Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 27, Number 8, 1 August 2010 — OHA RESEARCHER IS EMERGIHG CONSERVATION LEADER [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

OHA RESEARCHER IS EMERGIHG CONSERVATION LEADER

By Howard Dashefsky Look to the past to prepare for the future. That is, in a nutshell, the message Kamoa Quitevis recently delivered at a conservation leadership conference in Vermont. A Research Analyst in OHA's Land, Cul-

ture and History program, Quitevis was nominated to attend the July conference, "2042 Today: Young Leaders Re-Imaging Conservation," aimed at young leaders, ages 35 and under. Not only was he ultimately selected to attend, he wound up being a presenter. The opportunity gave him the perfect platform to share OHA's new mis-

sion statement for effective land management. "It was a great ehanee to share a little bit about not only what we are doing and how we have been conducting studies and doing research, but also how we are connecting with communities," said Quitevis. "We all need to learn how to identify and how

to properly manage not only the cultural resources but the environmental resources." Although Hawai'i is certainly not unique when it comes to balancing development with conservation, Quitevis said we are under mueh greater stress than most places. He cites our isolation, as well as the way endemic plants evolve in the Islands as the primary reasons. "We're often referred to as the endangered-spe-cies capital of the nation," said Quitevis. "Because of that status we need to work harder. And we need to recognize that at one time Hawai'i was maintained in a very sustainable way." Quitevis sees firsthand the connection between past and present through his work at the Pahua Heiau in East O'ahu, a one-acre parcel of land owned by OHA. He says that encouraging present and future generations to connect to the land is the key to sustainability. "When we look back to our ancestors, to our kūpuna, people's relationship to the land, to the 'āina, was healthy," said Quitevis. "I think that where we're at right now people either have no relationship with the land or their relationship with the SEE QUITEVIS ON PAGE 27

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LAND & WATER

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Kamoa Quitevis brings youthful leadership to the conservation discussion - and to his work as a Research Analyst at OHA. - Photo: John Matsuzaki

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land is unhealthy." Because of that, Quitevis says not only is the environment suffering, but

many people are suffering. "If we ean get back our roots, whatever those roots might be, we'll realize there was always a strong relationship between people and the land, and maintaining that harmony is essential for our continued survival." Native Hawaiians, he continues, need to better understand that the 'āina is a living thing. "If we look at the land as our god or goddess, or as a sibling, and we know our kūpuna are planted back into the land, then we will realize that we literally walk on the shoulders of our ancestors," he said. Quitevis also believes Native Hawaiians ean play a leading role in global sustainability. "I think it's really important that we reach out and reconnect with all peoples of this planet," said Quitevis. "We ean do it. But to attain sustainability or to succeed at managing modern conservation efforts, we need to look to the past. Then we need to integrate what we've learned as well as technologies of the present. If we ean blend those two, I think we ean attain our goal." ■ Howard Dashefsky is a contributmg writerfor Ka Wai. 01 a. A 25-year veteran in broadcast news, he teaches joumalism at the University ofHawai'i-Mānoa and produces showsfor OC 16.

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