Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 20, Number 3, 1 March 2003 — Ban anti-'ohana [ARTICLE]

Ban anti-'ohana

I am a doctor on O'ahu who has made two trips to Kaho'olawe with the Protect Kaho'olawe 'Ohana as

part of Hawaiian medical conferences. Many of the doctors brought their spouses and children, including several young boys and girls between 5 and 10 years old. I brought my 16-year old daughter on the second trip. For me, the most rewarding aspect of the trips was interacting in the context of family: that's what my Hawaiian heritage means to me, and I feel it is critical to nurture this understanding in my daughter. As a former Cubmaster and as a faculty member at the University of Hawai'i John A. Burns School of Medicine, I believe I am responsibly committed to the safety of my own family and children. I was most impressed by the safety demonstrations by the PKO and the demolitions experts, and did not feel that the actions of our groups put ourselves or our children at undue risk. Like many, I grieve at Kaho'olawe's historical use as a military target, both because of the damage to the island and the prospect of unexploded ordnance. But given the efforts to elean the island and the precautions taken by the PKO, I don't feel the sudden arbitrary ban on children accessing the island is logical or appropriate. All life carries some risk, and I believe appropriate precautions are in plaee to maximize the safety of youth groups and families desiring to leam more about ecology, archaeology, and most importantly, our Hawaiian roots. Dr. Kalani Brady O'ahu