words, "Never cease to act because you fear you may fail."
    Abad talked about the Hawaiian people having been a sophisticated nation. The literacy rate of Hawaiians in the 1800s was very high. There was hydroelectric on O'ahu. The palace, the seat of government, was lit up with electricity five years before the White House. There was health care and a hospital, she said.
    Lili'uokalani stated that President Grover Cleveland recognized the Hawaiian people's right to sovereignty. "The President acknowledges the right of the Hawaiian people to choose their own form of government. Were that one sentence carried out...that's all that either the people or I could ask," wrote the queen.
    With more independence, Abad said, a new Hawaiian government could have more control over land use and could help improve health care, education, and management of resources. "What we are trying to do today is to take up the Queen's cause." 

Kuhio Lewis

Kawika Riley

Kehaunani Abad, Phd. is the Community
Engagement Director for OHA

  Abad pointed to efforts to better manage resources. They have won in court with little results, she said, giving the example of 90 percent of the streams in Hawai'i being diverted for sugar in the past and now new development. She reported that OHA and Earth Justice "won a huge case" in 2012 on Maui to return streams to their natural flow. However, the win resulted in no additional water going back into the streams, which is needed for growing taro and other farming and to provide for native hunting and gathering and to protect native species "so that the o'opu (freshwater fish) and hihiwai (freshwater shrimp) can thrive," she said. "So if we don't take a more active roll, how can we malama the 'aina?" she asked.
     A number of Hawaiians attending the meeting last night weighed in. Anna Cariaga, of Pahala, who retired from managing the Office of Economic Opportunity Council here, pointed out that millions of dollars have already been spent on trying to encourage Hawaiians to sign up for the roll. She said she worries that Hawaiian people will be used for the cause and then top-down government will still rule them. 

    "We are not big enough, powerful enough. The U.S. is still going to be the bigger government and we are going to be shoved under it." On the other hand, Cariaga said, she worries that advocating for a new Hawaiian government could result in losing benefits that come with being part of the United States and State of Hawai'i. Cariaga said, however, that she knows of people who could be good delegates for the Hawaiian government convention and thanked the OHA representatives for helping to bring the plan to the Ka'u community. 

Rep. Faye Hanahano said all cultures,
ethnicities should be welcomed.
Photo by Julia Neal

    OHA's Community Outreach Manager Kuhio Lewis noted that Hawaiians have many points of view. "Most Hawaiians would prefer not to be bothered with this conversation. They are concerned about how to pay for their kids' school." He warned Hawaiians, however, "As time goes on we get further apart," and urged coming together for the Official Roll.
    Cariaga said, "We Hawaiians have hard time working together. The government made us like this, but we would be better with one namunamu (rumbling, concerned voice)."
    Pauahi Pulham, another Native Hawaiian and member of the Hawaiian Civic Club of Ka`u, who lives on a ranch near Hwy 11 and South Point Road, asked whether people who grew up here but have no Hawaiian blood would be left out.
   Alan Stafford, not Hawaiian by blood, but a member of the Hawaiian Civic Club of Ka`u, asked about Hawaiian children adopted into non-Hawaiian homes. 

   The Chief Advocate explained that any Hawaiians who can show a Hawaiian ancestor can sign up for the Official Roll, whether they live in the U.S. or France or anywhere else. The voting would not be handled by state elections officials so the voters would include everyone Hawaiian, not just U.S. citizens, he said. "It's not the State of Hawai'i,  the governor, the federal government telling us how to vote." He said that signing up for the Roll does not have anything to do with individual citizenships with the U.S. or Hawaiian governing entities.
    Kumu Hula Hannah Uribes, another Hawaiian Civic Club member from Ocean View, said that she has seen that her children and grandchildren have signed up for the Roll. OHA representatives explained that anyone who signed up earlier can leave their names on or take them off.
    Pua'ena Ahn, of Volcano, who works with Lawful Hawaiian Government and Aloha Uprising, gave a talk about Hawaiian sovereignty after the OHA portion of the meeting was over. He questioned the authority of OHA, as a state funded entity, to carry out the mission of the Hawaiian Kingdom.  A Kingdom of Hawai`i advocate, Thomas Anthony, of Mountain View, also questioned OHA's funding and motives in organizing the Roll.
    State Rep. Faye Hanohano attended the meeting and spoke at the end, encouraging participation of people from all cultures and races in the governance of Hawai'i. Hawaiian Civic Club of Ka'u President Blossom DeSilva agreed and pointed to the multi-racial and multi-cultural makeup of the organization.
     The meeting was hosted by the Hawaiian Civic Club of Ka'u, providing the attendees with food, including ohi'a 'ai - mountain apples brought by kupuna Jeanette Howard from her yard. Mountain Apples were first brought to Hawai`i by early Polynesian settlers.
     To contact the Hawaiian Civic Club of Ka`u, call DeSilva at 929-9731.
     For more on the OHA Official Roll Call, see www.oha.org/nationbuilding. 

For an online, page-turning version, 

see The Directory at

 http://www.kaucalendar.com/Directory2014.swf.

  To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.   

THE CANNABIS CONUNDRUM is taken up by the Hawai`i Journal of Medicine & Public Health in its April edition. In his editorial, Dr. Michael J. Meagher writes, “There is little that engenders more argument and polemic than a discussion of the legalization of Marijuana usage. As of this writing 21 states allow use of Cannabinoids for medical use and two states allow recreational use. In 2000, the State of Hawai‘i passed Bill 862, allowing the medical use of Marijuana for patients possessing a signed statement from their physician stating that he/she suffers from a debilitating condition and the “potential benefits of the use of Marijuana would likely exceed the health risks.” The law underwent minor amendment in 2013.”
    The physician presents two views of two other Hawai`i  based doctors, with “opposing perspectives on the use of this drug.” Meagher concludes that “the data is insufficiently clear to render a single, evidence based position and considerably more research is needed.”
   Download the Hawai`i Journal of Medicine and Public Health at www.hjmph.org 

  To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.   

VOLCANO ART CENTER’S NIAULANI CAMPUS in Volcano Village presents Multi-Media Monday tomorrow and every Monday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Lisa Louise Adams’ students experiment using drawing, painting, printmaking, bookmaking and more to find their inner voices and personal styles. $50 per month/$45 VAC members, plus a $30 per month materials fee. Call 967-8222.

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Ka`u News Briefs Saturday, April 5, 2014

The state Senate yesterday presented the crew of the Hokule`a with a Senate Certificate for honoring Hawai`i's heritage and culture.

THE HAWAI`I STATE SENATE PASSED resolutions yesterday supporting the round-the-world voyage of the Hokule`a. SCR 71 urges the state and state entities to support the Hokule`a and her crew as they journey around the world. SCR70/SR35 urges the governor to proclaim 2014 as the Year of the Worldwide Voyage where the Hokule`a may increase awareness of the importance of ocean protection while honoring and sharing Hawaiian knowledge and practices of natural resource management.

Hokule`a visited Miloli`i last July.
Photo by Peter Anderson

      The Hokule`a visited Miloli`i last July during her Malama Hawai`i voyage. The worldwide voyage, called Malama Honua, begins with sailing to Tahiti next month.
     According to the Polynesian Voyaging Society, “the mission of Hokule`a’s Worldwide Voyage is to navigate toward a healthy and sustainable future for ourselves, our home – the Hawaiian Islands – and our Island Earth through voyaging and new ways of learning. Our core message is to malama (care for) Island Earth – our natural environment, children and all humankind.”
    Maps and the sailing plan for the Malama Honua voyage, along with video, photographs and reporting on the sailing in the ocean and the interacting with communities can be viewed at the Polynesian Voyaging Society’s website hokulea.org.

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A HAWAI`I CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE HAS RULED in favor of the $1.3 billion Thirty Meter Telescope project in a case brought by six petitioners challenging the Board of Land and Natural Resources’ approval of a conservation district land use permit for what would be one of the world’s largest telescopes at the summit of Mauna Kea.

      A story in Hawai`i Tribune-Herald reports that Third Circuit Court Judge Greg Nakamura ruled on four points, one being that the board’s approval of the permit before holding a contested case hearing didn’t warrant a reversal of the decision.

      Megan Moseley reported that Kealoha Pisciotta, president of Native Hawaiian group Mauna Kea Anaina Hou, said the group intends to appeal. “It’s hard to accept that the judge could agree with the university that a project like TMT wouldn’t have adverse and significant impact when the university admits it would. We’re ready to go. We’re ready go to the higher courts.”

      Pisciotta also said, “Sacredness isn’t for sale. We have to keep fighting for it.”

A Native Hawaiian group vows to appeal a court decision in favor
of the Thirty Meter Telescope planned on Mauna Kea.

      TMT spokeswoman Sandra Dawson said, “We’re very happy about the ruling. We are happy that we followed the process every step of the way. This was done in collaboration with great support from this island.”
      TMT is a partnership between research universities including the Association of Canadian Universities for Research in Astronomy, the California Institute of Technology and the University of California, as well as the governments of the United States, China, India, Japan and Canada.
      Officials hope to begin construction on the $1.3 billion telescope this year, with operations beginning in 2021.

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TWO WEEKS OF TERROR IN KA`U is the title of a recent edition of Hawaiian Volcano Observatory’s Volcano Watch. It chronicles 16 days of earthquakes in March and April of 1868 that included a tsunami, landslide and eruption in Ka`u. During that period, between 50 and 300 quakes were felt each day, with the most reported from Ka`u, HVO reports. In some areas, it was described as nearly continuous ground motion.

      “The seismic activity came to a head on Thursday afternoon, April 2, when a violent earthquake (at least magnitude 7.9) rattled the island and beyond. Located beneath South Hawai`i, the quake was felt as far away as Kaua`i and stopped clocks on O`ahu.

      “In Ka`u, the destruction was nearly complete. People who had been standing or on horseback were knocked to the ground. Those sitting on the ground had to brace themselves with their hands and feet to remain upright as the powerful shaking went on for several minutes. All stone structures—buildings and walls—were thrown down.”
      The shaking caused several landslides in Ka`u, and a large mudslide in Wood Valley buried 31 people in a matter of minutes.
      “As the people of Ka`u were recovering from the earthquake, they noticed the ocean receding from the coastline,” according to the report. “Over the next several hours, at least eight waves washed ashore, razing coastal villages and carrying people and animals into the sea. The tsunami, estimated to be more than 20 feet high in Ka`u, caused damage from South Point to Cape Kumukahi, destroying more than 100 structures and taking 47 lives. The tsunami was detected several hours later on the west coast of the United States.
      “But the devastation was not over. Strong aftershocks continued to shake the island. On Tuesday evening, April 7, a fissure opened low on the Southwest Rift Zone of Mauna Loa, disgorging voluminous amounts of lava. The lava fountains jetted to heights of several hundred yards and produced lava flows that rushed southward to the sea (a distance of eight miles) in 3.5 hours. The fountains also produced copious amounts of tephra that blanketed Ka`u with deposits of cinder and Pele’s hair several inches deep.
      Using modern analysis, scientists have hypothesized that the southeastern part of the island, from Kapoho to Ka Lae, moved seaward and subsided several feet during the April 2, 1868, earthquake.
      According to HVO, recent studies suggest that aftershocks of the 1868 main shock are still occurring.

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Rep. Colleen Hanabusa

A GRASS ROOTS UPDATE HAS BEEN RELEASED by Ka`u Rural Health Community Association, Inc., sharing U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa’s message of aloha to the organization regarding its upcoming 17th annual Rural Health Conference to be held Friday, April 11 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Pahala Community Center. 

      “Since 1998, KRHCA has been positively affecting the Ka`u community by advancing health care initiatives, partnering with other community organizations and being actively engaged in promoting the vitality of Ka`u and her people,” Hanabusa said. “By focusing on rural health initiatives, KRHCA has helped to increase the quality of life for thousands of people in the surrounding area. 

      “This annual conference promises to continue KRHCA’s track record of excellence. By bringing stakeholders together, examining past successes in the context of current issues, KRHCA and other community partners can plot a better path forward. Ka`u in an extremely historic, important and vibrant community in our state and has shown how many hands working together can achieve success and serve as a model for other communities in Hawai`i.
      “I look forward to continuing to support KRHCA, the Ka`u community and rural health initiatives. Working together, we can make powerful and impactful changes but those within the Ka`u community are the ones leading the charge and bnuilding a brighter future.”
      The conference offers health, education and prevention booths, nutrition and healthy food demonstrations, Hawai`i Health Connector enrollment, games and door prizes.
      Registration deadline is Monday. Call 928-0101.

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OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS HOLDS A MEETING today at 6 p.m. at Pahala Community Center. OHA is canvassing communities across Hawai`i Island as part of a larger effort to ensure as many Native Hawaiians as possible are eligible to participate in the nation-building process. 

      OHA is recruiting volunteers to knock on doors and make phone calls in hopes of making more Hawaiians familiar with this new opportunity to better manage their future.
      Only Hawaiians on the roll will be eligible to participate in the Hawaiian-nation-building process, which OHA has agreed to help ensure runs smoothly and effectively. Already, more than 120,000 names are on the official roll. May 1 is the deadline for others to sign up.

      At present, Native Hawaiians on Hawai`i Island make up 19 percent of the Roll, while representing 19 percent of Hawai`i’s Native Hawaiian population.

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IN GIRLS SOFTBALL, Ka`u fell to Kamehameha yesterday. The Trojan pitcher was Kamakani Fujikawa. Final score was 19-1. It was a home game for Ka`u.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.