Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 21, Number 10, 1 October 2004 — OHA teams to preserve Pāpōhaku sand dune [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

OHA teams to preserve Pāpōhaku sand dune

On the quiet, pristine, west end of Moloka'i lies a three-mile stretch of beach called Pāpōhaku. Roughly translated, Pāpōhaku means "enclosed by stones." The literal interpretation is somewhat misleading, as the area is home to one of the largest and most impressive dune systems in Hawai'i. Famous to most people for its white, sugary-fine sand, Pāpōhaku is one of the last intact coastal dune systems in the state. Many longtime residents, like oral historian Halona Kaopuiki, recall frequent visits to the area with grandparents who held intimate knowledge of the precious natural resources unique to Pāpōhaku."My grandfather used to bring us down here to fish, and I remember the sand (dune) in some areas was fifteen feet high, now those same areas are flattened out with rocks showing.". On a hot sunny day not long ago, a group of residents, along with myself, found ourselves being led through yards and yards of kiawe trees by Kaopuiki. "This area used to have a large stone formation that could have been a fishing shrine," he said as he pointed to an area with sparsely scattered stones. "I don't know what happened to all the stones, but over the years got less and less." Rich in cultural and natural resources, the Pāpōhaku dune is located within the state Land Use Conservation District. This designation means that the dune is within the general

subzone, and is protected land under Hawai'i Administrative Rules - Chapter 13-5. Pāpōhaku and many of Hawai'i's dune systems harbor important native plant and animal species and serve as important storm buffers from seasonal high waves and episodic storm surf, providing protection from wave damage, flooding and erosion. The dune systems play an important role in preserving native Hawaiian artifacts and bones. Billy Akutagawa, representing the Moloka'i Archaeological Society, recalls a relative's account of unearthing a burial in the upper areas during sand mining in the early 1970s, "the bones were put back and covered with sand, but no record was taken with regard to the specific location." Recognizing the fragile and rare ecosystem sustained by the dune, loeal residents and shoreline property owners feel strongly that Pāpōhaku be preserved for present and future generations. With this goal in mind, the DLNR, Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands in conjunction with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs have taken on the task of developing a dune preservation plan covering the areas in and around the Pāpōhaku dune. To address concerns about the dune and cultural sites, a task force has been created to form a preservation plan for these invaluable dunes. Partners in the task force include OCCL, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the County of Maui,

Pāpōhaku Homeowner's Association, Moloka'i Properties Limited, the Nature Conservancy, Moloka'i High School's NARA program and the University of Hawai'i. To discuss the project's goals and objectives and information on the content and scope, a task force meeting was held in mid-September. Other invitees included: Society of Moloka'i Archaeology, Queen Lili'uokalani Children's Center, Hana Kūpono o Moloka'i, Kukui Moloka'i Canoe Club, Kahua Ola Hou, Nā Pua No'eau, USDA Soil Conservation - Plant Materials Center, and MEC - Ke Aupuni Lōkahi. Project organizers agree that the first step in preparing a preservation plan is to assess the current natural and cultural resources of the dune. The last significant archaeological survey done on Pāpōhaku dune was in the late 1950s. On a volunteer basis, loeal high school students - chaperoned, trained and led by scientists and knowledgeable community members - will start off by walking the dunes and taking preliminary Global Positioning System measurements of botanical and cultural sites for mapping purposes. Although this is just the first step in the project, organizers have high hopes for an end product that everyone ean use to understand and care for Pāpōhaku for generations to eome. For more information on the project, or to join in, please eall the Moloka'i OHA office at 560-3611. ■

Colette Machado Trustee, Moloka'i and Lāna'i