Blog
News, updates, finds, stories, and tidbits from staff and community members at KAHEA. Got something to share? Email us at: kahea-alliance@hawaii.rr.com.
Haloa Jam
From Thelma at the Hawaii House Blog from today’s taro festival, put on by the Hawaiian Caucus, KAHEA, and Na Kahu O Haloa:
While watching Monica guide Kat through the traditional process of making poi, and answer questions on the Hawaiian culture, I was reminded of the old ways of teaching and spreading knowledge and appreciation. Not through books. Not through legislation. And definitely not through the internet. But through the experience of sitting next to someone willing and eager to share their knowledge and culture. Someone like Monica.
“I had a dream last night about being here at the Capitol for this event. We were all gathered to pound poi, but instead we started pounding the walls of the building, chipping away at the concrete with each swipe. As the building began to fall away, kalo leaves emerged from the holes,” said Monica Waiau on the excitement she felt to bring taro pounding to the Hawaii State Capitol. “It’s not about bringing down the building, she added, it’s about revitalizing our traditions; unearthing the true value of taro.”
As the Ocean Thrives, So Do We
From the amazing Hannah Bernard, an invitation to a Maui community event to launch actions that help bring back the health of nearshore waters around Maui.
More Fish in the Sea, A Community Conversation: E ola ke kai, e ola kakou (As the ocean thrives, so do we)
WHAT: We all want more fish in the sea. How do we make it happen? That is the question we will address in a half day gathering of all segments of the community and a half day work event at a nearshore site to be determined. The results we seek – a community galvanized for practical action to achieve a shared vision: MORE FISH IN THE SEA.
WHEN: April 4, 2009 – 2:00 – 6 pm & FILMFEST 7 – 10pm Sunday April 5, 7:00 am – noon.
WHERE: Maui Community College, Pilina Building and lawn
WHY: Our Earth is truly the ocean planet with more than two thirds of its surface comprised of seawater. The health of our world ocean is paramount for the health of all, but especially for islanders like us who depend on the sea for our sustenance, quality of life, livelihood, well-being and way of life. Yet our oceans are in trouble and our fish are disappearing faster than they are being replaced (>90% of our large fish are gone according to Nature, 5/15/03, to name only one international study). We are calling on everyone to come together to support the healing of our ocean and to work together to return our nearshore waters to thriving health.
HOW: We will join in small group workshops, larger group conversations, and small step action projects to plan together, work together, learn together, and discover how we will change together. We will identify paths forward and begin developing practical concrete steps that individuals, communities, citizens’ groups, businesses, and government can take to help move us toward MORE FISH IN THE SEA.
WHO: Are you an islander? Do you Think Island or want to learn how to? All interested members of the community are invited – fishermen, restaurant owners, dive and snorkel boat operators, the hospitality industry, government representatives, citizens’ and civic groups, ocean scientists, students, communications media, and philanthropists will be invited. A broadly-based steering committee will design an exciting opportunity to talk and learn together, plan together, and act together. The event will be video-taped and we’ll use the resulting video record to help build public awareness of the need for more fish in the sea and what each of us can do to help.
Beach Access Bill Needs Your Help!
From Marti:
Great news! S.B. 1088 has a hearing before Chairman Ken Ito (D-Kaneohe) and the House Water, Land, and Ocean Committee. This hearing may be the biggest hurdle this important bill faces. So, if you care about improving enforcement of your right to access the beach and mauka recreational areas throughout Hawaii nei, then now is the time to come out. We need make sure the Representatives do not make any unnecessary changes to the bill, so it is important to ask them to pass this bill as already amended.
The hearing is scheduled for Monday morning, March 23, 2009 at 9:30 am in room 325.
If you can’t attend the hearing, but still want to participate, then click on the link below and take a just a second to personalize your testimony to the Representatives. Tell them why uphold your constitutional right to reach the beach is so important and deserves improved enforcement.
TAKE ACTION NOW TO PROTECT PUBLIC ACCESS MAUKA-to-MAKAI (this is also where you can find out more about the specifics on this particular bill).
Big mahalos to the Beach Access Hawaii, Hawaii Surfrider Foundation, and the Hawaii Chapter of the Sierra Club for their support in this effort.
Hang Loose! See you Monday!!
Maui County Council Opposes Preemption
Maui County just unanimously opposed HB1226 GMO preemption bill now at the state legislature.
This bill proposes to forfeit to the federal government the authority of all state and county agencies to regulate and oversee activities related to genetic modification. This means counties will lose their power to regulate any other GMO-activities that occur in their own communities. Unfortunately, there is no federal oversight of GMOs that local governments can rely upon to protect farmers, consumers, or the environment.
Good job to Maui HawaiiSEED, the good Doctor Pang, and the many advocates, scientists and farmers who never fail to deliver the truth! MAHALO PIHA to the Council for setting the precedent!
And mahalo to the State legislators who vocally stood up for County rights and the State Constitution. The dialogue is getting louder and more meaningful, IMUA KAKOU!
Omission.
Update on press coverage of the Land Board hearings on the Mauna Kea Management Plan:
The Advertiser reprinted Jason Armstrong’s article from yesterday’s HTH today, but omitted Barry Taniguchi’s quote “endorsing” the UH Management Plan:
“We don’t have anything now, and anything is better than nothing, I think,” he said.
Hmmm.
Anything is better than nothing?
From today’s HTH, on UH’s proposed management plan for Mauna Kea: http://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/articles/2009/03/19/local_news/local02.txt
“We don’t have anything now, and anything is better than nothing, I think,” he said.
Could UH’s Barry Taniguchi have given a weaker endorsement of the UH Mauna Kea “management” plan he himself has been lobbying in favoring of?
Forgive us if we continue to believe that Mauna Kea deserves better than a “anything is better than nothing” plan for its future.
The Land Board will hold a two day hearing on April 8 and 9 in Hilo to consider UH’s latest management plan for the summit. The plan is UH’s attempt to circumvent, er… comply with requirements from two losses in court and two state audits which found that the telescope developers violated the state and federal laws meant to protect Mauna Kea. You can ask the Land Board and other decision-makers to reject this false UH plan, and give this sacred summit the future it deserves: a plan which protects and conserves the summit, provides for independent oversight, fair representation for communities, and fair compensation to the people of Hawaii.
The UH plan fails to put any enforceable or numeric limits on telescope development and instead limits public access, dictates religious ceremony, and makes it easier for UH and telescope developers to pocket public money made from the lease of Mauna Kea’s public trust lands. A`ole.
But, it seems, “better than nothing.” Right.
Exempt from that, too.
Navy will not be fined for 7,000 gallons of sewage discharged during Port Royal grounding in Februrary. And yep, that’s the 7,000 gallons the Navy initally “forgot” to report to the State.
From the AP: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/H/HI_SHIP_GROUNDING_HIOL-?SITE=PAGRE&SECTION=US&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
