Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 34, Number 2, 1 February 2017 — OHA BECOMES CO-TRUSTEE PAPAHANĀUMOKUĀKEA [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

OHA BECOMES CO-TRUSTEE PAPAHANĀUMOKUĀKEA

In a historic move, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the state and two federal departments formalized an agreement adding OHA as a co-trustee of Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. The updated Memorandum of Agreement for the monument was signed by OHA Chair Rowena Akana, Hawai'i Gov. David Ige, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker and U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell. The Jan. 12 action brings the number of co-trustees to four: the Commerce Department (National Oeeanie and Atmospheric Admin-

istration); the Interior Department (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service); the State of Hawai'i Land and Natural Resources Department and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. The addition of OHA as a eotrustee follows President Barack Obama's August proclamation expanding the monument to 582,578 square miles, making it one of the largest protected areas on the world. "We thank President Barack Ohama and our partners and supporters for making this a reality. Since our community's first involvement in the management of these kūpuna islands more than

a decade ago, the goal has always been to get Native Hawaiians a seat at the decision-making table," said OHA Chair Rowena Akana. "We understand the challenges ahead and are firmly committed to fulfilling our kuleana to this plaee and our beneficiaries." "This historic action rightfully places the Native Hawaiian voice at the highest levels of decision making for this culturally and spiritually significant wahi pana (sacred plaee) and will help advance our people's understanding of the deep eonneehon of our entire pae'āina (archipelago)," said Kamana'opono Crabbe, OHA's Ka Pouhana-Chief

Executive Officer. "We look forward to serving in our new role, in partnership with our co-trustees, to develop and implement a resource management structure that integrates the best of conventional science and traditional practices. We hope that Papahānaumokuākea will demonstrate to the world that integrating science and indigenous knowledge is the best management model to sustain our fragile global environment." "The protection of Papahānaumokuākea is essential because it represents the origins of our people. It is a continual source of mana for our people and is a pathway for us

to connect with the spirits of ancestors," said Dr. Kekuewa Kikiloi, chair of the Papahānaumokuākea Native Hawaiian Cultural Working Group. "The culture working group has always been a strong advocate for OHA's elevated role, and through this achievement, it will allow culture to be further integrated into the management and daily operations of the area." State, federal agencies weleome new co-trustee Excerpted from Gov. David Ige 's News Release "Honoring, respecting and perpetuating the Native Hawai-

Native Hawaiians have a seat at the table Office of Hawaiian Affairs News Release

j MO'OLELO NUI ^ > C0VER FEATURE /

www.oha.org/kwo | kwo@OHA.org NATiVE HAWAiiAN » NEWS | FEATURES | EVENTS

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ian culture and sustainability are among my administration's top priorities. OHA has participated in the decision making process since the monument was first designated by President Bush more than ten years ago, and previously, when the area was managed as the North-

western Hawaiian Islands

Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve. The monument is world

renowned for both its natural and cultural attributes and OHA's co-

trustee role will V ensure the pro- ^ tection of Native * Hawaiian cultural

features and provide ^ a critical cultural sensitivity to every decision that is

made to protect this unique plaee," said Gov. David Ige. "We fully support and embrace OHA as a co-trustee of the monument. It is impossible to separate decisions about nature fromcultural considerations. OHA's elevated voice and input will inform management actions on a broad scale," said DLNR Chair Suzanne Case. OHA has been one of seven collaborating agencies for Papahānaumokuākea, including NOAA's Office of Nahonal Marine Sanctuaries andNational Marine Fisheries Service; the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Ecological Services and Refuges, and the DLNR Divisions of Aquatic Resources and Forestry and Wildlife. Papahānaumokuākea is rich in history and cultural significance. In 2010, UNESCO inscribed the area

as our nation's first mixed (natural and cultural) World Heritage Site. "The Papahānaumokuākea Marine Nahonal Monument is of great cultural significance to the Native Hawaiian community and houses important marine ecosystems that the Department of

Commerce is committed to protecting ■ for future generations," said

Penny Pritzker, who served as U.S. Secretary of

Commerce under President Obama's administration.

"Over the past 10 years, we have forged a strong partnership with

the State of Hawai'i and we look forward to collaborating with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs on our continued efforts to preserve this unique environment." "The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands are home to one of the most diverse and threatened ecosystems on the planet and a sacred plaee for the Native Hawaiian community," said Sally lewell, U.S. Secretary of the Interior under the Obama administration. "By including OHA as a co-trustee for Papahānaumokuākea, we are highlighting not only the protection of natural treasures like the pristine coral reefs and deep sea marine habitats, but also the significant cultural and historic resources of the area that will be preserved for current and future generations." ■

"We look forward to serving in our new role, in partnership with our eotrustees, to develop and implement a resource management structure that integrates the best of conventional science and traditional practices. We hope that Papahānaumokuākea will demonstrate to the world that integrating science and indigenous knowledge is the best management model to sustain our fragile global environment." — Kamanaopono Crabbe, OHAs Ka Pouhana-Chief Executive Officer

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'lo Kauhane surveys one of the many cultural sites located on Nihoa.