Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 26, Number 9, 1 Kepakemapa 2009 — Meetings set for Kalaupapa Memorial [ARTICLE]

Meetings set for Kalaupapa Memorial

By Valerie Mūnsan Special tū Ka Wai ūla Ka 'Ohana 0 Kalaupapa and Kalaupapa National Historieal Park weleome the puhlie to learn about and share their thoughts about the Kalaupapa Memorial. A series of public meetings about the memorial will be held in conjunction with the preparation of an Enviromnental Assessment and to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act. Before eaeh meeting, Ka 'Ohana 0 Kalaupapa will hold hourlong family workshops to help anyone find information about ancestors who were sent to Kalaupapa. Earlier this year, President Barack Obama signed into law the Kalaupapa Memorial Act. The law states that "The Secretary of the Interior shall authorize Ka 'Ohana 0 Kalaupapa, a nonprofit organization consisting of patient residents at Kalaupapa National Historical Park, and their family members and friends, to establish a memorial at a suitable location or locations approved by the Secretary at Kalawao or Kalaupapa within the boundaries of Kalaupapa National Historical Park . . . to honor and perpetuate the memory of those individuals who were forcibly relocated to the Kalaupapa Peninsula from 1866 to 1969." The first meeting will be held at Kaumakapili Church, 766 N. King St., in Honolulu on Sept. 18. The family workshop will begin at 6 p.m„ followed by the public scoping session on the memorial from 7 to 9 p.m. Light refreshments will be served. Kaumakapih Church was chosen as the site for the first meeting since this was the home church of Kahauliko, who was sent to Kalaupapa on lan. 6, 1866, and is listed as No. 1 on the Admission Register of people sent to

Kalaupapa. Consequently, Kahauliko's name will be listed first on the Kalaupapa Memorial, whieh will contain the names of the estimated 8,000 individuals sent to the Kalaupapa peninsula because of govermnent policies regarding leprosy. Other public meetings will be held on: Lāna'i » Sept. 19, venue and times to be announced Maui » Sept. 21, Paukūkalo Hawaiian Homes Community Center, 661 Kaumuali'i St„ Wailuku 6 p.m. family workshop, 7-9 p.m. public scoping session Moloka'i » Sept. 23, Kulana 'Ōiwi Conference Center, 600 Maunaloa Highway, Kaunakakai 6 p.m. family workshop, 7-9 p.m. public scoping session » Sept. 26, McVeigh Hall, Kalaupapa 9 a.m. family workshop, 10 a.m.-noon public scoping session Comments in writing from individuals on the Big Island, Kaua'i or anywhere else ean be mailed to: Ka 'Ohana O Kalaupapa, P.O. Box 1111, Kalaupapa, HI 96742 or to Kalaupapa National Historical Park, P.O. Box 2222, Kalaupapa, HI 96742. The 'Ohana is a nonprofit organization that is made up of Kalaupapa residents, their family members, descendants and longtime friends. Kalaupapa National Historical Park was established in 1980 at the request of the Kalaupapa community. Ka 'Ohana O Kalaupapa was organized in 2003. The Kalaupapa Memorial Act was introduced to Congress in late 2005 by then-Congressman Ed Case. When Case left the U.S. House of Representatives a year later, his successor, Congresswoman Mazie Hirono, reintroduced the bill, where it was passed in the House last year. Sen. Daniel Akaka introduced the Kalaupapa Memorial Act in the U.S. Senate, where it was also adopted as part of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009. For information, eall Valerie Monson, secretary/coordinator for Ka 'Ohana O Kalaupapa, at 808-573-2746, or Steve Prokop, Superintendent, Kalaupapa National Historical Park at 808-567-6802, ext. 1100. ■