Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 3, Number 6, 1 June 1986 — OHA Committee OKs Funding for Luluku, Molokai Ranchers [ARTICLE]

OHA Committee OKs Funding for Luluku, Molokai Ranchers

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs' Budget and Finance Committee has approved funding for a lawsuit aimed at insuring preservation of the Luluku Archeological District in Windward Oahu. The Board of Trustees, meeting Apr. 25, gave approval in concept for the lgal action, but referred the question of funding to its money committee. At the May 16 Budget and Finance meeting, the committee voted to appropriate a maximum of $10,000 for the suit whieh will be filed by Attorney Boyce Brown. In speaking for the appropriation, Trustee Gard Kealoha read a letter from University of Hawaii anthropologist P. Bion Griffin reaffirming that the Luluku archaeological site eomplex makes up one continuous system. According to Kealoha, loeal and national transportation officials apparently are attempting to circumvent federal laws and regulations by treating Luluku as 17 separate sites. Dr. Griffin's letter states: "The Luluku archaeological complex was and is one continuous system of the material remains of Hawaiian life. To divide individual sites within the complex, and the surrounding area, surveyed or unsurveyed, as units unto themselves is flawed reasoning. The rich potential for greater understanding of the development of Hawaiian culture and for the preservation of its remains is indeed known in Luluku." The committee made it clear that the appropriation is for the sole purpose of preserving Luluku, and is not to be used to oppose building the proposed H-3 freeway. On another matter, the Budget and Finance Committee approved a $30,000 grant to native Hawaiian ranchers on the island of Molokai.The ranchers are attempting to prevent the State from destroying their cattle as part of the bovine tuberculosis eradication program. The grant is designed to assist the ranchers in defraying a portion of the more than $73,000 in legal fees whieh they already have incurred. Budget and Finance Committee chairman Moses Keale Sr. voted against the appropriation saying that the action would "open the floodgates to every litigation whieh is ongoing". Keale pointed out that the ranchers bypassed the established OHA grant process by taking their request directly to the Trustees. OHA Administrator Kamaki A. Kanahele III also questioned the wisdom of establishing what he termed "an awesome precedent". The Molokai grant must be approved by the full Board of Trustees before it becomes final.