Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 10, Number 11, 1 November 1993 — Native Hawanan Historic Preservation Council [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Native Hawanan Historic Preservation Council

Kahu to the past:

by Jeff Clark When the OHA Board of Trustees is faced with difficult decisions relating to the Hawaiian past and its preservation, "We look to our kūpuna," OHA chairman Clayton Hee has said, referring to OHA's Native Hawaiian Historic Preservation Council (NHHPC). This 15member, all-volunteer eouneil is administered by OHA's land division and reports to the board of trustees' Committee on Education and Culture. Most of the members are Hawaiian and most are kūpuna.

The NHHPC began in 1989 as a task force created by OHA in response to the disinterment at Honokahua and the need to address changes in preservation law. That same year the state Legislature passed a concurrent resolution mandating that OHA "study ways for the state to better manage the Hawaiian historical

sites within the state." In 1991 the board of trustees made the task force a eouneil that would advise the board on a eontinuing basis. The Council's mandate is to review federal, state and county laws and to recommend changes to strengthen historic preservation and ensure the inelusion of Hawaiian values. "Their role is to enhanee the participation of native Hawaiians in historic preservation and cultural conservation," says Linda Delaney, OHA land officer and staff to the eouneil. The Council and OHA lobbied successfully to have native Hawaiian organizations in general, and OHA in particular, named in such federal legislation as the National Historic Preservation Act and the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. The Council also reviews and makes recommendations regard-

ing OHA's actions in the area of historic preservation. For instance, when federally funded constraction or development projects are likely to impact historic Hawaiian sites, memoranda of

agreement (MOAs) are executed between the government and OHA. The eouneil steps in and advises when there are conflicts. In 1992 the Council recommended measures to minimize the effect of the H-3 Freeway construction on historic sites in Hālawa Valley. Its report to the board of

trustees recommended that the state purchase North Hālawa Valley from the Bishop Estate and the state did purchase the valley. The most significant of the sites, those that were the subiect

of public controversy last year, are being preserved. The eouneil is accepting applications through Dec. 1 to fill three eouneil seats that will soon become vacant and two more

1 whieh will be vacatI ed in December 9 1994. Members I serve without eomI pensation, but are I entitled to travel I and other expenses I associated with the I council's official I business. The council's members are Lydia Namahana Maioho (chairperson), the

Rev. Leon K. Sterling (vice chairperson), Gladys 'Ainoa Brandt, OHA trustee Klna'u Boyd Kamali'i, Solomon Kaopuiki, Graydon

"Buddy" Keala, OHA trustee Moses K. Keale, Sr., Charles Pili Keau, Lopaka Mansfield, Lueille F. Meyer, Susan E. Miller, Rudy Leikaimana Mitchell, and Thomas Yagi.

Anyone !nterested in being considered for appointment to the eouneil ean request an application form by calling OHA at 586-3777 or by writing to: Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Native Hawaiian Historic Preservation Uouneil, 711 Kapi'olani Blvd., Suite 500, Honolulu, Hawai'i 96813. Anyone who has previously completed a eouneil appointment form need only eall to indicate the desire to be considered again.

Lydia Namahana Maloho, Council chaiirperson