A Crossing to Remember
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Culture & Art
Add your commentA Day in Molokai’s History
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Community contributed by Arleone Dibben-Young
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Fifteen boats were demolished, in some cases the engine blocks being the largest surviving pieces. Marine Helicopter Squadron 161, on hand to support inland maneuvers, rushed to the coast to lift much of the troops, supplies and equipment safely ashore. Remarkably, there were no fatalities.
Remnants of military maneuvers, such as fencing and rolls of barbed wire dating back to WWII, can still be found today beneath the shifting sand dunes of Papohaku. In 2002, the dog tags of a pastor involved in the 1963 exercises were discovered during a native plant dune restoration.
Exercising ‘Divine Right’
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Get ready to vote – and this time, instead of casting a ballot for the a U.S. government official, you can have a say in the future of the Reinstated Hawaiian Nation.
On Molokai, the Nation has been holding weekly classes to educate the community on the history of the lawful kingdom and how the public can get involved – particularly by voting in the upcoming elections on Nov. 5. Registration ends Sept. 30, though those who register after that will be counted in an unofficial vote, according to kupuna Moke Kim.
Anyone can vote, even if you are not a citizen of the nation or a Native Hawaiian.
“We need a little kokua for elections to see if people are willing to help and [contribute their] mana`o,” said Duke Kalipi, representative for the Molokai district – one of 24 districts in the reinstated nation.
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Since then, the government has been active, with nine registered “nationals” on Molokai. Statewide citizenship of the Nation has reached about 400 nationals, with another 7,000 citizenship applications in process.
Classes are held every Thursday at 6 p.m. at Mitchell Pauole Center and serve as a starting point for those interested in becoming citizens of the nation.
“One of the best ways to learn is to participate and ask questions,” said Kim.
“We’ve been here long enough to see…laws closing in,” said one attendee last week, referencing hunting and land tax laws under the Hawaii state government. “The pressure for us locals is getting bad.”
Kim taught the nearly 20 participants in last week’s class about the divine or God-given inherent right to sovereignty.
“We are all ali`i,” he said. “Is it our right? You bet!” he added, pointing to the chalk-written words “divine rights” on the blackboard. “We should all grow up teaching our children to be ali`i.”
In exercising that divine right on Nov. 5, voters will be casting their ballots on who they believe should be the next prime minister of the nation, and Molokai representative and noble.
“We want people to know that they have options,” said Henry French, filling the current Molokai seat in the House of Nobles.
Local Chef Releases Second Cookbook
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Community Contributed by James Temple
Did you know that there are over 45,000 tropical islands around the world? “Tropical Cooking,” the second in a series from Molokai chef James Temple is now being sold on Oahu and Molokai. It is a collection of 122 tropical island recipes featuring cuisine with a fusion of tropical flavors, unique to the culinary world. Take a tour of the world’s islands with hot and spicy appetizers to cool and refreshing desserts and everything in between. Recipes include dishes such as papaya and crabmeat boats, banana crumble muffins, spicy grilled beef short ribs, Aruban citrus chicken, pineapple rum cake, lime-garlic pork roast, coconut crab cakes with avocado mango salsa, coconut shrimp hush-puppies, or tropical island gazpacho, just to name a few.
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Temple is a chef, writer and graphic designer who has traveled the world. His love of tropical island cuisine and his passion for the fine art of cooking led him to a degree in culinary arts from the San Francisco Culinary Academy, Le Cordon Bleu Program. He and his wife, Kimberly, have lived on Molokai for the last nine years and previously owned Bamboo Pantry across from Friendly Market. This limited edition cookbook has just been printed in Honolulu and is full of beautiful color illustrations from Temple's "food art" gallery seen at james-temple.fineartamerica.com. You can now buy a copy before they are sold out at local retailers, including Kalele Bookstore, Big Wind Kite Factory, Kumu Farms, Kamakana Country Store, the gift store at Hotel Molokai, or directly from Kimberly Temple who has a booth every Saturday at our local farmer's market in front of Bank of Hawaii. Before you know it you will be enjoying a little taste of tropical island cuisine from around the world without leaving home.¬
Fit for a Queen
A three-person conch shell ensemble harmoniously signaled the beginning of Ka La Hanau o Lili`uokalani, the annual observance of Queen Lili`uokalani’s birthday on Sept. 2, 1838. The occasion is observed every year by Molokai’s Hawaiian Language Immersion students from grades pre-K to 12. This year’s celebration was held on Sept. 14 at Lanikeha, Ho`olehua with almost 150 of Molokai’s Hawaiian-speaking student population in attendance along with kupuna and family members.
Making Media
Community Contributed by Alestra Menendez, Molokai Art and Media Academy director
Kalaupapa Courage Recognized
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In the face of great injustice, they lived exemplary lives – and for that, the patient-residents of Kalaupapa were individually honored last week with certificates from Hawaii’s state legislature. Mounted on plaques, the certificates honored the patients’ lives and apologized for their mistreatment.
An estimated 8,000 Hansen’s disease patients were abruptly taken from their families to live on the peninsula in forced isolation from 1866 to 1969. They were nevertheless “remarkably resilient and have responded to their plight with kindness, generosity, and forgiveness rather than anger, bitterness, and despair,” the plaques read in part.
House Representatives John Mizuno and Faye Hanohano spearheaded the resolution to individually honor the patient-residents and conducted the ceremony at McVeigh Hall last Tuesday. A total of 17 former patients in the state received plaques, including those currently living outside Kalaupapa.
“Thank you very much,” patient-resident Gloria Marks told them when she received her plaque. She was one of five Kalaupapa patient-residents who accepted her plaque in person on Tuesday.
Clarence “Boogie” Kahilihiwa, also expressed his appreciation of the honoring.
“It’s nice to get recognized,” he said after the ceremony.
The certificates also recognized Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 208. The resolution was passed in 2008 as the government’s first official apology to the residents of Kalaupapa for their exile. They made note, too, of Saint Damien de Veuster, who spent his life in the settlement.
The patient-residents are “living remnants of the history of Kalaupapa,” Mizuno said after the ceremony. He and Hanohano began discussing ways to acknowledge their lives individually around March, he said.
“This may be the last opportunity to thank them and apologize,” Mizuno said. “It’s very important as we’re getting to the end of a chapter.”
Mark Miller, the Department of Health administrator for the Kalaupapa settlement, said he found out about the representatives’ visit about two days before they arrived. He and the patients were unsure what was to be presented until the meeting actually happened, he said.
“It was getting time we recognized the circumstances surrounding the patients’ involvement with having to stay here,” he said of the plaques. “It’s a good thing.”
Paddling Pailolo
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The 26-mile Pailolo Channel is one of the windiest but best courses in the state, according to its paddlers. Last Saturday, 70 teams assembled for the fifth annual six-person outrigger race from Maui to Molokai known as the Pailolo Challenge. Molokai’s Wa`akapaumua men completed the race in 4th place overall with a time of 2:59.48. The club also paddled a women’s crew, finishing 10th in the open women’s division.
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Molokai’s Clint Labrador said the course held five to six foot swells on race day. “The finish was intense as we were battling with Hawaiian Canoe Club's first crew from about One Alii Park for 3rd place,” he said. “They got us by a half canoe length at the very end, but we managed to give them a run for their money.”
Become a Voice in the Reinstated Nation
Share mana`o and become educated on the Kingdom of Hawaii, also referred to as the Reinstated Hawaiian Nation. Register to vote in the upcoming election. We need more mana`o and ike so we can shape what the government will be like. Meetings are held every Thursday at 6 p.m. at Mitchell Pauole Center. This is also an opportunity for those who want to become participants or citizens of the nation, to start the process. All are welcome to attend and register to vote. The time has come for us to stand up for our basic human right called sovereignty in Hawaii, and especially on Molokai. This effort is supported by Hui Kane.
Recovering a Species
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The number of Hawaiian monk seals alive in the world is diminishing rapidly, but officials do not think their fate is sealed. That’s why the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is proposing actions they believe may help the recovery of the critically endangered species.
Some of those actions include population monitoring, behavior modification of seals (to discourage human interaction), health and disease control and translocation. While a few of these activities are already practiced under current federal permits, the NMFS is seeking new permits to implement and allow more actions.
The impact of these actions is currently being examined through a process called a Programmatic Environment Impact Statement (PEIS.) That process involves the collection of data, the examination of environmental, cultural and social impacts of the proposed recovery actions and public feedback.
In a hearing about the PEIS held on Molokai last Thursday, community members and fishermen offered their opinion on the proposals. Many expressed concerns about the large amount of fish Hawaiian monk seals eat – fish that they say could be going to feed their families.
“The point we are trying to make is fish is very important food source for us,” said fisherman Walter Naki.
Others didn’t support officials tampering with nature.
“We love the monk seals but we have to find the right balance – we are not God to say we’re going to put them here because they’re extinct,” said resident Eddie Tanaka.
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Sprague said if permitting and funding goes through, the soonest seals would be temporarily translocated would be 2013.
The public has until Oct. 17 to submit comments on the PEIS. The PEIS process is scheduled for completion in late 2011. Visit nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/eis/hawaiianmonkseal.htm for more information. Comments may be emailed to monkseal@noaa.gov or mailed to:
NOAA Fisheries
Office of Protected Resources, Pacific Islands Regional Office
1601 Kapiolani Blvd, Ste 1110
Honolulu, HI 96814
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