Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 6, Number 10, 1 October 1989 — Trustees seek talks with mayor on Kualoa's fate [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Trustees seek talks with mayor on Kualoa's fate

By Ann L. Moore Talks with Honolulu Mayor Frank Fasi about the future of Kualoa Park are being sought by the Board of Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. The decision to ask for a meeting with the mayor was taken at the board of trustees meeting Friday, Sept. 7. The trustees are acting in accordance with the recommendation of the OHA Task Force on Historic Preservation, whieh was brought to the board by Land and Natural Resources Division Officer Linda Delaney. Extensive archaeological work has been done at the windward O'ahu park since the park was first developed. TTie excavations unearthed many early Hawaiian artifacts. City and County Archaeologist Jo Lynn Gunnes is currently cataloguing the artifacts. Her work, whieh was about to end as funds had run out, was recently extended by the City Department of Parks and Recreation with funds from its operating budget, Delaney said. Delaney said the City Council recently approved a line item appropriation of $40,000 to eontinue the Kualoa project. OHA supported. and testified in favor of the appropriation, she said. She advised the trustees that her division is continuing its efforts to secure the release of the appropriated funds. The money would be used to establish the use of the park as a cultural resource. Any use of Kualoa, Delaney said, should be eonsistent with its cultural and historic significance as envisioned by the original design for the park. She added that the OHA task force questions why there should be any change, now, in the original

purposes of the park. Trustee Clarence Ching noted Walter Ozawa. director of parks and recreation, has been quoted as saying the building now

used for archaeological work on the artifacts should be dismantled. OHA Chairman Thomas Kaulukukui Sr. said the board will pursue efforts to discuss Kualoa's future with Mayor Fasi.

Should the talks fai! the board will consider what steps should be taken next. Kualoa was placed on the Nahonal Register of Historic Site īn 1974 because of its mytholpgic and historical importance to the Hawaiian people. In Hawaiian myth the area is the home of the God Lono, the residence of chiefs, the plaee where chiefs' children were trained, and the endplaee of the Makahiki processions. Excavations made in 1977, 1983 and 1988 unearthed many artifacts. Many more have washed out to sea because of erosion. Over 1,600 items recovered at Kualoa are now being catalogued by archeologist Gunnes. The OHA Task Force on Historic Freservation will be present at a City Council meeting on Oct. 3 at whieh Walter Ozawa, director of the Department of Parks and Recreation, will present the original plan for the park at Kualoa. Ozawa will make the presentation at the request of Council Member Neil Abercrombie. The eouneil meeting is open to the public.

Many hand-carved, bone fish hooks were discovered during excavations at Kualoa Park by archeaoiogist Jo Lynn Gunnes. This

particularly fine example is protected with a glassine case marked with its catalogue number. (Photo by Ann L Moore)