Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 19, Number 6, 1 June 2002 — Working together to protect sacred lands [ARTICLE]

Working together to protect sacred lands

It was heartwarming to be a part of the May 9 meeting of the OHA Board of Trustees, where discussion took plaee regarding the mitigation fund established in response to the H-3 freeways impact on aneienī Hawaiian sites affected by the project. Those of us who attended are only a small fraction of the many people who were called to stand up and fight for the preservation and protection of these wahi pana, heiau and burials that lay in the path of the mega-highway. Some of us were engaged in this struggle for 30 years. We suffered ridicule, threats, arrests, evictions and violations of our basic constitutional rights. But on May 9, OHA's current trustees helped us feel that there is finally a ray of hope that perhaps soon, these ancient lands so sacred to our people will onee again be restored to native caretakers and become a reawakened part of our heritage. We salute all of them for their kind support and

offers of help. We haven't always had this positive a relationship with OHA; but the past is the past, and we hope to move on with this project and with building a stronger and more lasting relationship with our elected trustees. We will work closely with OHA to develop a management plan that ensures the protection and caretaking of these lands - from Hālawa Valley to Mōkapu - in perpetuity. We will also work closely with OHA to see that an accurate history is written of these lands. Finally, we will work to see that a framework is established to enable cultural practitioners and educators to have access to these lands to teach generations to eome the truth about our history. We look forward to the journey ahead. Mahalo, mālama pono, Māhealani Cypher Hālawa-Kāne'ohe 'Ohana

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