The bulldozing and desecration of Hawea Heiau in Maunalua (Hawai'i Kai) is a travesty.

Mahalo. Our kupuna are calling out to us for help.

I have heard them and this blog is given them a voice in this blog site - people can see and read what's going on and help Hawea.

Just a few things:

In discussion with kupuna and cultural experts they have shared a heiau is not just the temple that is sacred - the materials; rock walls, structures etc, - but it is the land itself that is sacred. This is why you'll find one heiau built over another through history, they are building on the sacred site. Parts of Hawea have been bulldozed but they can be rebuilt on the same land because the land is sacred, the land is the link between humans and the our Hawaiian gods.

When I wrote "A copy of this agreement was supposed to have been shared with the community before any work was done per information provided by the SHPD office. "

To be completely clear, a copy of the agreement was supposed to have been given to the community by the developer before any work was done per information provided by the SHPD office.

The bulldozing and desecration of Hawea Heiau in Maunalua (Hawai'i Kai) is a travesty. Our community is both sad and angry. Where is the respect for our wahi pana (sacred places) and our kupuna? How can we all come together to save the iwi and archeological features that call to us for help?

Aloha

annmarie@hawaii.rr.com


Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Historic Preservation Division Hawaii

Maybe we need to to make it clear to them what the words Historic and Preservation mean, they seem to not know.

historical : as a: famous or important in history <historic battlefields> b: having great and lasting importance historic occasion> c: known or established in the past <historic interest rates> d: dating from or preserved from a past time or culture <historic buildings> <historic artifacts>
Main Entry:

Preservation

1pre·serve
Pronunciation:
\pri-ˈzərv\
Function:
verb
Inflected Form(s):
pre·served; pre·serv·ing
Etymology:
Middle English, from Medieval Latin praeservare, from Late Latin, to observe beforehand, from Latin prae- + servare to keep, guard, observe — more at conserve
Date:
14th century
transitive verb1: to keep safe from injury, harm, or destruction : protect2 a: to keep alive, intact, or free from decay b: maintain3 a: to keep or save from decomposition b: to can, pickle, or similarly prepare for future use4: to keep up and reserve for personal or special use

Historic Preservation Division
State Department of Land and Natural Resources

We wish to thank John DeLima (Star-Bulletin, May 16) for expressing his concerns over the possible destruction of historic sites by the planned development adjacent to the Hawaii Kai Post Office. We also wish to reassure him that no historic sites will be destroyed by the proposed developments.

We believe that DeLima is referring to Hawea Heiau, which was on Kaluanui Ridge. Hawea Heiau was reported partially dismantled in 1930. It appears that by the 1960s much of the remaining site was destroyed during road construction for the development of the Mariner's Ridge subdivision. Development of the Kalele Kai Condominiums did not affect the heiau, as they were built on fill lands put in that area during the development of Hawaii Kai in the 1960s.

Furthermore, the landowners of the proposed development adjacent to the post office have complied with all applicable laws concerning historic sites. The recorded location of Hawea Heiau is mauka of this area.

We invite DeLima and any other interested residents to visit our office in Kapolei in order to review the reports and correspondence on file concerning this part of Hawaii Kai.

Don Hibbard
Administrator
Historic Preservation Division
State Department of Land and Natural Resources

Posted by at
Labels:

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)