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Add your commentMolokai EC documents community involvement in the Community-Based Master Land Use Plan for Molokai Ranch
Kaunakakai, Hawaii, October 24, 2006 -- Ke Aupuni Lokahi, the Molokai Enterprise Community (EC) releases the following information in response to numerous public inquiries regarding the Moloka‘i community’s involvement in the formation of the Community-Based Master Land Use Plan for Molokai Ranch.Since the establishment of the EC Project #47 for Compatible Community-Based Development in August 2003, members of the Molokai community have gathered to discuss and formulate the Community-Based Master Land Use Plan for Molokai Ranch. Throughout this community planning process, there have been numerous opportunities for public involvement, input, and review. In fact, this process is often described as the most extensive community-based planning processes ever undertaken in the State of Hawaii.
Hawaiian organizations to picket OHA & DHHL
Hui Ho’opakele Aina along with several homestead associations will be picketing the Molokai offfices of the Department Of Hawaiian Home Lands and The Office Of Hawaiian Affairs. Picketing will begin Wed 7:00 a.m. on Oct 25 at Kulana O Iwi complex.
DHHL and OHA have turned their backs on their Hawaiian constituents and joined the Developers of a 200 million dollar beachfront development, which threatens Hawaiian cultural life style and water reserves of Molokai homesteaders.
OHA Trustee Colette Machado, and DHHL Commissioner Milton Pa have joined the Developers, to the detriment of their Hawaiian constituents, whom they have taken an oath to serve.
DHHL has refused requests to attend several public gatherings held by Molokai Homestead associations on this issue of La’au Point Development. DHHL has refused to take a position on protecting the water reserves of Molokai Homesteaders from the La’au Point Development. Commissioner Milton Pa and trustee Colette Machado have appeared in Molokai Ranch’s pubic relations video supporting the La’au Development. This development’s water needs will increase Molokai Ranch’s water consumption to three times the amount used by Molokai homesteaders.
We expect OHA to withdraw their resolution of support for the La’au Point Development, intervene in Molokai Ranches LUC application for rezoning La’au Point and provide funding for legal assistance to those other organizations who are intervening.
We expect commissioner Milton Pa to stop his public support of the La’au development and to take a stand protecting our water reserves.
We expect Micah Kane to take a position opposing this development and provide legal staff to protect the water rights of Molokai homesteaders in Molokai Ranches application to the LUC for the La’au Point Development.
We encourage voters not to vote for any OHA incumbents, all of which have signed the support resolution for the La’au Development.
Please call Walter Ritte 1 808 5580111 or cell 3360510 for more info.
Quake Jolts Hawaiian Islands
Officials began inspecting bridges and roads across Hawaii on Monday following the strongest earthquake to rattle the islands in more than two decades, a 6.7-magnitude quake that caused blackouts and landslides but no reported fatalities.
According to the Molokai Police Department, the quake caused temporary power outages in Kalae, which shut down two water pumps for a short amount of time. Minor rock slides on the east end were quickly cleared. No other major damage was reported.
Molokai fared well compared to other islands, where airports and even hospitals were shut down for a significant length of time.
"It lets you know Mother Nature is doing her thing," said Robin Eising, a teacher at Waikoloa Elementary School, which was closed for the day for inspection. "It was a wake-up call."
Still, officials cautioned that they needed to inspect the many bridges, roads, earthen dams, schools and other structures across the Big Island, the isle closest to the epicenter.
Ray Lovell, state Civil Defense spokesman, said a loss estimate was not immediately available because damage was so scattered. "It's just premature to come up with dollar estimates right now," he said.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency flew a 100-member response team to Honolulu on Monday with plans to go to the Big Island on Tuesday.
Bob Fenton, FEMA's director of response for the region, said officials were hearing of "light to moderate" damage to infrastructure.
Utilities restored power to 97 percent of the state's customers by early morning. Most of Oahu, the most populous island, with more than 800,000 of Hawaii's 1.2 million residents, had been blacked out on Sunday.
Honolulu residents, however, were urged to continue conserving water while supplies were still being replenished.
The quake hit at 7:07 a.m., 10 miles north-northwest of Kailua-Kona, on the west coast of the Big Island. On Monday, the U.S. Geological Survey raised its measurement of the magnitude to 6.7 from a preliminary 6.6.
At least one stretch of road leading to a bridge near the epicenter collapsed, Civil Defense Agency spokesman Dave Curtis said. Several other roads on the Big Island were closed by mudslides, debris and boulders, but most were still passable, he said.
At the 94-bed Kona Community Hospital - the only hospital within 100 miles - crews were cleaning up. Thirty long-term care patients were taken to a hotel, and six were airlifted across the island to another hospital.
Donald Lewis, president and chief executive, said the hospital was operating at about 10 percent Monday. No patients or staff were injured.
"God was on our side," Lewis said. "It's not as bad as it could've been."
Many Hawaii residents breathed a similar sigh of relief. On the Big Island, people were already returning to work and their lives, as bicyclists training for Saturday's Ironman World Championship zipped along the highway.
"If you're going to have an earthquake, you couldn't have had it at a better time - early in the morning when people aren't even out of their homes yet," Curtis said. "I think people, under the circumstances, have remained very calm."
John P. Lockwood, a former USGS volcanologist who is now a private consultant, said another blessing was that the quake did not divert lava flows from Kilauea Volcano to populated areas. The lava flows safely into the sea.
Even so, "this brings to forefront the need for people to have 72 hours' worth of supplies to keep them going" after a quake, said Kim Walz, a spokeswoman with the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
On Monday morning, the Honolulu airport was filled with passengers still waiting for a flight out.
Silas Garrett, a 52-year-old truck driver from Memphis, Tenn., had been there since 8 a.m. the previous morning. He said he and his five sisters slept on the floor using beach towels as blankets and handbags as pillows.
"Every pound we gained on the cruise ship, we lost in the airport," Garrett said. "The quake shook it off."
But other tourists continued to arrive by the planeload, and some who experienced the quake saw no need to cut short vacations.
"As long as the airports are open, we're OK," said Dave Kenny of Hortonville, Mich., who was with his wife and another couple at Volcanoes National Park when Sunday's quake struck.
"We figured it was a show that Hawaii put on just for us," Kenny said.
State officials also moved to dispel ideas that Hawaii-bound tourists should change plans.
"We are open for business," Gov. Linda Lingle said.
Todd Yamashita contributed to this report
Hundreds March to Save La`au Point
“They walked the way I have seen night marchers walk in Halawa Valley,” he said. When you see them marching, you move aside. Don’t be in their way. They are doing what they must do.”
About 250 people from keiki to kupuna hiked from Dixie Maru Beach through Kaupoa and on to La`au as a protest against the development of up to 200 residential lots there. Several boats carrying protesters in red “A`ole La`au” shirts drove out to watch the marchers when they reached their destination.
Theopista Purdy, the oldest kupuna to make the trek on foot to La`au Saturday, knitted her own “Save La`au” pin for the march. This is her third protest march, she said, because wants to show her “aloha for the `aina.”
Solatorio said that this was the first Molokai protest march to follow traditional Hawaiian protocol. March leaders Hanohano Naehu and Josh Pastrana blew conch shells from Dixie Maru beach, and Solatario sounded his welcome from inside the gates of the sacred Napiko site at Kaupoa beach. Naehu chanted; Solatario answered.
Senator Clayton Hee, a part-time Molokai resident who has served in the state legislature for 24 years, then opened the march with a speech and a prayer. “This is an island that refuses to be homogenized,” he said. “This place is a refuge. On other islands people in need are stealing copper wire from the highways to survive. Here, they are hunting from the mountains. They are fishing from the sea. I try to close my eyes and look 50 years into the future. Our footprints today will make the path easier to follow for the next generation.”
After a group chant, marchers took to the trail for Kaupoa Beach. Many said they appreciated that Molokai Ranch chose to open its gates along the route for the protest. “While we don't condone trespass on private property, we are working with the group to ensure their safety, as well as the safety of our employees and our guests,” said Molokai Ranch Community Affairs Manager John Sabas in a press release made public the day before.
Protesters reached a seemingly vacant Kaupoa Beach Village after 20 minutes. The group drank water provided by the Ranch, passed a canopy near the beach under which ten ranch employees sat observing and found Solatorio greeting at the gate to La`au. Solatorio said he was happy, sad, and hurt. “Happy,” he said, that “you could all come out like this, sad that it has had to come to this and hurt that the community is being torn apart.”
The march continued for about half an hour until the wide dirt road ended. Protesters regrouped and surveyed pristine Kamaka`ipo Beach to the south and the rough waters of La`au Point to the north. The trail became wide enough for only one at a time, and the eighty degree heat and direct sun started to show wear on the marchers. Spirits remained high, however, and the group was rewarded with an awesome view of waves smashing lava boulders at La`au Point. A group of three pulled up nets with lobsters while six boats whizzed back and forth across the water.
Three bays over, a Hawaiian hale with a ten-foot-wide “Save La`au” banner became visible. Children were already there jumping off rocks and playing in the water at what has become known as Shipwreck Beach. Piles of white coral marked a trail across the bluffs forming the south side of the island, and a final steep decline led into the 500-yard-long sandy cove, where protesters took to any available shade and drank water.
A good place to survey the action was behind terraced rock walls built in the style of a Hawaiian fishpond. Fifteen-year-old Halelu Sibayan spent three days at La`au constructing the wall with eight other students. “We are learning how to save our land and put our mana into it,” she said. “Our kupuna left this legacy to us for a purpose.”
After lounging for an hour the group posed for a photo. Some stayed for a feast of lobster and 50 pound ulua and others trickled back out on the trail. By 3:30 that afternoon most of the group had left Shipwreck Beach. Surf continued to beat lava rocks, a monk seal bathed in sunlight and a Hawaii flag atop a hale of mangrove and palm leaves flapped in the October breeze.Honest dialogue between all parties should resume
Thank you for your coverage of the Community Plan and the La`au issue. The more information that is available, the better we can all evaluate “The Plan.”
I am saddened by the rift this plan has caused in our community. The social impact of this development is already being felt with the choosing of sides as to whether or not La`au should be developed. We see negative impact as insults fly and signs in the community are defaced. This is not good for Molokai. Something has gone wrong with the Plan and it should be revisited. It does not matter how many meetings there have been or how many hours have already been expended to get to this point. Honest dialogue between all parties should resume with more attention devoted to alternatives to the development of La`au Point, which seems to be the chief objection to the Plan. It is inevitable that change and development will come to our island, but once an area is developed it is lost forever. There will be no second chance to do this right.
Kukui Women Medal in the Queen’s Race
The 35th annual Queen Liliuokalani long distance race held in Kona fielded the largest entries in recent history. Of the 138 women crews, Kukui O Molokai entered three crews in the 18-mile iron division. The first crew earned a medal for third place in the open iron koa division and 43rd overall.
The distance crew consists of paddlers from three Molokai canoe clubs – Wa`akapaemua, Molokai, and Kukui O' Molokai.
“I'm very proud of our girls, they represented Molokai well,” says Coach Kekama Helm. Helm and Coach Josh Pastrana have been training the distance crew for the Na Wahine O Ke Kai Molokai Channel race which will be held on Sep. 24. Great job ladies and good luck!
(Pictured L-R, Hayley May Greenleaf, Meghan Soukup, Kai Sawyer, Paula Kakaio, Tiana Heen and Nichol Kahale)
Local Officer on Roof for Three Days Straight: Lani Caparida to raise funds for Special olympics
By Rita Kalahiki, Special Olympic Molokai Area AdministratorHave you heard about Special Olympics “Cop on Top”? Molokai’s own police officer, Lani Caparida, son of Judy and Cappy Caparida, will tough it out for three straight days on the rooftop of the Lahaina Cannery Mall.
He will be climbing onto the balcony of the Lahaina Cannery, where he will spend three days and two nights to help raise $10,000.00 for Special Olympics Molokai. This event will begin Labor Day weekend, Thursday August 31 through September 2, 2006.
“I’m honored to be selected to do this for the community,” said Caparida who has a family member who participates in the Special Olympics. Caparida will have the support of his wife who will spend much of her time keeping him company. The Maui Police Captain who has been the “cop on top” in the past couple years will also be helping Caparida pass the hours.
Molokai Honors Sakadas at Centennial Celebration
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“Hawaii was the place I wanted to go to,” Molina said. “There were promises of a better life, where I would be able to make money and start a new life.”
Molina’s new life began in Hilo, Hawaii, but he was destined for Moloka’i. In 1935, he was told about an island called Moloka’i, where there were more jobs and the living conditions were better. He accepted work with the Libby McNeil Company in the pineapple fields. They worked hard, long hours, and were paid less than a dollar a day.
Molina worked for 42 years in the pineapple fields. After he retired, he worked as a janitor at the Misaki Store in Kaunakakai, and then accepted custodial jobs with two banks.
Molina continued working till he was 83.
Molina is just one of 125,000 Filipinos brought to Hawaii by the Hawaiian Sugar Planters Association between 1906 and 1946. These workers had no idea what to expect from Hawaii, other than long, hard work. Most suffered not only the pain of leaving their culture and families behind, but also the pain that came from discrimination and prejudice because of the differences in their culture, manners, and speech.
By the 1920s, Filipinos became the backbone of the sugar and pineapple industries, outnumbering all other ethnic groups. These first workers carry a special place in the hearts of Filipinos in Hawaii, as it is through their dedication, hard-work, sacrifice, and perseverance that the Filipino community of Hawaii is what it is today.
They are called the Sakadas, and this year marks the 100th Anniversary of their arrival.
On Saturday, at the Mitchell Pauole Center, hundreds from the community and many representatives from Hawaii’s political arena gathered to celebrate and honor the Sakadas.
“It’s up to us to continue their work – they laid the foundation – and strive for the betterment of the Filipino community,” Rowena Dagdag, Vice President of the United Filipino Council of Hawaii, said in a moving introductory speech.
Today, at 98, Molina is one of the two oldest living Sakadas on Moloka’i. Juan Nervaza, also 98, is the other oldest living Sakada.
The two gentlemen were honored each with a medallion, presented by Congressman Ed Case. Inscribed upon the medallion were the words, “Lucky You Live Hawaii.”
Several of Nervaza’s 12 children came to witness the event, some traveling from Honolulu and Maui.
“Our Dad is one true hard worker,” Nervaza’s daughter, Florence Pelekai, said, reflecting on the past. “He wanted what was best for us; he wanted us to have a better life than him.”
Nervaza came to Hawaii two years before Molina, in 1927, to work in the sugar cane fields in Honolulu. Nearly 15 years later, he came to Moloka’i and worked in the pineapple fields of Maunaloa. Just after he arrived, Nervaza witnessed the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He remembers hearing the explosions and seeing the lights from the bombs.
At the Moloka’i Centennial Celebration all Sakadas were paid tribute. A Memory Wall listed all the known Sakadas, both living and those who have passed away. Booths commemorating Sakadas filled the center to the brim.
For many, it was like walking into a family album Generations upon generations were gathered in groups, looking into the future with shining smiles. Poems, letters, historical accounts, and messages like “Our number #1 Papa” proclaimed the pride and respect Filipino families have for their Sakadas.
But the fun didn’t stop there. Long lines formed for food plates of mouth-watering manapua, pancit, lumpia, cascaron, and kutsinta. Tables exhibited museum-quality hand-crafted items such as wine baskets, jewelry boxes, and woven hats.
Outside, upon a narrow bench, a Filipino folk dance from the province of Pangosinan was performed. The dance couple energetically swirled and twirled upon the foot-long expanse as if it was the biggest dance floor in the world. At one point, the female dancer, Estrelita Cabael Cacatian, was swung up high and spun around. To the delight of the crowd, she landed like a feather upon her toes.
The dazzling events of the night continued on, with special messages from US. Senator Dan Akaka, U.S. Congressman Ed Case, Filipino Centennial Celebration Chairman Vince Bagoyo, and Councilman Danny Mateo. Intermixed was more entertainment from Tanya Manaba-Will, Former Miss Moloka’fi Filipina, and Dagdag
Jordan Segundo crooned to the audience under a starlit sky, making at least one young community member swoon to the ground.
Guest speaker Governor Linda Lingle took center stage and shared about a trip she recently took to the Phillipines with Felix and Cresencia Befitel of Moloka’i.
“The entire town came out,” Lingle recounted. “They hadn’t been back for 40 years, but it was like we were all family.”
Lingle first met the Befitels in the late 1970s, when she rented a room from them in Ranch Camp.
“I was able to watch first hand the sacrifices they made for their children,” Lingle said of the Befitels. “They worked literally day and night for the children. Not because their life would be better, but because their children would have better lives. They did anything for their children, and I admire them for that.”
“All the Filipino young people in this state must gain a new understanding, a pride, and respect for their heritage -- and a gratitude for what their ancestors did for them,” Lingle said.
“For the non-Filipinos, we must have an understanding and respect for the Filipinos of Hawaii, and what they have done for the economy of Hawaii.”
In the fast-paced society of today, it’s not often that we step back to marvel and honor the efforts of our predecessors. This is one of those times, and that honor goes to Molokai’s Sakadas.
Maraming Salamat Po.
Filipinos the First Graduates of Language Institute
Learning a new language requires a lot of work and can often be intimidating, especially for adults. Recently 10 Filipino agricultural laborers, who are no strangers to hard work, took the challenge of immersing themselves in an English language course.
On Thursday night all 10 students graduated from the first English Immersion course offered though the Molokai Language Institute. The program is based on the curriculum used by the Maui Language Institute and is offered through the Molokai Education Center. The four-week, intensive course was taught by Elizabeth Lawrence and qualifies the students for enrollment in MCC’s college-level English courses.
All of the graduates are employees of Monsanto and were reimbursed by the company for the tuition cost of $100. Monsanto/Hawaiian Research General Manager Ray Foster was on hand to congratulate his employees and inform them that Monsanto will continue to pay for their English education if they choose to enroll at MCC. Foster said he was impressed that his employees were willing to complete such a rigorous course in addition to their full-time jobs.
In their graduation speeches all the graduates commented on how valuable their new English skills would be at work. For at least some of the graduates further education seemed unlikely.
“I don’t know, we’re working everyday, so it’s hard. We’ll see.” said Consuelo Tamura, a graduate who gave her age as “sixty-something.”
Donna Haytko-Paoa, education coordinator at MCC came up with the idea for the language institute by looking at her enrollment numbers and realizing that the students at MCC didn’t reflect the demographics of Molokai. The most obvious disparity was within the Filipino population. Filipinos make up about 27 percent of the population, but only 7 percent of the students at MCC.
Haytko-Paoa got funding assistance from the Molokai Rural Development Project, which job training and skills enhancement is a primary goal.
“We’re hoping that we’ll get enough interest to continue it next year and et beyond RDP funding,” said Lahela Han, RDP program support associate.
The graduates are: Philipa Afelin, Maria Banglatan, Joann Bumatay, Delia Domingo, Gerry Guzman, Jovelina Ilaban, Consolacion Lagazo, Aristotle Oamil, Jovita Rodolfo, Consuelo Tamura.
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