Ka nota a ka luna hoʻoponopono: Unuhi ʻia na Kamalani Johnson. Click here to read this article in English.

Ua heleleʻi i nā ʻelele hoʻokō mokuʻāina ka mālama ʻana he pā ilina o kahi ʻohana Hawaiʻi i hele a ahuwale i ka hōlapu ʻana o ke ahi o Lahaina i ka makahiki 2023, a ʻaʻole nō hoʻi i lele i ka wā i hoʻomau ai kahi mea nona ka ʻāina kūloko i ka ʻaʻe i nā iwi kupuna ma ke kiʻi i ka mīkini e ʻeli ai i ka ʻāina, wahi a kahi hoʻopiʻi ʻana i hoʻokomo ʻia i kēia mahina.

Civil Beat stories ma ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi

‘Ka Ulana Pilina’ is an ongoing collection of news articles and opinion pieces written in the Hawaiian language to better connect with our Indigenous readers, identify underreported stories and improve our engagement with an underserved community.

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E mālama ana ka ʻohana Kimokeo i nā iwi o ko lākou poʻe kūpuna ma kahi wahi i hoʻomanaʻo ʻia ma ka inoa ʻo ka Mill Camp o Lahaina mai waena mai o nā 1800, i ʻōlelo ai nā loio no ka ʻohana. Kapu kēia hana kuʻuna, i ʻike ʻia ʻo ia ka mālama iwi kupuna, i hoʻopale ʻia ma ke kānāwai kumukānāwai, i nā Kānaka ʻŌiwi he nui, a e manaʻo ana nō hoʻi, ʻo ko lākou kuleana ia ʻo ka hōʻoia i ka maluhia o nā iwi kupuna o ko lākou poʻe kūpuna i hiki iā lākou ke ō mau a hānai i ka ʻāina.

He kumuhana nūnē ʻia kēia e ʻike ʻia ana kona hopena a puni ka mokuʻāina. I kēlā makahiki aku nei, ʻekolu paʻa iwi kupuna Hawaiʻi i huʻe a hoʻopē ʻia na kahi mīkini ʻeli ma ka wā e hoʻokomo ʻia ana kahi ʻōnaehana hoʻomaʻemaʻe wai ma ko Oʻahu Kapa Kai ʻĀkau.

Ma hope o ka hōlapu ʻana o ke ahi o Lahaina, ua aʻoaʻo nā ʻelele hoʻokō pekelala iā Brian Acason, ʻo ia ka mea nona ka nui o ka ʻāina kūkulu ʻole ʻia a ʻo kahi e noho nei nā iwi kupuna, e pono e hana lima ʻia nā hana e pā ai ka ʻāina no ka mālama ʻana i nā iwi kupuna, wahi a nā palapala ʻaha hoʻokolokolo. I loko nō naʻe o kēia, ʻo ia ʻāpono nō ia o Acason i ka ʻeli mīkini ʻia o ka ʻāina na nā hoa noho a me kahi pāʻoihana ʻaeʻoia nāna i ʻaʻe a pā ai he 90% o nā iwi kupuna, i ʻōlelo ai ka hoʻopiʻi ʻana.

Ke hoʻopiʻi nei ka ʻohana iā Acason i kēia manawa no ka ʻaʻe ʻana i ko ka mokuʻāina mau kānāwai mālama me ka maopopo, a pēlā no ka heleleʻi ʻana i ka mokuʻāina ka mālama i kona kuleana ma ka mālama i nā iwi kupuna a me ka noiʻi ʻana i kā Acason hana hewa, i ʻōlelo ai ka hoʻopiʻi ʻana. E pono e koi ʻia ʻo Acason e uku i nā hoʻopaʻi siwila a me ka uku pohō no kona ʻaʻe ʻana, wahi a ka hoʻopiʻi ʻana. Eia hou, e pāpā ʻia nā kūkulu ʻana a me nā hana e pā a e loli ai ka ʻāina o ia wahi a noiʻi piha nā ʻelele hoʻokō mokuʻāina i ka ʻaʻe hewa ʻana, ke kākau inoa a palapala ʻana i nā pā ilina, a me ka hoʻomohala ʻana he ala lapaʻau a papahana mālama no nā iwi kupuna.

Ua hōʻole ʻo Acason i ka hāpai manaʻo i ka Poʻalua.

I ka wā i ahuwale aʻe ai nā iwi kupuna i ʻike mua ʻole ʻia ma ka wā i hōlapu ai ke ahi i ka makahiki 2023, ua palapala ihola ka ʻohana Kimokeo a noi akula e kākau inoa ʻia ma ke Keʻena Mālama Mokuʻāina, wahi a kahi palapala mai ka Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation, ka hui e kū ʻelele nei no ka ʻohana. Ma hope o ko lākou ʻike ʻana no ko Acason ʻāpono ʻana i nā hana i pā hewa ai nā iwi kupuna, ua ʻimi aku lākou i nā hana e hōʻike kūhelu ʻia ai ia mau hana hewa me ka mālama pū i ka pā ilina mai ka ʻaʻe hewa hou ʻia, wahi a kahi palapala i hoʻolako ʻia na Kirsha Durante, he loio a luna hoʻokele hoʻokolokolo.

Ua kūpono nā hana a pau a ka ʻohana Kimokeo,” i ʻōlelo ai ka palapala. “I loko nō naʻe o ka hala ʻana o kahi makahiki o ka hilinaʻi, ua heleleʻi i ke Keʻena Mālama Mokuʻāina ka lele ʻana a ʻo ka hopena ka ʻai ʻana o nā iwi kupuna a me nā mamo i ka hopena. Pili kēia hoʻopiʻi ʻana i ke kuleana a me ka hōʻoia i ka mana o ko Hawaiʻi mau kānāwai mālama.”

ʻAʻole i loaʻa i nā ʻelele hoʻokō o ke Keʻena Mālama Mokuʻāina a me ke Keʻena Mālama ʻĀina ka ʻike no ka hoʻopiʻi ʻana i kēlā pule aku nei, wahi a kahi ʻelele Keʻena Mālama ʻĀina ʻo Andrew Laurence.

“ʻAʻole kēia mālama iwi kupuna ʻana he hana e hoʻokō wale aku ai nō. He kuleana laʻa kēia, a koikoi ʻia ma lalo o ke kānāwai pēlā,” i ʻōlelo ai kahi ʻatikala hōʻike manaʻo ma ke kahuapaʻa a ka Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation. “Ke lana nei ka manaʻo o ka ʻohana Kimokeo, he hopena pono ana ma muli o kēia hana a kō ai ka lapaʻau ʻana a me ka mālama ʻia o nā iwi kupuna a pau o ia ʻāina.”

ʻE Kōkua ka ʻAha Hoʻokolokolo I Ia Poʻe Iwi’

E mālama ana ka ʻohana Kimokeo, i mole ke kahua o ka ʻohana ma Maui he 200 a ʻoi makahiki, i nā iwi kupuna ma Lahaina mai ka wā mai i hoʻoili ʻia ai ka ʻāina i ko lākou mau kūpuna i ka wā o ka Māhele ma ka hapalua like o nā 1800, wahi a ka hoʻopiʻi ʻana. No nā hanauna he nui, e haʻi ana ka ʻohana i nā moʻolelo no ke kanu ʻana i ko lākou poʻe kūpuna ma kēia ʻāina, kahi i kiʻi ʻia ai ka pōhaku, ʻiliʻili, a kumu niu i hōʻailona no kahi i kanu ʻia ai nā iwi, wahi a ka hoʻopiʻi ʻana.

I loko nō o ka mau mai o ka ʻāina i ka ʻohana ma kēia wahi, ua hoʻomāhelehele ʻia ka hapa nui o ka ʻāina a ke aupuni i hoʻoili ai ma luna o lākou ma nā māhele liʻiliʻi mai a kūʻai kūkālā ʻia iā Pioneer Mill Co. a i nā hui ʻē aʻe i kinohi o nā 1900, i ʻōlelo ai ka hoʻopiʻi ʻana. Ua kūʻai ʻo Acason i ka ʻāina kūkulu ʻole ʻia mai ka pāʻoihana kō i ka makahiki 2014 me ka ʻike no nā pā ilina, wahi a ka hoʻopiʻi ʻana.

Ua kākau inoa kūhelu ʻia nā iwi kupuna ma lalo o ke Keʻena Mālama Mokuʻāina i ka makahiki 2018, wahi a ka hoʻopiʻi ʻana, a e mau ana ka mālama ʻana o ka ʻohana i ia mau iwi kupuna mai ia wā mai.

Ma ʻAukake 2023, ua ahuwale maila kekahi mau pā ilina, i huna mua i ka ulu ʻia e ka lāʻau, i ka hōlapu ʻana o ke ahi ma Lahaina. Ua noi ka ʻohana e kākau inoa ʻia nā iwi kupuna ma lalo o ka mokuʻāina i kekahi makahiki mai, ʻaʻole nō naʻe i hōʻoia kūhelu mai ke Keʻena Mālama Mokuʻāina i ia noi, wahi a nā loio o ka ʻohana.

“Ua paʻi kiʻi, palapala, a hōʻike makaliʻi ʻia kēia mau pā ilina hou i ahuwale maila me ke akahele,” wahi a ka ʻatikala hōʻike manaʻo a ka Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation, a ua hōʻike nā hulikoehana pekelala iā Acason no ka pāpā ʻia o ka ʻeli mīkini ʻana ma ka ʻāina i mea e mālama aku ai i nā iwi kupuna.

Eia nō naʻe, ʻo ia hai nō ia o Acason iā Chops Handywork no ka waele ʻana i ka ʻāina ma ka hoʻohana he mīkini ʻeli ma Ianuali o kēlā makahiki aku nei, wahi a ka hoʻopiʻi ʻana. I loko nō o kona haʻi ʻana i ka limahana ʻaeʻoia e makaʻala i nā pā ilina i ʻike hoʻomaopopo ʻia ma mua o ke ahi, ʻaʻole ʻo ia i hōʻike no nā iwi kupuna ʻakahi a ʻike ʻia a pēlā no ka makaʻala ʻana i ka ʻeli ʻana i ʻole e pā nā iwi kupuna, i hōʻike ai ka hoʻopiʻi ʻana.

I kekahi lā mai, ua ʻike ihola ʻo Michael Arcangel, he lālā o ka ʻohana Kimokeo, i nā ala huila mīkini nui e holo ana mai ʻō a ʻō o ka ʻāina, i hōʻike ai ka hoʻopiʻi ʻana, a he ahu pōhaku nui a lepa uliuli e kū mai ana a kona mau kūpuna a me nā hulikoehana i hoʻohana ai i hōʻailona no nā pā ilina.

Ma hope o kahi noiʻi ʻana, ua holo ka manaʻo o nā ʻelele hoʻokō mokuʻāina o ke Keʻena Hoʻomaluō a Hahai Kānāwai, ma ka ʻāpono ʻana i ke kiʻi ʻana i nā mīkini no ka ʻeli ʻana i ka ʻāina, ua ʻaʻe hewa ʻo Acason i ka iwi kupuna, wahi a ka hoʻopiʻi ʻana, a ua ʻimi nā ʻelele o ka ʻohana Kimokeo i ke aʻoaʻo i nā mahina ma hope mai mai ka ʻAha Kanu Iwi Kupuna o Maui a me Lānaʻi, nāna e aʻoaʻo i ka mālama ʻia o nā iwi kupuna a pēlā i ka ʻike hoʻomaopopo i nā mamo, a me ka Papa Alakaʻi o ke Keʻena ʻĀina.

A i kēia, ʻaʻole i lele nā ʻelele hoʻokō mokuʻāina ma luna o ia hana hewa, wahi a nā loio o ka ʻohana.

I kēlā mahina aku nei, ua ʻike ʻo Arcangel i ko Acason mau hoa noho e kanu ana i nā kumu hēʻī he ʻelima kapuaʻi ka lōʻihi ma kahi hoʻokahi o nā pā ilina i ʻike ʻia ma hope o ka hōlapu ʻana o ke ahi, a pā hewa hou aku ai nā iwi kupuna, wahi a ka hoʻopiʻi ʻana. I ka wā i nīnau ʻia aku ai, ua haʻi nā hoa noho iā Arcangel no ko Acason ʻae ʻana iā lākou e kanu i nā kumu lāʻau ma ka ʻāina, i ʻōlelo ai ka hoʻopiʻi ʻana.

“Ma kēia keʻehina, e pono e kōkua ka ʻaha hoʻokolokolo i ka ʻohana Kimokeo a me ko lākou poʻe iwi kupuna,” i kākau ai nā loio ma ka ʻatikala hōʻike manaʻo.

Ua ʻōlelo ʻo Scott Fisher, nāna e noho luna hoʻomalu nei i ka ʻAha Kanu Iwi Kupuna o Maui a me Lānaʻi, he ʻano ʻē nō ke kūlana o nā mea i hōʻike ʻia ma ka hoʻopiʻi ʻana.

“Huʻe pinepine ʻia nā iwi kupuna ma nā hana kūkulu, a no laila, ʻoiai e hoʻāʻo ana lākou e hoʻoponopono a wehe i ka ʻōpala, ʻaʻole nō he mea hoʻopūʻiwa ka loaʻa ʻana o nā iwi kupuna,” wahi āna i ʻōlelo ai. “He mea nō naʻe kēia i hana mua ʻole ʻia, a i ʻole paha ia, inā hana ʻia, ʻaʻole nō pinepine loa.”

ʻO ka maʻamau, i ka wā e pā ai nā iwi kupuna i nā hana kūkulu, ʻaʻole nō hoʻi ia he hana me ka maopopo, a i ʻole ia, ma muli o ko lākou ʻike ʻole i nā mea nui o kahi papahana lapaʻau pā ilina, i ʻōlelo ai ʻo Fisher.

“He paʻakikī ka wehewehe ʻana i ke koʻikoʻi lua ʻole o nā iwi i kēia mau ʻohana. He kūlana ʻehaʻeha loa nō hoʻi ka pā hewa ʻana o nā iwi,” wahi āna i ʻōlelo ai.

He kākaʻikahi loa ka launa ʻana me kahi mea nona ka ʻāina e hoʻokuli piha ana i ka pilina ma waena o ka nui o nā Kānaka Maoli me nā iwi kupuna o ko lākou ʻohana, i ʻōlelo ai ʻo ia.

“Noʻu ponoʻī, ʻaʻole au i ʻike maka mua he wā i hōʻeha ʻia ai nā iwi me ka maopopo,” i ʻōlelo ai ʻo Fisher, me ka pākuʻi pū aku, i ka wā e pā hewa ai nā pā ilina i nā mea kūkulu, “he nui loa ka minamina a mihi o ia mau kānaka.”