Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Musings: Night and Day

Driving home last night, beneath the clear white moon, heater on in the car to ward off the chill, crossing the Wailua Bridge where the men are working nights, the flagmen barely visible in the darkness, I was aware of their vulnerability, and also of the vulnerability of that special place.

I ran into Waldeen Palmeira the other day and she said the feds had met with Hawaiians who are objecting to both the Wailua project and its process, and the feds agreed to a consultation “at the very highest level,” whatever/whomever that means. Most likely, we agreed, it means nothing, but is instead a way to buy time, pacify critics, because meanwhile, the work goes on, without an EIS.

And I was reminded of how so often that’s the case, where procedural challenges continue, complaints are lodged, lawsuits are filed, but still, the work goes on, so even if folks ultimately prevail in the end, much of the damage is already done. That same scenario is played out over and over and over again. But the system will let you bang your head against its walls and try to convince you it's a fair and reasonable process.

A restless night, full moon bright through the skylight, streaming in the windows, then blotted out by heavy rain that dimmed the first light of dawn and delayed our walk. But when we went out, oh, it was heavenly, with shards of orange and scarlet and soft pink and hot pink all mixed up on a lavender backdrop.

Rainbow shafts shot up from Makaleha, which was streaming with waterfalls, and Haupu, which was being drenched by a squall, and Waialeale was wrapped in these strangely yellow clouds that gave it an especially ethereal feel.

When the wind blew, droplets of rain flew off the tree branches, creating a fine mist that was backlit by the sun, forming a zillion sparkling diamonds, the kind of treasure that can’t be piled up in the bank or used for legal tender, and yet is priceless, immeasurably valuable — the only thing, really, that counts for much in the end.

Then the sun climbed a bit higher and the light flattened out and the color drained from the clouds and it was a grayish morning and I was aware of how fleeting it is, and how important it is to cherish it all and take nothing for granted and get out in it every possible chance.

And I wondered, is it really possible to take a Bobcat into Kalalau and blast rocks off the cliffs and cart them around and park a container on the beach and yet “have no substantial environmental or ecological effect in Kalalau?”

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

needs a bobcat? how absurd is that?
such folly to remove rocks froma vertical slope and expect to not loosen up others. what will happen if a rock falls and injures, or worse, kills someone? will they sue because the state loosened them in their attempt to remove the hazzards? what does the NPS do in yosemite? get plenty rocks, tourists and cliffs there but i don't think they manage the risk and resource the same way. knumbskull mentality at it's worstest!

Anonymous said...

Close out that valley, make it like Kahoolawe, native Hawaiians only. Creat a real preserve for the culture and the birds.

Recruit kanaka from the prisons and schools to remove the invasive species, human and vegetative. Restore the walls, loi and platforms.

Allow it to heal.

Anonymous said...

Maybe it would be more fair if only the opinions of a handful of intransigent activists were ever put into effect instead of having, you know, elected officials and legislatures and laws and courts and administrative agencies and all that stuff get in the way of what a handful of activists want.

Anonymous said...

"opinions of a handful of intransigent activists"

That's called "value added" as in the $200,000+ cost added to the highway / bridge project because of an opinion of a "child of the ahupua'a".

Anonymous said...

the $200,000+ cost added to the highway / bridge project because of an opinion of a "child of the ahupua'a".

Who do you suppose has to pay for THAT?

Anonymous said...

so what permanent impact do you think will occur? you are the 'expert' you tell us what the impact will be.

Anonymous said...

Certainly no more then the tons of human waste that has been deposited out there.

Anonymous said...

I agree that the valley should be closed. It needs to heal from overuse. Squatters removed, bathrooms repaired, trash removed and the long work of invasive species control needs to begin. What I disagree with is the rockfall mitigation work. It is a "wild" place. Why are we going in to make it safer? What next? The entire Na Pali Coast?

There is inherent risk involved when humans venture into a isolated and wild place such as Kalalau. Why are we attempting to mitigate danger in a "wild" place? To accommodate tourists? What will happen if their is a fatality due to a rockfall? The State will be sued and Kalalau will go the way of Sacred Falls on Oahu and be closed. Kamaaina will loose access to one more place as a result of some foolhardy tourist who gets hurt and does what Americans have a tendency to do...sue. What ever happened to personal responsibility? It is a choice to go to Kalalau. That choice involves risk-taking. If you are not prepared for the risk, don't go.

Responsibility for educating unknowing tourists of the danger falls squarely in the lap of the very industry that markets Kauai. If KVB and HTA are going to entice millions of tourists to our island each year, than they along with the rest of the industry need to educate visitors of the risks.

Personally, I am fed up with many places of my childhood being closed to access for this very reason. Waipahe'e Falls, Slippery Slide in Kilauea and the possibility of Kipu Falls next. When did we give our own accountability and kuleana over to government?

The State has failed miserably in the management of this natural resource. Kalalau should be removed from State Parks and returned to interested Kanaka Maoli descendants of Kalalau who have the kuleana to malama. Lo'i terraces and other culture resources could be restored and our people can once again reconnect to this storied place.

Anonymous said...

what is the difference between a bobcat and a truck driving on the beach? Trucks are not driving on geotextile fabric.

Anonymous said...

But no trucks ARE driving on the beach at Kalalau.

Anonymous said...

August 25, 2010 7:28 PM

Oh, I see. yup. got it.

Anonymous said...

the $200,000+ cost added to the highway / bridge project because of an opinion of a "child of the ahupua'a".

Who do you suppose has to pay for THAT?
The real facts are that the county did not follow laws and rules that are applicable to historic sites of such significance. Do not, do not blame the brave people that stand up for the land and the Iwi, and what is right. The county and state could have done it right, it is the counties fault.

Anonymous said...

"counties fault."

for the state highway or the state boat harbor on the wailu?

Anonymous said...

allegations are not facts, those pesky state and county agencies did do the required EA, studies and more. Those agencies have real people working for them (including Hawaiian practitioners) who mostly do a good job and care about the aina too.

Anonymous said...

"Do not, do not blame the brave people that stand up for the land and the Iwi, and what is right."

Is that why the case was thrown out of court? They couldn't build a case of facts, only feelings.

Anonymous said...

The bridge project, the road expansion project, the bike path project, all the same area of impact. Should have had an EIS, should have had a CIA, should have had an AIS...
the county can plan poorly or properly, but don't expect people to just go along with desecration and disrespect for the culture

Anonymous said...

All except the path are state projects.
State courts ruled that all paper work in order.
it's an election year take your complaints to Hooser, Mufi, and Duke.

Anonymous said...

Na kanaka don't stand a chance in the white man's court system. What is going on at Wailua is symptomatic of the clash of cultures that has been on going since 1778. Countless battles between Kanaka Maoli and the State, developers etc have occurred and will continue to occur because of different values. I and other "activists don't buy into the American capitalist system that puts profits before people. This system has no respect for our spiritual practices and reverence for the land. Self governance is the real answer if kanaka values are to stand a chance.

Anonymous said...

Self governance is the real answer if kanaka values are to stand a chance.

I got news, "Kanaka." There's plenty kanaka in the state government and the courts and the administrative agencies now. And if there was self governance there would be just as much strife over values and progres- over-bones, you betcha.

Anonymous said...

Really? I work in state government and I don't see a lot of them making management decisions in DOT or DLNR. There's a few in County government but certainly no where near the numbers of say Japanese or Haole. I'm not referring to Blue Collar workers either. I'm referring to the policy makers. The ones who make decisions regarding Kalalau and Wailua.

There will be different opinions in an independent Hawaiian Nation as in any other nation but the core values of malama aina and respect for kupuna would be areas of common ground.

Anonymous said...

There will be different opinions in an independent Hawaiian Nation as in any other nation but the core values of malama aina and respect for kupuna would be areas of common ground.

Really? You think all the kanaka mayors and committee members are in agreement about the iwi? You are delusional.

Anonymous said...

If he thinks the kanaka are in agreement about development or not development of the aina he's delusional too. He must not be a kanaka.

Anonymous said...

I have no delusions. I'm well aware of people with your mentality who like to tell people like me what they can't do. And yes we have coconuts amongst us who are disconnected from their culture and are able to participate in desecration of iwi kupuna. Doesn't make it sit right with other living Kanaka 'Oiwi and our kupuna who have come before.

Like it or not the Hawaiian sovereignty movement continues to gain momentum and support.

Anonymous said...

I'm not telling you what you can't do. I don't have anything against a sovereign Hawaiian nation. I just think you're delusional if you think everyone would suddenly be on the same page when it comes to iwi and the aina. If anything, I'll bet you anything the disagreements will be worse.

It's not that certain people are "coconuts." They just don't agree with you on certain issues. Either way, I think you admit by calling them coconuts that your statement that " the core values of malama aina and respect for kupuna would be areas of common ground" in an independent Hawaiian nation are delusional. After all, there'll still be "coconuts" as you like to call them.

Anonymous said...

Like it or not the Hawaiian sovereignty movement continues to gain momentum and support.

August 27, 2010 9:23 AM

which one or all of them?