Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 30, Number 10, 1 October 2013 — Groups mark decade of environmental collaboration [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Groups mark decade of environmental collaboration

By Cheryl Corbiell 0n Moloka'i in 2003, 45 people from 13 Hawai'i communities gathered to learn from one another how to better mālama 'āina - and a hui, E Alu Pū, or "Move Forward Together," was born. A decade later, E Alu Pū gathered on Moloka'i onee again, attracting more than 100 people from 25 communities to celebrate the past and the future of environmental heritage.

This year's host was Ka Honua Momona, a nonprofit dedicated to caring for two ancient Hawaiian fishponds on Moloka'i's south shore - Ali'i and Kaloko'eli. KHM headquarters was transformed into a campsite and conference center for the mid-August gathering. "Over four days, we discussed specific projects such as Mo'omomi's fishery management strategy for community-based subsistence as well as the network's values and future commitments,"

said Kevin Chang, executive director of E Alu Pū's umbrella organization, Kua'āina Ulu 'Auamo, or KUA. Member communities of E Alu Pū share knowledge and skills under KUA, formerly known as the Hawaiian Community Stewardship Network. "This is a grassroots movement that learn from eaeh other about place-based projects," Chang said. "These community groups are dedicated to restoring and sustaining their environmental heritage by nurturing community

kuleana for the 'āina." "The educational strategies include kūpuna sharing traditional knowledge with youth, perpetuating the best traditional and contemporary ahupua'a management practices, and cultivating community self-sufficiency," he said. Network delegates traveled across the island to north shore Mo'omomi to learn subsistencemonitoring methods, east Moloka'i to plant taro and remove invasive weeds, central Hoolehua to plant

hanana trees, and back to the south shore to remove mangroves from a fishpond. E Alu Pū was born when leaders such as Mae Poepoe, Henry Chang Wo, Eric Enose and other men and women met a decade ago and shared their environmental concerns and knowledge. The 2013 event theme, Meheu Ka'i O Ka Hulu Mamo, whieh means to be led by the wisdom of our esteemed kūpuna, appropriately honored the kūpuna who started E Alu Pū at an evening lū'au in front of an ancient fishpond. The guest speaker was Poepoe, a Hoolehua homestead farmer and traditional fisherman. For more than 20 years, he has advocated for puhlie input into environmental resources management. A recently produced film by 'Ōiwi TV about Poepoe premiered at the lū'au. The audience got a rare glimpse into Poepoe's childhood memories fishing at Mo'omomi Beach with family, the management lessons he learned and how he teaches others. After the film, Poepoe summed up his feelings about his decades of work. "Years ago, I could see we were losing our culture little by liūle," he said. "We blamed others, but the problem is us. As traditionalists, we need to teach more than

skills; we need to teach a deeper knowledge. For example, I ean see the heahh of a fishery by looking at the limu. To catch a fish is simple, but to nurture the fishery takes a lifetime of learning." Poepoe said the E Alu Pū gathering was positive. "We have learned a lot, but there is a lot more to learn, and there's a lot more to teach," he said. "The network is on the right track looking to the past for resource sustainability. If we follow the path that kūpuna set for us, we ean be just as successful as the kūpuna."

Over the years, work by Poepoe and others has led to the Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Aquatic Resources now reviewing community-based subsistence fishery area rules for Hā'ena on Kaua'i and Mo'omomi on Moloka'i. It has also resulted in DLNR's Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands working in eollaboration with grassroots-, county-, state- and federal-level groups to streamline aspects of the fishpond restoration permitting process. Chang, the KUA executive director, said: "Mae Poepoe and other community kūpuna have worked for 20 years to create laws to regulate their own fisheries. Finally the state is taking communities seriously. To be part of E Alu Pū means to have collective inhuenee in their eommunities versus being alone." The Office of Hawaiian Affairs awarded a grant to KUA to assist in staging the four-day meeting and bringing representatives from six islands to Moloka'i. ■ Chervl Corhi.ell is an instructor at the University of Hawai'i Maui. College-Moloka'i. and coordi.nator for TeenACE and ACE Readi.ng programs.

Finally the state is taking communities seriously. To be part of E Alu Pū means to have collective influence in their communities versus being alone." — Kevin Chang, executive director, Kua'āina Ulu 'Auamo

'ĀINA LAND & WATER

The environmentally focused statewide network E Alu Pū gathered on Moloka'i to discuss accomplishments of its first decade and how to eontinue to mālama 'āina, care for the land. - Courtesy: KimberlyMoa OHA Grantee Profile: Kua'āina Ulu 'Auamo