Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 12, Number 9, 1 September 1995 — The Kalaupapa Scam [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The Kalaupapa Scam

bv Samuel L. Kealoha, Jr. Trustee, Moloka'i and Lāna'i Now that the big hoopla and world media eamival over the ~right hand" of Damien De Veuster is

over. Iet us get back to reality. For many honest but ignorant souis, the replacement of the right hand of Damien was a great gesture on the part of the Cathohc church in recogniring the life of a great humanitanan. What many fail to realize is the scam behind the gesture. The Catholic church has historically participated in many scams, and the "reinterment" in Kalaupapa is no

exception. The County of Maui, State of Hawai'i and the Federal govemment have taken a predatory stance against the Kānaka Maoli by hindering our goal towards true self-determination, more specifically the rightful retum of our lands to the control of Kānaka Maoli. The Kalaupapa peninsula is Hawaiian Homestead Lands. If the county, State and Federal govemment succeed, Kalaupapa will never be retumed. Kalaupapa is currently under the jurisdiction of

the Federal govemment, National Park Service, via a lease issued by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. This lease is nearing expiration, therefore, in conjunction with the Catholic church, the Federal government has found the way to

secure Kalaupapa. Damien's right hand guarantees the continued exercise of absolute authority of the Federal government over Kalaupapa. The Federal government's move to have Kalaupapa designated a protected area under the control of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), a Federal created agency, ensures this control.

1 he end result wul mean that Kalaupapa may never be returned to the Kānaka Maoli, who should and could, in the future reside there. Some of our people who are or have been residents have expressed their wishes to me that their descendants should live in the homes that they have lived most of their lives. The rightful retum of Kalaupapa, after our present Kūpunas of Kalaupapa leave this world, may not occur. THIS is the reality!