Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 2, Number 7, 1 July 1985 — Tension, Anxiety at Molokai Selections [ARTICLE]

Tension, Anxiety at Molokai Selections

By Jalna Keala Government Affairs Officer Tension and anxiety showed on the faces of the 80 or so people in the room as the staff prepared to make their presentation before the final lot selections. Under any other circumstances a room full of Hawaiians would be ta!king and laughing, discovering new ohana, and generally enjoying the assembled mana, but that was not the case this particular day. It was Saturday, June 22, 1985 at Hoolehua Recreation Center on Molokai, and 77 lots — 49 residential and 28 agricultural — were being awarded to eligible native Hawaiians by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. The residential lots in Kalamaula and the agricultural lots in Hoolehua are part of an attempt to accelerate homestead awards statewide, with 306 of these on Molokai. T wo hundred twenty-nine lots were awarded on Molokai in May, 1985, and access to many of the lots is limited to bulldozed dirt roads. Many lots are also without water or utilities in response to the Hawaiian community's elaim that they want their land, regardless of improvements. It is an attitude reminiscent of the original Molokai settlers who willingly faced hardship to be on their own land, although this time awardees are not being required to move onto their lots until water and utilities are provided. But some will move soon — those with a pioneering spirit, those willing to work hard and long, those who hunger for the land, those with nowhere else to go. The magic of the land — even hard, dry, rocky kiawe land ean weave a spell. There is a low murmur in the room as makua help kupuna, and opio help makua to understand technical terms like flag lot, swale, easement and infrastructure. The subdivision map is a puzzle difficult to decipher for people who have never seen it before, mueh less the actual lot sites. As the staff proceeds with their delivery, a room full of native Hawaiians is told to " . . . clear their bloodlines ..." and there is a stir of uneasiness. A moment later they are told by staff of " . . . the land we are giuing you ..." and heads turn toward one another with looks of confusion. The ehoiee of words is unfortunate and people notice the depreciation of their ancestors, and wonder about a generosity that offers what already belongs to them. Composure prevails because of the real attempt being made to distribute lots and reduce the long waiting list of applicants. lt is one more hurt to endure. But the reward is worthwhile, so the indignity is accepted. /L-- C\