Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 19, Number 5, 1 May 2002 — KĪKALA-KEŌKEA [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

KĪKALA-KEŌKEA

OHA commits $1.35 million for Kalapana community, signs agreement with DLNR

By Manu Boyd £ £ f ■ ^his is really a day of eeleI bration," said OHA JL Chairperson Haunani Apoliona as trustees and staff gathered last month with dozens of steadfast Kalapana residents displaced by the devastating Kīlauea lava flow of 1983, "This is a result of hana like and alu like - working together," she said, "You had faith in us and gave us a lit~ tle more time," On April 15, OHA and the Board of Land and Natural Resources signed a long~in~coming memorandum of agreement committing a combined sum of $3,1 million to Kīkala-Keōkea, a subdivision created by Act 314

(1991) under the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) to relocate those displaced Kalapana families, Leases were subsequently awarded to 48 families, but a stipula~ tion requiring completed infrastructure before any building was a huge set~ back, A decade later, with the passage of Act 144, OHA and DLNR have formed a partnership through a memorandum of agreement, and the design and construction of infrastructure - mcludmg water lines, drainage and roads - will eommenee, OHA's $1,35 million is now trans~ ferred to a trust fund with $1,75 million from the DLNR, whieh is respon~ sible for procurement and expenditure of OHA's funds, as described in the agreement.

"When we started trying to get money together for our village back in 1989-90, we had no idea it would take so long, We figured it would take two or three years," said former Kalapana resident Kau'ilani Almeida, described as a catalyst in the community's efforts, "At OHA, we've been through so many trusteeships, and priorities changed, Same thing at the Legislature, except some of the ones who were there for us in the beginning like Sens, Chong and Levin have gained seniority and power and have ongoing understanding of our cause, But it was Rep, Helene Hale who really championed the bill, She would not let it die and fought for us all the way," Tootsie Peleiholani, vice president of the Kalapana Community

Association, said, "īt is because of God that we are here today, I wanted so mueh to be at the last legislative hearing, but at that point, it was in God's hands, It's expensive to fly to Honolulu, and we have plenty of work to do right here, We're building a nation, Kīkala-Keōkea is for our keiki, "When you go back to the Legislature - when it com.es to infrastructure and Hawaiians, we're in the back of the line, That's been the history," said Trustee Colette Machado in an earlier conversation with Peleiholani and Almeida, "But I made a promise to find a way to make this happen, and I don't like to make a promise and not deliver because you get hard luek after that, I told Tootsie and Kau'i hold your heads up high," she said, "īf it wasn't for Rep, Helene Hale, Sen, Russell Kokubun, this couldn't have happened, My heart was sore See KALAPANA on page 9

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OHA Grants Program Specialist Nancy Holt, Trustees Lineia Dela Cruz and Colette Machado along with Administrator Clyde Nōmu'o assist with the eheek presentation. BLNR Chair Gilbert Colomci-Agcircin einel OHA Chciirperson Haunani Apolionei sign the memorcinclum of cigreement to funcl Klkeilei-Keōkeei subclivision infrcistructure, Kupunei Mcizie Roberts tells of the community's pcitience einel fciith cis Trustee Meieheielo stcincls by.

KALAPANA from page 1

because they have been struggling for over a decade. Ke aloha 'āina o Kalapana. But somehow, when you do things correctly ... we thought we were going to have problems with the agreement because DAGS (Department of Accounting and General Services) wanted this and DLNR wanted that, OHA couldn't release the funds; all that aside, it has happened," Trustee Machado said. As the ceremony eame to an end with the pule ho'oku'u, Kupuna Mazie Roberts offered poignant mana'o. "This has been so long in coming, but we kept the faith. We must work together as a eommunity and help one another. Namunamu is the very worst thing we ean do to one another. "You all remember our beautiful home - ī built every bit of it with my own hands," said the 85~year~old kupuna. ",And ī ean still swing a hammer. ī ean saw wood." "We now know that this whole process will take a long time. But many of the lessees and others from Kalapana have passed away, waiting to relo~ cate back to Kalapana," Almeida said. "We need to continue planning and working, keeping our focus 10 years down the road. īf things happen sooner, that's maika'i." ■