Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 33, Number 2, 1 Pepeluali 2016 — DONATIONS PROTECT HISTORIC KUAMOʻO SITE [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

DONATIONS PROTECT HISTORIC KUAMOʻO SITE

BY TREENA SHAPIRO

Not long after the death of Kamehameha I in 1819, Hawaiian forces waged battle over

the traditional kapu beli.ef system, whieh Kamehameha I's son and heir Liholiho wanted to abandon. Seeking to preserve the religious system, Kamehameha I's nephew Kekuaokalani. rebelled and raised troops against his cousin. During a decisive battle at Kuamo 'o, both Kekuaokalani. and his wife Chiefess Manono were slai.n. Wi.th her dyi.ng breath, Manono i.s sai.d to have uttered "Kō aloha lā ea," or "keep your love," as a plea to both sides to remember thei.r love ofone another, 110 matter

wliat obstacles would eome to I follow. Keola Beamer remembers visiting the Kuamo'o battlefield and burial grounds with his mother, who taught him chants and history from the area. "When you're there, you ean j ust feel this extreme gravitas," says Beamer, noting the iwi of hundreds of warriors remain there, including those of his ancestor Manono and her husband Kekuaokalani. "I remember my mom chanting on the 'a 'ā lava and her voice resilient and determined, yet so sad." In July 2012, Beamer and his family started a proj ect to protect Kuamo'o. With help from The Trust for Public Land and more than $4 million in donations, Beamer's nonprofit Aloha Kuamo'o 'Āina acquired the battlefield and burial grounds in

December and will steward the land going forward. "This beautiful wahi pana will be protected in perpetuity. No mischief ean happen," promises Beamer, Aloha Kuamo'o 'Āina's president. The nonprofit will be taking feedback from the community before determining what Kuamo'o's future will be, but Beamer anticipates it will align with the battlefield's past. "We want to take the lessons of Kuamo 'o and that beautiful message that Manono gave us - 'Kō aloha lā ea' - and take a site of war and eventually turn it into a plaee of peaee where cultural groups ean eome and visit, learn about the battle, learn about what happened, then take the lesson of aloha out to the wider world," he says.

>»»»» The Kuamo'o battlefield spans 47 acres south of Kona. The area is steeped in history, featuring cultural treasures, burial sites, heiau, shrines, ancient house sites, the remains of a historic village and a portion of the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail. The property also includes salt pans, lava

tubes and a sea cave that is

said to be the haunt ot shark god Ukupanipo. But neighboring the historic parcel are new mansions, close to the shoreline. Further south is the Hōkūli'a subdivision. If the Kuamo'o acquisition had fallen through, Lea Hong, The Trust for Public Land's State Director, says, "I think it was very mueh threatened with development." That won't happen under Beamer's

watch. Aloha Kuamo'o 'Āina will be removing invasive species and replanting native ones, repairing some of the damage done by

grazing cattle when the land was used for ranching and working with the National Park Service to make sure the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail is passable. There are no plans to build anything, although Beamer says a small hale for visitors to sit in the shade when they learn about Kuamo'o is a possibility. "There's not even a plastic chair right now. You go down there

and you have to sit on the

a'a lava, he descnbes. Aloha Kuamo'o 'Āina's vision is approved by the land's previous owner, Margaret "Possum" Schattauer, who didn't want it sold for general development. In a release announcing the acquisition, Schattauer, who is 88, said, "There is so mueh important history at Kuamo'o. I have always wanted this land to be preserved and shared. I am so very glad that Trust

for Public Land and Aloha Kuamo'o 'Āina have helped secure a good future for these precious lands and I strongly support Aloha Kuamo'o 'Āina's vision andplans to share the importance of this 'āina for generations to eome." Beamer points out that the Schattauer 'ohana waited patiently while the funds were raised, sold the land at a signficant

discount and made a sizable donation to his nonprofit to help them steward the land. "We look

forward to working with descendants of the battle and the Kona community to restore and protect this special plaee," he says. Hong notes that Schauttauer's donation will give Aloha Kuamo'o 'Āina the funding to do some studies and environmental research to ensure they start out on the right foot. With Keola and Kamana B eamer involved, along with Neal Hannahs, former head of the land asset division at Kamehameha Schools, Hong says, "They have a lot of brain power there with how to

approach the task at hand. Beamer noted that donor support made the acquisition possible. The State Legacy Lands Fund contributed $3 million to the campaign, and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs donated another $500,000. "It feels really good to know in our hearts there will be no development there. It contains the iwi, the bones of our ancestors, and it will be preserved in perpetuity. OHA is such a big part in making that happen," he says. OHA's donation falls in line with its strategic priority of protecting the 'āina and maintaining a eonneetion to the past. "Our contribution to helping preserve the Kuamo'o Battlefield and burial grounds is among ways we fulfill our purpose to Ho'oulu Lāhui Aloha," says OHA Chairperson Robert K. Lindsey, Jr. "Our role in preserving Kuamo'o is the latest example of how we are approaching with a sense of urgency our commitment to preserving historic cultural and natural resources." OHA Ka Pouhana and CEO Dr. Kamana'opono Crabbe says, "The Office of Hawaiian Affairs is pleased to have contributed to the preservation and protection of Kuamo'o, an important part of Hawaiian history and heritage. We are thankful that the battlefield and burial grounds of our ancestors will be cared for and protected from future development and disturbance."

Beamer says that people today ean learn from what happened at Kuamo'o, when Hawaiians went to war with eaeh other. Manono's last message was one of resilienee, he points out. "There are no longer any sides. The battle is long since fought," Beamer says. "We want to make it a plaee of reconciliation, aloha and peaee." ■

"This beautiful wahi pana will be protected in perpetuity. No mischief ean happen."

MO'OLELO NUI v www.oha.org/kwo kwo@OHA.org C0VER FEATURE / NATIVE HAWAIIAN » NEWS | FEATURES | EVENTS

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In 1 81 9, Hawaiian forces clashed over the traditional kapu system, whieh King Kamehameha II, Liholiho, wished to abolish. Adefinitive battle was waged at Kuamo'o. - lllusfration: Courtesy ofBrook Parker

Stewardship of Kuamo'o has passed from the Schattauer 'ohana to the Beamers. Back leftto right: Keoki Schattauer, Toni Schattauer, Moana Beamer and Keola Beamer. Seated: Mrs. Margaret "Possum"0 Schattauer. - /V?o/05 coorfe5jz o/ //?e īrustforPublicLand

Kuamo'o Battlefield spans 47 acres and includes a sea cave said to be the haunt of shark god Ukupanipo and this sea arch.