Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 19, Number 3, 1 April 2002 — Waʻahila power play [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

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Waʻahila power play

sparks community support

By Claire Hughes, Dr. P.H., R.D. Department of Health Many are the legends about Kahalaopuna, the beautiful daughter of wind and rain, who was betrothed to Kauhi, Of chiefly rahk, Kauhi was enormously proud to be marrying the

lovely Kahalaopuna, So great was her beauty, it caused envy and jealousy among Kauhi's friends, who defamed her, claiming she had been unfaithful. This so enraged Kauhi that he took her life, According to the legend, the gods did not abandon Kahalaopuna, They sent her family 'aumakua, the pueo, to rescue and bring her back to life, For daring to destroy the virtuous beauty from Mānoa, the gods punished Kauhi, They forced him to climb to the top of Wa'ahila Ridge, where he was made to lie down, facing the heavens, He was turned into stone, resting in repose for eternity, Hawaiian Electric Company, for more than a decade has battered the community with its plans for erecting 100 foot plus steel towers on top of Wa'ahila Ridge, Heedless of the cultural significance or the beauty, HECO forges ahead — even now, after the hearing officer of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, retired Circuit Judge E, John McConnell, recommended to deny HECO's application.

So great is the spiritual power of the valley and the mountains, so great the opposition to the planned desecration, a strong allianee has been formed during the many years of struggle, This struggle has found expression in many media, the latest of whieh is the release of a CD by MPĪ Talent Communications,

simply called "Wa' 'ahila." " Wa'ahila " showcases songs and chants that honor and celebrate the cultural significance and beauty of Wa'ahila Ridge and the surrounding valleys, Mānoa and Pālolo, Produced by award-winning songwriter Kenneth Makuakāne in collaboration with Mālama o Mānoa, the CD

features both original compositions as well as beloved classic mele, Many artists donated their time and talent, A prime example of exceptional collaboration is " Kahalaopuna ," a tribute to the rainbow goddess, Written by Robbie Cabral, it is translated by Manu Boyd, arranged by Makuakāne and performed by Hōkū winner 0'Brian Eselu, Kimo Alama Keaulana contributed his original song " Nani Mānoa ," whieh is performed by Ku'uipo Kumukahi, Leinā'ala Kalama Heine performs the opening chant to another

original song, uAnother RainbowP Tony Conjugacion's Hōkū-winnmg song about the rain, wind and beauty of Mānoa, is performed by Maunalua, Robert Cazimero performs an Aunty Mae Loebenstein favorite, uRain Tuahine o Mānoa " by Julia Walanika, telling of the famous Tuahine rain of Mānoa

Valley, its sacred flowers and native birds, Childhood memories are recalled by John Feary, who sings uBlue MānoaP The CD is available in record stores around the state, All proceeds from the sale of the first 7,500 CDs will go to Mālama o Mānoa's Educational Endowment Fund, whieh makes grants to eommunity and environmental projects statewide, Undergrounding the line, if it were needed at all, would cost $8,6 million more than the estimated $31 million to put the line on the ridge, HECO admits to having spent in excess of $13 million trying to get approval for the line, When will they listen to the eommunity? The CD is a eompanion pieee to a new children's book by Jam.es Rumford Kahalaopuna, the Beauty of Mānoa. With delightful illustrations by the author, the book retells the legend of the sleeping giant Kauhi and talks about the consequences of foolish pride and jealousy and the redemptive power of justice and aloha, Kahalaopuna, the Beauty of Mānoa, was commissioned by Mālama o Mānoa and is another excellent example of the wide reach the powerline issue has, Proceeds of the book sales also support the Mālama o Mānoa's Educational Endowment Fund, With so mueh energy from so many diverse sources supporting a 138kv-free environment, we, like Kahalaopuna, the legendary maiden, must trust in the higher powers for the correct outcome, īn Kahalaopuna's case, the pueo rescued her, time and time again, Community pressure is coming to the rescue of the valleys, ■

Ol AKINO

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