Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 25, Number 8, 1 August 2008 — Na wai e hoʻōla i nā iwi? [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Na wai e hoʻōla i nā iwi?

W H 0 W 1 L L S A V E ī H E B 0 N E S ?

By Kai Markell Directar, ŪHA Native Rights, Land and Culture Hale

Ihad heard about the growing conflict on Kaua'i, in Wainiha, in an area known as Naue. Our precious and beloved iwi kupuna again threatened by construction. This time, by a home on the heaeh in an area of Hā'ena already covered with vacation homes and rentals. As home by home encroaches upon the heaeh, our kūpuna, who lived in coastal conununities and who buried their ,

'ohana in their kulāiwi again face destruction, desecration or eviction. Even in death. It was Mary Kawena Puku'i, the noted Hawaiian scholar, who helped to define iwi as "the most cherished possession" of our Hawaiian people. I often ask myself, when did that change? I received an e-mail with a plea for kōkua. Construction crews were scheduled to begin work in the Naue Cemetery where 30 kūpuna had been identified to date through archaeological testing. I knew in my na'au that all my excuses of being overwhehned with so many issues on so many islands meant nothing in

the spiritual world. I needed to act. I felt kaumaha from not being on top of this case earlier. I felt kaumaha from so many burial cases on Kaua'i whieh passed before my very eyes in my previous job. Knowing that I could have always done more than I did. Knowing the kūpuna expected it. Knowing the kūpuna deserved it. Putting all my faith in their forgiveness for my shortcomings. Kaua'i is my precious kulāiwi. And I couldn't even protect the iwi of my own 'ohana in Kalihiwai and Moloa'a. I knew the system was broken now for many years. And the e-mails whieh eame flooding in with the kāhea for Naue only confirmed it yet again. When Trustee Donald Cataluna requested that two OHA staff go to Naue for the lune 24 gathering, and OHA Administration quickly approved it, I knew the kūpuna were offering me a way to redeem

myself. Another Native Rights staffer, Jerome Yasuhara, and I caught a flight the next moming to Kaua'i and drove up to Hā'ena. We saw poliee cars, marked and umnarked, and Sheriff vans all driving about and headed up toward the North Shore. We feared the worst not knowing what had taken plaee at Naue earlier that moming. When we arrived, law enforcement were scattered all throughout the neighboring coimnunities in force. Staged away from the scene where only a few officers paced around at a distance. Kanaka began showing up in the early moming hours. Ka'iulani Huff, who had been courageously living at the site for months, Aunty Nani Rogers, Aunty Louise See KAUA'I IWI on pags lū

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^ ■ II M ■! Kauū'i Poliee Chief Dorryl Perry discusses the situation with Ka'iulani Huff, Louise Sausen and Hank Fergersfrom. - Photo: OHA staff

Two Kōnakū embrace af the site of the graves. At left, lighted torches mark 30 graves identified to date. A concrete foundation has since been poured on the property. - Photo: OHA staff

KAIIAi IWI Cūntinued fram ūūūe 03

Sausen, Brother Hank Fergerstrom and so many others eonverged on the seene and joined their 'uhane in honor of our kūpuna. The sound of oli kāhea, oli komo, the lamenting kanikau, oli Aloha, and pū penneated the air throughout the six-hour standoff. He alo ā he alo. Faee to faee. Tears flowed. The mix of 'eha, kaumaha and aloha ereated a strange stillness in the air. As the numbers of kanaka and hoaaloha inereased, so did the law enforeement. The mix of people there to mālama the kūpuna, as well as those willing to get arrested, exhibited sueh a diverse representation of nā po'e o Hawai'i. Ineluding mothers with small ehildren. Some nursing babies. The poliee ehief arrived on the seene. Negotiations ensued amongst the ongoing baekdrop of voiees engaged in protoeol. The sounds of the pū. The kāne of the pā lua showed up in greater numbers. So did the law enforeement presenee. Photography and videography ensued all over. The poliee frhned us. We fihned them. Others fihned us and them. Bearing witness to the tension and possible eruption of ehaos, whieh was omnipresent. The kāne of the pā lua entered the burial ground in formation. The poliee were invited to enter the burial ground by Ka'iulani to pay their respeets to the kūpuna. They entered with an oh kāhea, pū and oli komo. It was deeided that the boundaries of the pareel would have to be detennined before arrests for trespassing eould be made. An inability to detennine the makai boundary from an expired shoreline survey made the task so diffieult that day that it was abandoned. There were no arrests on this day. The erowds slowly dispersed. The eonstant kia'i present on the heaeh returned to their tents. We flew baek to O'ahu emotionally exhausted. Analyzing the events of the day. Wondering if we should have gotten arrested. Wondering what tomorrow morning would bring or the next kāhea. Asking Ke Akua and nā kūpuna for forgiveness for not knowing the answers.

I returned to Naue on Friday, July 11, when the kāhea went out again. This time the dust fenee was ereeted around the entire pareel and the sounds of a haekhoe digging in the eemetery was heard. We tried to bear witness to the destmetion. We spoke to our kūpuna on the other side of the hlaek eurtain so they knew why we were there. Also to remind ourselves why we were there. And as the kaumaha of the day settled in on the worksite, some of the workers rushed out to the heaeh in a eonfrontation. The poliee were suimnoned by both sides. No arrests were made but investigations were initiated. Some things were said by some kanaka in the heated exehanges, whieh brought forth the dark eursing power of our 'ōlelo. It made me sad. I think it made our kūpuna sad too. Several kanaka were part of the eonstruetion erew. I knew their 'eha was eating them inside by their faees. Young men. They said they had to feed their 'ohana. I understand the eapitalistie system whieh tears our 'ohana apart. I have seen the 'ohana fight eaeh other for little pieees of 'āina. The ahnighty dollar. I understand all too well, e nā pōki'i. I told these young kanaka workers that I love them. He alo ā he alo. But I love my kūpuna too. And I don't want anyone to get hurt on this projeet. So while we desperately work on legal intervention and a temporary restraining order, I know the work eontinues. We all make our ehoiees in this life. And my heart and na'au hurt like Ka'iulani. Aunty Nani. Aunty Louise. Brother Hank. Like so many others. So I asked Ke Akua and our kūpuna to wateh out for the kanaka on the job site. Beeause our beloved Queen taught us about love and forgiveness. About pono. And we just want to proteet our preeious kūpuna. Beeause we love them. They are all we have left to guide us into an uneertain future. Our most eherished possessions. And if I eannot find it in my heart to forgive another kanaka. In the presenee of my loving and forgiving kūpuna. Not only have I lost them. I truly have lost everything. Everything... I

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i* . i'-'- ^ ; - - ' - Ka'iulani Huff, who has been living at the site for months to prevent construction, stands among the lighted torches. While she confers wifh Kaua'i law enforcement, a poliee officer videotapes the exchange. Inset: A sign on the site. - Photo: OHA Staff