Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 8, Number 12, 1 Kekemapa 1991 — Protecting Hawaiian history on Lanaʻi [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Protecting Hawaiian history on Lanaʻi

Recognizing the wealth of ancient Hawaiian history on Lana'i, the Lanel and Natural Resources Division of OHA has already developed a landmark agreement to protect sacred island sites. Headed by officer Linda Delaney, the division in 1987 secured a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with officials at Castle & Cooke Properties to safeguard important historic sites at Hulopo'e and Manele Bay. Although the developer decided to move the location of the hotel from Hulopo'e to Manele Bay, the MOA addressed the protection of Hawaiian burial grounds known at the dunes between the two bays, according to Delaney. The terms of the MOA also preserved the modern access and the MOA also preserved the modern fishing access and the traditional path in the same area, she adds. The MOA also calls for Castle and Cooke to provide up to $500,000 for a preservation and interpretation plan whieh has included an oral history project, a video program, and will include construction of a traditional halau wa'a, eanoe house, on the beach. The funds are also earmarked for a curation plan that features remodeling an existing facility or building a new structure to house archeological

and cultural materials. With the influx of tourists continuing to rise on Lana'i, Delaney believes that education is vital for

visitors to truly appreciate the island's history. To accomplish this, she advocates supervised tourism, teaching visitors about the island's past and providing guidance for tours around Lana'i, whieh she describes as "incredibly neh." "Frankly, tourists don't have a lot to do on Lana'i and so when they start to roam they are unintentionally very destructive," says Delaney. "They have to know what they are looking at so they don't hurt themselves and are respectful of what they are seeing and understand it." She notes that Castle and Cooke officials are currently working with the Bishop Museum to scientifically and accurately map Kaunolu, a village site with strong ties to the Hawaiian royalty of the 1700s. Few doubt that maneuvering through the murky waters of Lanai's future will not be a smooth ride. Delaney is especially concerned about the island residents. "I keep telling people I have more laws to protect rocks than to protect people. You cannot get away with saying you will create jobs. That is simply not enough." "They are truly a community and I give a lot of credit to the people of that community who took a stand and eonhnue to raise objections," says Delaney.

Linda Delanev