Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 25, Number 6, 1 June 2008 — Meetings seek input and leaders for ʻAha Moku advisory body [ARTICLE]

Meetings seek input and leaders for ʻAha Moku advisory body

By Lisa Asatū Public lnfurmatiun Specialist Asecond round of public meetings are planned starting in July to begin to select leaders from eaeh island to take part in 'Aha Moku Councils, whieh will advise the state on Native Hawaiian resource management practices. A separate informational meeting for Moloka'i is planned for June 5, 6:30 p.m. at Kulana 'Ōiwi, Queen Lili'uokalani Children's Center, 'Uluhaimālamalama Room. "The meeting is to infonn about the aha moku system as well as well as to gather those who are practitioners: mahi'ai (fanner), lapa'au (medicine), lawai'a (fisherman) and even those in hula that are familiar with the waterways from the mountain to the oeean," said Vanda Hanakahi, chairwoman of the 'Aha Kiole Advisory Connnittee. The 'aha moku system is site-specific to eaeh ahupua'a, accounting for varying resources and seasons, Hanakahi said. At the meeting, practitioners will also be able to learn from eaeh other. Mae Poepoe, kahu of Mo'omomi Beach in Hoolehua, Moloka'i, provides a "good model of management following Hawaiian practices" and could serve as a model for other islands, she said. Poepoe "follows the seasons and he's very strict about who is allowed in," she said. Day fishing, for example, is restricted to kūpuna and those who are unable to go out to do deep-ocean fishing, she said. Under Poepoe's guidance, studies at Mo'omomi are examining uhu spawning and how moon cycles affect the eating habit of fish, she said. Coimnunity coordinator Leimana DaMate, said the creation of the 'Aha Moku Advisory Coimnittee by law in 2007 allows for Native Hawaiian traditional and generational resource management to have a say in what needs to be done in areas like development and fishing. "This is going to be the first time our people are going to have a voice in resource management that's systematic by law," she said. The councils will take into account things like seasonal differences that "vary from island to island and moku to moku," she said. The moon calendar, for example, is "days off in different parts of the state," affecting things like spawning seasons, she said. Les Kuloloio, the committee's Kaho'olawe representative, said past practices - specific to eaeh area - will be used to protect the state's natural resources. "One of the problems we're finding is water issues on every island is different, natural resources issues are different, and everybody should not be wearing a size 8 shoe," he said. "Everybody has to wear their own shoes that fits their islands and keeps their uniqueness." "We need to respect Hawaiian science and culture," he added. "It's not 'versus' (western) science, but to show their are differences of our knowledge of how we should be protecting our natural resources, the 'āina, especially the water, land, shoreline and oeean and everything that deals with our Hawai'i." For infonnation on the meetings, contact coimnunity coordinator Leimana DaMate at leimana@fastnethi.com. The meetings follow on the heels of about 48 eommunity meetings held statewide since January. E3

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