Ice In Hawaiʻi

The ice epidemic has touched tens of thousands of lives in Hawaiʻi. It has an impact on our families, our children, our schools, our crime rate, our prisons, our businesses. I learned that our Hawaiian community has never faced a problem quite like this. There are children growing up with crystal methamphetamine in the local neighborhood, in the house and in the family. Ice is a wickedly addictive and widely available drug; it steals control of people's minds and lives regardless of their socioeconomic status. Ice use has become such a widespread problem that some lawmakers from the governor to legislators and City Council members routinely refer to it as "the ice epidemic" and have put it at the top of the political agenda. A growing number of people have been victims of car thefts, break-ins, and even murder that police often attribute to ice users looking for quick cash to buy more. Recently, normal citizens, who have watched ice invade their neighborhoods and destroy lives, have stood on roadways to wave signs in protest. "We've had an ice problem since the 1980s, and the rest of the country has only had it for a few years," said Larry Williams, director of The Salvation Army's Addiction Treatment Services. Hawaiʻi has been at the head of meth use in the country, Williams said, but it has suffered when it comes to getting federal help. “For years, the federal government has focused on marijuana eradication in Hawaiʻi and ignored the meth problem,” he said. How can they do that? I mean, yes, pakalolo is a drug also but I honestly don’t think that it has more potential than ice does to ruin lives. I wasn’t even aware of this widespread ice problem in Hawaiʻi. I guess I could say I’m fortunate… what about the kids that live in homes where ice is used every day? How do we help them and what can we do as community members? Well, I could find some organizations and events that are trying to help get ice out of Hawaiʻi and her homes. The links to these sites can be found in my references. I really do hope that this crisis will be brought to an end in the very near future. Hawaiians don’t need more things coming into the homes and stealing our lives. I long for the day that Hawaiʻi will be rid of all those nasty vile poisons that were brought here by foreigners and will go back to how it was in the old days when there were no drugs that could tear a family, and even a community, apart. 

References:

http://archives.starbulletin.com/2003/09/07/news/story2.html

http://maoliworld.ning.com/group/hawaiiansagainstice  

http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/current/ln/childrenofice

http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle-old/320/hawaii.shtml 

http://www1.honolulu.gov/prosecuting/meth.htm

Stop the Digging Up of Hawaiian Ancestral Bones

I just recently saw a link that was on my facebook that read “Save Our Ancestors - Stop the Digging at Kawaiahaʻo Church.” I clicked on it, read a little bit, and then quickly joined the cause. I couldn’t believe that digging up of kupunas bones are still happening till this day. I wanted to learn more about what was going on there at Kawaiahaʻo Church in Oʻahu. They reportedly have been digging up ʻiwi kupuna - the bones of Hawaiians buried in the Kawaiahaʻo Church so they can build a new social hall. They have recently uncovered 23 separate gravesites and have unearthed 69 sets of native Hawaiian bones already. The church intends to remove any and all ʻiwi kupuna from the former site of Likeke Hall and its surrounding areas in order to build a multi-purpose building. The construction of this site will perpetuate a tragic legacy of the removal of over 100 bones in 1940 when Likeke Hall was first built. Those ʻiwi kupuna were taken to the Kamoʻiliʻili cemetery, removed again when that cemetery was sold, and removed once again, cremated with other ʻiwi kupuna, and re-interred on Kawaiahaʻo's grounds. It was quoted that “Some of these ‘iwi kupuna currently lie in baskets on shelves at the bottom of the church and have been there for more than a year. Empty baskets are in this room waiting to be filled with more bones. When will the horror stop?” The building of the new social hall is a $17 million project that is turning out to be much more costly (non-money wise) than expected. It just breaks my heart. I used to attend Pūnana Leo o Kawaiahaʻo as a preschooler and I remember graduating in the Kawaiahaʻo church like it was yesterday. It’s an amazingly beautiful place; I would have never guessed that digging up of ancestral bones would ever take place there. I saw in some news reports that some Hawaiian protestors got arrested on site just for voicing their concerns. And I believe that they have a right to, especially those that are descendents of the kupunas that are being dug up. The kahu of the church said that “there’s not life in the bones, their lives are in heaven with our Lord God...” and I’m a believer of that. I’m a 100% Christian, was raised a Christian my whole life. BUT what he said does NOT justify digging up and removing bones from their resting place one bit! That is the ultimate disrespect in Hawaiian culture. I can’t believe this is happening in our present day. What is happening to Hawaiʻi? What happened to respect? Common sense? I guess now days, that’s a rare thing.. All we can do is pule for those who are blinded by the dollar.

References:

http://www.causes.com/causes/641537-save-our-ancestors-stop-the-digging-at-kawaiaha-o-church/about

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4usVw0sXtk&feature=fvsr  

http://www.justiceforhawaiians.com/ 

http://honoluluweekly.com/letters/2011/02/stop-digging-up-the-iwi/

Does the Akaka Bill & Kau Inoa Poll benefit Hawaiians?

I never really knew any information about the Akaka Bill and the Kau Inoa poll, so I thought that this was the perfect opportunity to learn about it. In a nutshell, I read that the United States plans to take the Hawaiian nation through the Akaka Bill; by law, the U.S. cannot simply walk in and take Hawaiian land titles and erase the word "Royal" and replace it with "United States" Patent. The only way the United States will ever be able to get clear title to the Hawaiian Islands is if Hawaiians give it to them through the “fake state Akaka bill.” How are they planning to do that? Well, I read that they're going to register a majority of Hawaiians to sign onto the Office of Hawaiian Affairs Kau Inoa roll. Then through the Akaka bill a "Native Hawaiian Governing Entity" will be created. They are going to make sure those governing documents give the officers of the government the authority to give away title in negotiations. They are going to get the majority of Hawaiians on the Kau Inoa roll to vote for the new governing documents to reorganize the Hawaiian government. That government authorized and approved by the majority of Hawaiians is going to sit down at the negotiating table with the United States and trade land title for cash and benefits.

But only the Kingdom of Hawai`i is authorized to give away title to the Hawaiian Islands, but only as long as the kingdom remains intact. If the majority of its subjects revolt by forming a new government, the kingdom no longer exists. So the Akaka bill is only the bait. The hook is the formation of a new government and the negotiations between the US and the new government. The Akaka bill does not tell Hawaiians, but asks them to form a government that can and will extinguish Hawaiians claims. Overall, from my research about it, it’s stated not to fall for the fake state Akaka bill. To know that someone’s name, our names, could be used without our permission to support something that we would not support, is just frightening. When I watched the video “Roll with a Toll” that’s in my references, It confirmed that they really can do that with the Hawaiians’ signatures, and it’s so sad. Now that I know the possible outcomes of this Kau Inoa Poll, I now can make an educated decision of whether or not I should sign it myself. We, as Hawaiians, should get educated about things we do before we take any part of it. Right now, that’s a very crucial step for us to do. Make informed decisions!

References:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmO_Mg-VFHo

http://freehawaii.info/

http://unkauinoa.org/Welcome_To_UnKau_Inoa.html

Kahoʻolawe; The bruised Hawaiian Island

Kahoʻolawe is a small island, right at the center of Hawaii. For most of its history, the island has been recognized by Hawaiians as a sacred place - a sacred place of learning, tool-production, and communicating with the gods. More recently, Kahoʻolawe has been known as "that place that no one can go to", mostly because it is just way too dangerous to go there. The island is dangerous because the United States military seized the island and then proceeded to use the island as a target practice at the outset of World War II. The U.S. practiced war on Kahoʻolawe throughout World War II, then the Korean War, then the Vietnam War, for fifty years. As this small island was nearly bombed out of existence, the land and even the waters around the island became filled with unexploded weapons like bombs. PKO - the Protect Kahoʻolawe Ohana - is the same working group of people that led the decades-long struggle to stop the U.S. military from destroying Kahoʻolawe. It took enormous sacrifices and an extensive time, but eventually they prevailed and the bombing at Kahoʻolawe stopped. The PKO people are doing the most radical form of education possible; they are actually living according to the wisdom and knowledge of their ancestors. On Kahoʻolawe, the Hawaiian cosmology creates all relationships, practices, and micro-practices. The kua of PKO are doing everything they can to help the island heal, to become a safe place of learning and growth again. And in the process I think they are healing themselves too. I’ve never been to the island of Kahoʻolawe, but I would love to one day. I believe that there is an astounding mana that is attached to Kahoʻolawe and I would be honored to just be standing on that island, let alone learning there from the habitants. I’m going to go there one day, if Akua permits, to help, grow, and most importantly, learn.

References:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6iVUNHLJBw&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL

http://www.oahu.us/kahoolawe.htm 

http://www1.american.edu/ted/ice/hawaiibombs.htm

Illegal Occupation of Hawaiʻi

        If I never attended University of Hawaii Maui College, I never would have known about the United States’ illegal occupation of Hawaiʻi. I learned all about the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom and then the prolonged stay here by the US in Kumu Kaleikoa Kaʻeos Hwst 107 class. Here’s a little summary of the events which led to the predicament: In 1893, US personnel conspired with a small group of individuals to overthrow the constitutional government of the Hawaiian Kingdom and prepared to provide for annexation of the Hawaiian Islands to the United States of America, under a treaty of annexation submitted to the United States Senate, on February 15, 1893. Newly elected U.S. President Grover Cleveland, having received notice that the cause of the so-called revolution derived from illegal intervention by U.S. diplomatic and military personnel, withdrew the treaty of annexation and appointed James H. Blount, as Special Commissioner, to investigate the terms of the so-called revolution and to report his findings. The report concluded that the US legation assigned to the Hawaiian Kingdom, together with United States Marines and Naval personnel, were directly responsible for the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom government. The report details the responsibility of the US government in violating laws and the sovereignty of the Hawaiian Kingdom, but the United States Government fails to follow through in its commitment to assist in reinstating the constitutional government of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Instead, the US allows five years to lapse and a new United States President, William McKinley, enters into a second treaty of annexation with the same individuals who participated in the illegal overthrow with the U.S. legation in 1893 on June 16, 1897, but the treaty was unable to be ratified by the United States Senate due to protests that were submitted by Her Majesty Queen Lili‘uokalani and signature petitions against annexation by 21k+ native Hawaiians. As a result of the Spanish-American War, the United States opted to unilaterally annex the Hawaiian Islands by enacting a congressional joint resolution on July 7, 1898, in order to utilize the Hawaiian Islands as a military base to fight the Spanish in Guam and the Philippines. The United States has remained in the Hawaiian Islands and the Hawaiian Kingdom has since been under prolonged occupation to the present, but its continuity as an independent State remains intact under international law.

        I was so shocked at how this treachery has been swept under the rug for so long, that most Hawaiians don’t even know about what happened and what IS happening now. Hardly anybody knows about this! Everyone has accepted the fact that Hawaiʻi is “the fiftieth state” without even looking at the facts in history. I feel that this is unacceptable and that the Hawaiian Kingdom was treated VERY unfairly... but what do we do now? It’s been so long since the illegal overthrow happened, what can we do now that will make any difference? Well, I’m not positive about what we can do, but if I do find out some way that would contribute to getting Hawaiʻi its independent distinction back again, I would help with all that I can. Cause what happened was not right, and I feel that there is a lot of making up to do for the United States. Ua mau ke ea o ka ʻāina I ka pono o Hawaiʻi!

   "A lie told often enough becomes the truth."

                               - Vladimir Lenin

References:

http://www.hawaiiankingdom.org/us-occupation.shtml

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nqDkCzwXeY&feature=related

http://freehawaii.info/

The sacred island of Lahaina: Mokuʻula

Mokuʻula was the island of royalty in Hawaiʻi many years ago. Archaeology confirmed the existence of Mokuʻula, the royal residences, mausoleum, and a large spring that fed natural wetland containing taro patches and fishponds. Carbon dating has revealed some of the earliest evidence of human habitation in Mokuʻula and I believe much more is yet to be discovered. Many environmental and spiritual influences as well as historical events have made Mokuʻula a sacred symbol and religious center. Wai (water) gives life to all existence and implies life, health and is considered sacred by Hawaiians. Areas that contain an abundance of water are considered ʻāina that will bring great wealth and are prized above all others. Consequently, the land which contained the ponds of Mokuhinia and the sacred island of Mokuʻula became the chosen home for nā Aliʻi. While the new Christian churches were being built to replace heiau, Mokuʻula continued to be a traditional sanctuary for the King. As the private residence of Kamehameha III and his court, and a capitol for the Hawaiian Kingdom, the kapu was held at Mokuʻula. But by 1845, the capitol at Lahaina was moved to Honolulu due to all the pressures from missionaries and foreign businessmen. And by 1860, the waters of Mokuʻula were already declining because of all the diversion of fresh water to all the developing sugar cane plantations. It was made into Malu ʻUlu O Lele park; there was a baseball field, basketball courts, jungle jim, and bathrooms for the public. Despite all the efforts of restoration, it sadly now looks like an old broken down ballpark. When Mike talked about the process of making their final presentation (which was on Mokuʻula), he said that he could smell the stench of human wastes from a distance away, up-wind, from the leaking pipes of the bathroom there. I was so disgusted; to hear that a once powerful and sacred place to Hawaiʻi is now being disrespected and tainted right before our eyes. What happened to respecting ones’ culture? What happened to the common courtesy shown to places of great significance to a certain people? I’m so saddened by the lack of respect shown to the Hawaiians’ history and former places of royalty. To the Hawaiians, this place still has GREAT significance and definitely should still be considered a sacred place to everyone. Although there are no more waters in Mokuʻula, I believe that the return of water to that area is very possible. I think that full restoration of the original state of Mokuʻula and Mokuhinia is reachable and actually will be reached in the very near future. Of course, every little contribution of time or money helps and would hopefully speed up the process. Now that I know about this issue, I definitely will be more involved in the efforts to restore this historical site. The heart of Lahaina remains at Mokuʻula, the spiritual and political power center of the Hawaiian Kingdom. “E hoʻi ka nani i Mokuʻula!” (-Tonis group)

References:

http://www.mokuula.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4j-ZVpz9Co&feature=share

http://www.mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/552456/-Spoonful-by-spoonful---Moku-ula-slowly-returns.html

Back to the Roots

Today the class Hawaiian Studies 290V: Maui Aloha ‘Āina presented all of our final presentations. They were all videos that had to be put up on youtube and they were all wonderful!! I really liked one of them because in the video, there was a part where there were keiki speaking in ‘ōlelo hawai‘i, saying how we should mālama ‘āina. To see children probably not even four years old yet speaking Hawaiian fluently made me so proud and happy. Though, at the same time kind of sad because; here these small kids are speaking the language when most of us adults that lived in Hawai‘i our whole lives cannot keep a conversation going. I wish there were more ways that the native Hawaiian people could go and learn how to speak without having to have to pay so much for tuition at colleges. Cause I know so much of my family that really can’t afford to pay the tuition and all the fees that colleges charge. My family doesn’t know how to apply for all the FAFSA, financial aid, and loans stuffs. Most of them are all local average Hawaiians that are akamai loa when it comes to the ‘āina and working hard and ‘ohana, but for filling out all those piles of paperwork; just no can! And I think they really shouldn’t have to. These are the Hawaiians’ land that we live on and that the schools are on, why should anyone conform to the westerners’ ways of doing things? Why can’t Hawaiians learn about their culture and language without having to have to pay an unaffordable price? If there was a way to make classes free for Hawaiians, I would be a supporter all the way! That is why I appreciate all the kumus that teach the Hawaiian language and culture/way and everything they do. I’m grateful for the leaders teaching us the pono way of doing things and basically “going back to our roots,” rising up a new generation of leaders and teachers to educate the people even when we’re all no longer here. I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for us Hawaiians. We all need to keep the Hawaiian way thriving! E ola ka ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i! 

References:

http://maui.hawaii.edu/student/PDFschedules/schedule_spring12.pdf (page 36, Tuition & Fees)

Final Video in HWST 290V by Chaz, Kahalehau, and 'Tita'

‘Aha Pūnana Leo