Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 26, Number 7, 1 July 2009 — Tyranny and iwi desecration [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Tyranny and iwi desecration

How de-occupation woulā help protect Hawai'i's sacred sites, traditions

By Alika Pae Silva Aloha nō my 'ohana, remember when our kūpuna visualized, practiced and taught us that whatever you do - you do it with "Aloha and 'Ike Pono," principles of leadership over self-interest! Kūpuna taught us our legacy, Ka'ānani'au, management of the beautiful time, past, present and fuhire and to perpetuate our ancestors' knowledge, Kumupa'a, principles and Hawaiian Nahonal Treasiues ! Let me share what is happening to Hawaiian Nationals in Wai'anae Wahipana. I will talk about the kupuka'aina (the original people, lineal descendants of Wai'anae) and the Ka'ānani'au (traditional land-use code and system) and the democratic representative structure of Koa Mana (the keepers of the Wai'anae traditions). Consider this a brief Hawaiian civics lesson with a tiny addition of current affairs (our actions with the U.S. military oeeupahon). What we represent is our kūpuna and our rich Hawaiian Nahonal Rights and eulhue (our spiritual resoiuces and Ueasiues). Koa Mana ean be explained in how our kūpuna observed nature. Ko'a is the name of the coral clusters and sixth in the metrics of creation in the Kumulipo. The small fish go into the coral fingers, and ko'a protects the small fish from the big fish. The natural action of this is a sanctuary and provider of food (Mana) and protection for the small fish. Koa in the forest is the giant tree that also provides food and safety for the small trees. Mana ean be learned about first in the phenomena of the land, sea and sky - piko stones/places, volcanoes, weather, oeean, land, stars/sun/moon, navigation points, lā'au, etc. Next, Mana is found in the kupuka'aina kūpuna - 'Ike, their knowledge, wisdom and practice of aloha and 'ike pono (equality and justice for all). Finally, Mana rests eternally in the land and the iwi kupuna, those who have known and are remembered as Koa Mana and of our traditions. Combined in the term Koa Mana

is Ka'ānani'au. It is the sanctuary for our youth to learn managing of the beautiful time. And it is centered in the managing of nature's resources through Hawaiian life for whieh life is sacred to our God "Kāne" since the beginning of our culture. Over generations of time, our traditional landuse system and its code of sharing had to be naturally protected. Koa Mana was founded by kupuka'aina families ('ohana) in the Wai'anae Wahipana who are still connected to the 'ike 'āina and to their ancestors and their known grave sites and (iwi) remains, whieh geometrically connects to Kūkaniloko the piko (we'll explain in another article about the central managing point) of all the Ka'ānani'au and 'ohana burial places! Currently, Koa Mana is in action with more than 30 desecrations and violations by the U.S. occupation. But for this article, let us just focus on one of these actions - Nene'u, POKAI BAY. It is such a tiny action, you might say, about a seawall that the Army says they want to repair in an area of pre-identified 'ohana kulāiwi. It will take us into an Ameriean civics lesson about what it is like to be under American laws and oeeupation. It will show how powerful agencies use "divide and conquer" tactics, an unethical form of cultural genocide. And finally, it will prove that it is time for de-occupation! There has been no justice for our iwi kupuna, our Hawaiian Kingdom, our lands, our religion, our language, our culture, our people, etc., for more than a century because of U.S. selfinterest! De-occupation is the only answer to cultural genocide! The U.S. Army occupied our land and constructed a recreation center at Nene'u with a seawall that is now ineffective for their purpose. In fact, the turtles that used to lay their eggs on the sand dune there are not allowed to do so yet again. The Army ignores these issues and our pre-identified burial sites. Their current practice is to eall all "Native Hawaiians" that they ean find to

provide information about Nene'u "stakeholders," a term to make malihini testimony equal to kupuka'aina, those whose ancestors are buried there. The Army cannot admit that known lineal descendants' ancestors are buried in the sand dunes of Nene'u. If they did, they might understand the injustice of their actions. No civilized society would desecrate their graves as just being those of "stakeholders." Let us share our answer to the U.S. Army as it might help other Kanaka Maoli in the pono cause of de-occupation. A representative of one 'ohana, whieh is part of Koa Mana, was selected by the Army to handle any human remains that will be "found" - an attempt to divide Koa Mana's unity. I was appointed by our kūpuna of Koa Mana and wrote the unity statement to represent all the kupuka'aina (the original people of Nene'u, lineal descendants) of Wai'anae Malaya Wahipana for matters concerning traditional cultural properties (TCPs) and 'ohana iwi protection under the Piko stones of the Ka'ānani'au land-use codes of 'Aha Kūkaniloko/Koa Mana! Let me explain why Koa Mana had to choose to speak with only one voice. We have a democratic structure of consultation within the families of Koa Mana so that we are able to speak with one authoritative voice for all the families, symbolized by the possession of the piko stones. This has had to be declared over and over in our dealings with the U.S. Army and the State Historic Preservation Department, because both the Army and the state persistently

practice the tactic of "divide and conquer" - attempting to fracture our unity by not honoring our democratic system. They both use their powers against traditional practice of the kupuka'aina (Koa Mana, 'Aha Kūkaniloko/Koa Mana) by taking the opinions of outsiders, malihini (calling them stakeholders) to offset ours, so that they ean eall it consultation and then decide (without transparency and undemocratically) what is to their advantage. They ean only do this from excessive power. But, they are violating international treaties and their own federal laws and risk losing legitimacy in courts of justice (ICI) in the near future. Why don't they work with us to learn democracy's requirements instead of practicing deviousness and cultural genocide? First, they have not consulted with us in good faith to learn our practices concerning representation. In the past, the U.S. Army and their state recognized families of Koa Mana and Kūkaniloko as the legal hneal descendants of Wai'anae Malaya Wahipana and returned family iwi to us (TCP agreement with Col. Killian August 2006). But now they use a tactic that tacitly denies our agreements to do TCP studies and our direct eonneetion to our ancestors' graves, remains and property. In International Law, this is a form of cultural genocide and will make America look as bad as others who have practiced similar tactics around the world. Until now we have avoided eommunicating their tactics to the world. Concerning our Hawaiian National Treasures/ecology and Ancestors, we have asked the Army to stop using the tactics of equating cultural stakeholders with lineal descendants. Second, the U.S. Army has again violated our democratic structure although we have provided them with a unity statement to express our lineal descendant concerns with one voice. Of course, this ean only be ignored because of abusive and excessive power. How ean they believe that they are representatives of American democracy and deny us democratic rights herein our Hawaiian Kingdom? Third, Koa Mana continues the Ka'ānani'au traditional land-use system, and I have been the spokesperson for Koa Mana and Wai'anae

Ka'ānani'au negotiations concerning 'ohana iwi kupuna since the passing of Unele Adrian Silva Sr. and Unele Iay Landis - for more than 30 years. The Army must show good faith and not violate traditional culhiral property and burial right practices under U.S. Army Field Manual 27-10 defining their federal and international law obligations. Why aren't they leading the way in supporting democratic processes in institutions with whieh they have dealings, treaties and international law obhgations? Fourth, how does American law determine Hawaiian National/native or indigenous cultural knowledge and practices under occupation? Cultural treasures are brought out of hiding (Koa Mana Piko stones). Who holds the piko stones, holds the key to the iwi and Ka'ānani'au responsibilities traditionally in the Wai'anae Wahipana. On Oct. 7, 2004, we met with Col. Killian and Army manager Laurie Lucking at Mākua Valley about our lineal descendant-kupuka'aina recognition to Mākua, Nene'u and Līhu'e Wai'anae Uka. The laek of traditional cultural understanding by Lucking led us to announee again to the world the secrets of the Piko stones as a symbol of our traditions of care for our Hawaiian National families' remains and traditional eultural properties, (TCPs) ! For years we have repeated our defense of our treasures and practices with the U.S. Army and State Historic Preservation Division, or SHPD, yet they are getting more devious in the way they try to divide our people and deny our rights (even under their occupation). Finally, we have told the Army that we will accept a process that includes competence - Hawaiian comprehension of the specific plaee of eoneem determined as competent by kūpuna of that plaee. Anything less is not a good faith effort. We see the Akaka Bill is a non-answer to the problem of justice, for our desecrated graves and ournation! De-occupation is the only just answer! Our Nation is already "independent!" "Kūkaniloko/Koa Mana stand in support!" See our web site at hnmio.org. ■ Alika Poe SUva is Kalm Kulāi.wi, Koa Mana, Kupuka'aina O Wai.'anae Nene'uWahipana, O'ahu, Hawaiian Naii.onal.

KŪKĀKŪKĀ ■ CDMMUNITY FDRUM KA WAI OLA | ĪHE LIVING WATER 0F OHA

KOpuna taught us that our our legacy is to perpetuate our ancestors' knowledge and Hawaiian nahonal treasures. - Courtesy photo by Dorren Ponoke, dpanoke@cyberwestmakaha. eom