Resource bill would glean kupuna wisdom

The Maui News
Friday, June 22, 2007

By TRAVIS KAYA, Staff Writer

HONOLULU – A bill approved last month by the Legislature to create a statewide resource management system based on ancient Native Hawaiian practices is awaiting action by Gov. Linda Lingle.

"It will initiate a process to establish a system of best practices," said state Rep. Mele Carroll, who represents East Maui, Molokai and Lanai. "This would allow our kupuna to share their ancient wisdom with the younger generation."

Originally written by Carroll after months of discussion with Native Hawaiian community groups, the bill would establish a temporary exploratory board, called the 'Aha Kiole Advisory Committee, to research the eventual creation of a permanent 'Aha Moku Council Commission. The 'aha moku council system would advise the Department of Land and Natural Resources on all matters regarding resource management across the state's approximately 37 moku, or regions.

"The whole point is to give the DLNR a lot of community input," said state Sen. J. Kalani English, who represents Upcountry, East Maui, Molokai and Lanai residents and wrote a companion bill approved in the Senate. "We need to have somewhere for locals to voice their opinion, and I think the kupuna will feel that they have some real input."

The proposed 'aha moku council system is based on the ahupua'a, an ancient Hawaiian land division system that separated the islands into areas stretching from the mountains to the ocean floor. Each land division was self-contained and dependent on community input, making the ancient system a model for DLNR officials faced with the task of managing Hawaii's limited natural resources.

"We want voices in office where they can listen to the input of people who have lived on the land for generations," said Winnie Basques of Lanai, a member of the 'aha kiole planning committee. "Scientists can only do so much Ku– it's the practitioners who know."

Members of the advisory committee will be appointed by the governor from a list of nominees selected by the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs. The committee will "go into all the moku and examine all the practice models," speaking with both native practitioners and scientists, before reporting back to the Legislature, Carroll said.

Although the DLNR already holds community meetings to discuss resource management, Carroll said the bill will encourage better communication, especially with the Native Hawaiian community. Because the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs will have a hand in selecting committee members, she said, kupuna will feel more comfortable voicing their opinions and sharing their knowledge of ancient customs.

"It's a respect thing," she said. "My heart breaks when children don't listen to their elders."

According to state Communications Officer Corrie Heck, Lingle has not taken action on the bill, which is pending further review. Both English and Carroll said they hope the bill will be signed into law in the coming weeks.

"I would assume that the bill would get signed because it had the support of the DLNR," English said. "I think it's a prudent first step."

If Lingle intends to veto the measure, she has until Monday to notify the Legislature. The final action deadline is July 10.

Travis Kaya can be reached at tkaya@mauinews.com.

Copyright © 2005 The Maui News.

Original article URL: http://www.mauinews.com/story.aspx?id=31625

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