Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 25, Number 6, 1 May 2008 — Shaping our future [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Shaping our future

By Mele Carrūll Editor 's note: Mele Carroll (DKaho'olawe, Molokini, Lāna'i, Moloka'i, Ke'anae, Wailuā, Nāhiku, Hāna) is the chairperson of the Legislative Hawaiian Caucus. The views expressed in this community forum do not neeessarily reflect the views of the Offtce of Hawaiian Ajfairs. Aloha mai e nā 'ohana, nā hoaloha and all those reading these words wherever you may be. I write today not only as a representative of the state of Hawai'i but also as the chairperson of the Legislative Hawaiian Caucus. Fonned two sessions ago, the Legislative Hawaiian Caucus is comprised of senators and representatives who feel strongly about issues important to the Hawaiian coimnunity. We meet to discuss ways to preserve, protect

and strengthen Hawaiian eulture in all its fonns by enacting legislation to perpetuate our culture, improve the heahh of our people, protect

our arts and intellectual property rights, strengthen the protections for our native plants and animals, and allocate funding for programs benefitting our coimnunity. At the close of the 2008 legislative session we ean take a moment to pause and reflect on what we have accomplished and what more work needs to be done. This year we dealt with many issues of great importance to the Hawaiian coimnunity: the issue of ceded lands revenue, the protection of our ancestor Hāloa through a moratorium on genetically engi-

neered kalo, the length of leases on Hawaiian Homestead Lands, among many otherprevalent issues. If we were to judge importance of an issue by the number of people turning out to testify on a hill, the one that trumps the list would surely be the debate over genetically engineered kalo. The importance of kalo to our culture cannot be understated, and the hundreds of kalo fanners, families and supporters who showed up to hearings, sent in testimony or signed petitions is a testament to that revered plaee. The debate over the genetic engineering and manipulahon of kalo is one facet of a global debate that involves indigenous cultures, prospects of increased food productivity and disease resistance, fears of transgenerational hann from engineered foodstuffs and the question of owning life. Whenever something is genetically engineered it ean heeome the "property" of someone or some company. This idea, whieh has propelled the

biotechnology industry for many years, is a difficult pill to swallow for us as Hawaiian people. The idea of owning or having a patent on life itself is reminiscent of The Mahele of 1848. The maka'āinana cultivated, cared for and nourished the land that was governed by the ali'i. Neither ali'i nor maka'āinana would elaim ownership of the land itself, that belonging to the gods alone. This system sustained and promoted life across the islands for hundreds of generations and was brought to a troubled close with the institution of a Western land-ownership system that stressed the plusses of fee- simple outrightlandownership. Iust as there was difficulty comprehending the idea of land belonging to a person, there is difficulty in understanding how life itself, especially the life of the revered ancestral kalo, ean be owned, utilized and manipulated by a person or company. Those in the biotech industry see a different side to this debate. Their perspec-

tive is one of the potential benefits that genetic engineering provides - benefits such as increased food productivity, higher disease- and pathogen-resistance and increased nutrients or better taste. With the high cost of agricultural lands in Hawai'i, the demand for water to sustain them and the many drawbacks of an agricultural lifestyle, benefits such as these need to be factored into the equation. What we do not want is another Mahele, another action touted to be for the benefit of our people, whieh in the end disenfranchises the coimnunity it intended to protect. We ean counter this trend by proper preparation, community consultation and aiding legitimate authorities in the cultural and historical ways of our kūpuna to step up to the plate and eome to an agreement on the best way forward. If nothing else, we Hawaiian people looked far into the future to see the impact of our actions. We need to eonhnue to apply this ancient wisdom in all we do today. I

KUKAKUKA ■ CŪMMUNITY F0RUM —

Mele Carroll