The Problem with DLNR

There is a serious problem right now between the Department of Land and Natural Resources and the traditional practitioners of Hawaiian culture (specifically the lawai'a, fishermen) at Ka'ena. We would like to find real solutions to these problems...and quickly!





Recreational "four wheelers" have destroyed much of the native habitat, and disrupt the fishermen. When we have tried to complain to DLNR, rather than coming quickly to cite the real offenders, DOCARE officers typically come down much later -- and cite US! Often, these officers have used excessive force, and have not treated us respectfully. They do not know the laws that protect cultural practice. And they are not very good at protecting the resources of the area. We are not blaming anyone for this problem, but it needs to be fixed.

Furthermore, DLNR is interfering with our access in other ways. The traditional access is through the "lower road" makai of the current gate. Geologically, it is obvious that this is the way that people have traveled Ka'ena since ancient times, and there are mo'olelo that support this. Recently, the lower road has been blockaded with stones brought in by DLNR. Although DLNR does not take responsibility for this closure, their intention is to leave it closed. Meanwhile, the other access is through the main DLNR gate, which practitioners have found to be closed when we have gone to do our cultural practice. DLNR has boulders and cement pilings to line the roadway through the area. This has the effect of keeping us from some of our important places, and does not stop the "four-wheelers", who can simply move the barriers or drive over them for fun. We are also concerned that the stones may not have been moved properly, especially since some important stones have been reported to be missing from sacred sites at Ka'ena.

The planned "rodent-proof fence" is also a problem. While we fully support the protection of native birds and plants, we are concerned because native sites and practitioners have not been adequately protected in the process.

We want a solution that protects our access and gives us the power to protect our resources, because we feel that we are the only ones who are able to do so in an effective way. We would like to work with the community and DLNR in building this solution.

As cultural practitioners, it is our job to pass on our traditions to future generations. The way that our kupuna taught us was to take us to the places that they knew well, sometimes for weeks at a time, and let us experience the land first-hand while learning the correct ways to care for it. They would not tell anyone where we were going, or ask anyone's permission, because our traditions say that we are not supposed to tell anyone what we are doing. For this reason especially, a State-issued "permit" system would not work for the cultural practitioners of Ka'ena.

This is how traditional education is done, not through books or school field trips, but through living the practice as it has been done for centuries upon centuries. It is our right and responsibility to continue this educational practice. We always ask for permission on a spiritual level, and this is really the only permission that we need.