Group appreciates OHA support for Muolea Point

The Maui News
Letter to the Editor
Thursday, August 12, 2004

In response to Office of Hawaiian Affairs Trustee Rowena Akana's Aug. 3 letter opposing OHA's contribution toward the purchase of Muolea Point, we differ with Akana, who was the only trustee to vote against this purchase at OHA's July 28 meeting, and believe it is appropriate for OHA to support.

If OHA were to make the entire purchase themselves, it would be reasonable to expect that it would hold title to the land, but it is contributing only a relatively small portion of the overall purchase price, which is being covered primarily by county and federal government grants.

Today, this land is used mainly by local Hawaiian families with generations of ties to the area to support our traditional lifestyles. Many kupuna in East Maui were raised utilizing Muolea, and we continue to take our children there today to teach them the practices of our culture and subsistence from the land.

The management plan for the site currently being developed will emphasize a unique approach with an important role for local Hawaiian families with ties to the area. Two organizations working to support the purchase and local management, Ho'onipa'a No Hana Foundation and the Kipahulu 'Ohana, were both founded and are led by Native Hawaiians with lineal ties to the land at Muolea.

We believe that the purchase of Muolea is exactly the type of action that OHA should be taking to preserve Hawaiian culture and protect Hawaii's culturally significant lands for future generations.

John and Tweetie Lind
Kipahulu 'Ohana
Hana

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