Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 17, Number 9, 1 September 2000 — Iwi [ARTICLE]

Iwi

The Aloha Solutions Committee involved with the burial mound for the Waiklkī iwi sets a dangerous precedent for both sacred iwi and historical, archaeological properties on O'ahu by pohticizing the process. Mayor Harris appears to have created the committee to subvert the 1993 unanimous vote of the City Council creating the O'ahu Historic Preservation Commission with Ordinance 93-55 "to identify, protect, preserve, restore and rehabilitate historic properties in the city, especiaUy prehistoric Hawaiian sites [and] to qualify the city as a 'certified loeal govemment'... for funding under the federal historic preservation program." This appointed commission includes professionals in architecture, history, archaeology, planning and Hawaiian mythology, language, culture and religion. It is critical that this entire process be set up as it would benefit all of us not only Hawaiians. Both Maui and Kaua'i have historic commissions that work. We wonder why O'ahu is so far behind. Moreover, we wonder if the aU'i would bury their bones so close to shore where they might be exposed to the sun. We do know the ali'i

iwi at Kālia were removed by the family and are safe. The Waikīkī mound ean be best described, unfortunately, by 'ōlelo no'eau: The crackUng firebrands make a great display over the sea of Nu'alolo." Lela Hubbard 'Aiea