Friday, December 17, 2010

Musings: On Feelings

Enchanted is the only word to describe the scene that greeted Koko and me when we went walking this morning. A swirling, steaming sea of mist lapped at the shores of the roadside, burnt-orange swaths of color lit up the Giant, still sleeping, and Venus burned gold high overhead. The world was muffled and strangely still, with muted crickets; even the roosters were subdued.

The swaths slowly stained scarlet and the rest of the heavens were tinted a delicate pinkish-baby blue. All the colors intensified, with the sky becoming a pale lavender and bleeding onto the faces of Waialeale and Makaleha, turning them deep purple, and as I climbed higher, I could soon see the land stretching out to Haupu, with all the cinder cones wreathed in mist.

On the way back, Koko lunged at a mynah bird wiggling toward the wedelia alongside the road, its wing dragging a bit. I wondered if it had been the victim of a vehicular hit and run, but when I stooped to check it out, it gave up such a chattering, squealing cry of alarm that I decided not to traumatize it further. Just then, two mynahs that had been perched on a tree directly across the street flew to the utility wires overhead and began scolding me loudly, as if they were keeping watch over their stricken comrade.

And people say animals have no emotions, no feelings.

I have to admit I wasn’t feeling especially sympathetic yesterday when a woman called in to Jimmy Trujillo’s show on KKCR radio to complain that rich people are being discriminated against on Kauai. Seems that all the outcry over gated communities, posh vacation rentals and McMansions on ag lands had her feeling that the elite were being unfairly scorned, rejected as a group when some of them are so nice and making a contribution.

She then went on to specifically mention negativity directed toward “the people on Kauapea Road” — an area that offers a perfect example of how ag land has been abused, to the detriment of farmers and the one-time wilderness beach below — which had me wondering if she worked for the reviled Michele Hughes. She also noted that when people criticize vacation rentals, they are belittling the people who work for them, which was a bit of a stretch.

Jimmy’s guest was Council Chairman Jay Furfaro, who responded with a little anecdote about how people often ask how long they must live here before they are considered kama`aina, and how he tells them it’s got nothing to do with time and everything to do with attitude and embracing certain cultural values.

We all know that some of the rich people who have moved here are nice and actually work to make Kauai a better place. But unfortunately, niceness doesn’t always equate with responsible, thoughtful actions. One example is Pierce Brosnan, who has been touted as nice by many, yet he’s waged a long and costly war over water with a Hawaiian farmer — he wants it for landscape ponds, she wants it grow taro —and his oceanfront Haena home is one of those where the yard is sprawling onto the public beach.

What’s more, rich people's “contributions,” which tend to be viewed primarily in financial terms, such as the property taxes paid on their palatial homes and the jobs given to the people who clean them, often come at a very high public price, like blocked access ways, narrowed beaches, disturbed burials and radically altered neighborhoods.

We’ve also seen over and over again how rich people who can afford to hire attorneys have literally bulldozed any opposition to their desires and/or bought themselves the consultants and politicians who can make their dreams come true.

And when rich people deliberately choose to shut themselves off from the community behind gates and high fences, or attempt to set themselves above and apart from others by ostentatiously flaunting their wealth, it’s not surprising that they generate some resentment.

Besides, if things get too uncomfortable for them, they have the luxury of being able to sell out, usually at a high profit, and flit off to one of their other homes — unlike the Native Hawaiians who are continually discriminated against and treated badly in their own homeland.

So no, I'm not feeling sorry for those poor, discriminated against rich folk.

Speaking of Hawaiians, I happened to be talking to kumu hula Kehau Kekua yesterday and asked her about Gov. Abercrombie’s visit to Kauai on Wednesday night. She said that he had specifically requested that the event be held at Wailua, which at first met with some resistance from cultural practitioners, but upon further reflection, was viewed as a good thing because it seemed to reflect his awareness of the special, sacred qualities of that place.

If that’s truly the case, and given his decision to choose Hawaiians committed to burial preservation as the director and deputy director of DNLR, we may be seeing a state government that is a little more sensitive to cultural issues and concerns.

In closing, some rich people are doing good things, like helping WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who has finally been released from jail, although under strict controls. He's vowed to continue his whistleblowing, like the leaked diplomatic cables that show, according to a Democracy Now! report "the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer hired investigators to find evidence of corruption against the Nigerian attorney general to pressure him to drop a $6 billion lawsuit over fraudulent drug tests on Nigerian children. Eleven children died. Others suffered disabling injuries including deafness, muteness, paralysis, brain damage, loss of sight, slurred speech."

Now that's the kind of sad tale worth feeling sorry about.

37 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't see why the governor wanting his Kauai event to be held at Wailua would "at first [be] met with some resistance from cultural practitioners." Can you help me try to understand that? Mahalo in advance.

Anonymous said...

Aloha Joan!

I agree that the rich just don't get the kama'aina values. One of the chief differences in conflict is in the emphasis between individualism vs. community. Many malihini just think of themselves & only themselves. Most kama'aina think about how their actions will affect the community & environment.

The ag lands on Kauapea Rd are a travesty to what the people have decided for the direction of growth. These lands are supposed to be used for growing food for the island, not to be used as exclusive playgrounds of the rich!

Aloha 'aina.

Anonymous said...

People get dollar signs in their eyes. They think the famous stars will pay them to go away rather than risk the bad rep from frivolous suits against them. It's happened to Midler, Brosnan, Kiedis

Anonymous said...

According to this the supreme court said the "Hawaiian farmer"

Ham Young has not argued that the use of the water from the Ditch to fill the Ponds is unreasonable because circulating the Ponds changes the volume, flow, temperature, turbidity, or other physical characteristic of the water. Ham Young has not argued that the defendants have no right to use water from the Ditch in connection with the Lee Property. Instead, on this point, Ham Young argues the use of the water in conjunction with ornamental Ponds is per se unreasonable, regardless of whether it affects the quality, quantity, or other physical characteristics of the water. Put another way, Ham Young argues that she has a right for the water not to pass through the Ponds on the Lee Property, regardless of whether her use of the water is affected.

That's ridiculous! She has spent the last several years misinforming anyone who would listen including newspaper reporters that Brosnan was stealing her water, when she wasn't telling them he was polluting her water. Turns out to be a crock. Good for him for not letting her extort him.

Joan Conrow said...

No, Anonymous, 5:42 p.m., you haven't characterized things correctly. My response to Charley, who posted the appellate reference in taking issue with my assertion:

I don't think my statement gives a false impression at all, Charley, and so there really isn't any need for you to offer a correction. It states precisely what is: he wants the water for ponds, she wants it for taro. And it's exactly the point I was trying to make: as a rich person, he views water as a commodity, something suitable for an ornamental, superfluous use; as a Hawaiian, she views the water as something to be respected, as wealth in and of itself.

It's not surprising that an American appellate court, or you, didn't "get it."

Anonymous said...

"We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us." - Aldo Leopold

Anonymous said...

pierce didn't doesn't care at all that his ponds prevent Auntie from growing tato.shame on the bugger

Anonymous said...

If Pierce cared about being respected in our community, he would clear the sprawl onto the beach in front of his home...AND announce he's decided NOT to turn his home into a vacation rental.

People are nice to him now. But to be respected...

Anonymous said...

I could be wrong, when I was a young boy I remember Kaupea growing sugar. Not food. Who profited from the sugar? ... families?
I imagine there was farming by hawaiians, for food before the plantation got going but I am not a historian.
So did the sugar industry take away the subsistence farms, then the industry tanked and realtors who lived here already, sold to visiting friend..? (who have actually created an amazing farm on that road)

Anonymous said...

Charlie's right. What Joan wrote does give the false impression of a zero sum game where the water goes either to the ponds or to the taro.

Joan is too accomplished as a writer to not know that she is leaving this false impression.

It is ironic that she accused Brosnan of being irresponsible when she has intenionally or not misrepresented what that case was about its no wonder though. When you hear all the facts of it the "hawaiian farmer" ends up looking rather silly.

One more thing. Does Joan really think Hawaiians are against using water for ornamental purposes? That is silly AND racist.

Anonymous said...

Kanaka word for fresh water is wai likewise waiwai means wealth. Hawaiians in the past and today recognize the life giving force of water and if one defiled it was punishable by death. On an island surrounded by kai (salt water) protection of fresh water was vital for survival of the community. Bathing upstream was forbidden to keep water clean for lo'i below. Clean cool fresh water is necessary for kalo.

Regardless of the outcome this is a prime example of a clash between cultures that are polar opposites. In this instance as in many others native culture is on the loosing end
.No Aloha from Mr. Brosnan here.

Anonymous said...

I would like to know what the "rich" have done to make this a better place for us all to live?

Resentments grow all over the island. For example:
Closing off access to the beach at Kaupea for us who have been around for awhile caused lots of resentment.

Having paid "mokes" running around harassing nude sun bathing women, changed the whole feeling of the Secret beach experience tainted with fear of molestation, and fines in the name of Jesus.

Closing off access to Pa Pa a Bay was another incident where protesters went to jail, while the owners had better lawyers and Mayor Baptiste in their bed with them. Created more resentment and distrust of our local government.

Being sensitive to the people who live here, the cultures present, and what they value are keys to getting along.

Participating in community events,and non profit organizations, supporting farmers (lease their land for the production of food) could bring some goodwill to those that can afford mansions on agricultural lands.

But unfortunately, the rich are too busy making money, "developing" and exploiting "their" land and spending their money to care.

Dr Shibai

Anonymous said...

Fitting in with and getting the approval of the likes of Joan and Dr Shibai are hardly the end all be all of fitting in and getting along with the community on Kauai.

New comers don't have to genuflect to the fringiest parts of the community to get along just fine with everyone else.

Anonymous said...

The diverse and relatively benign land-based local cultures, once somewhat shielded by their remoteness from the world at large, have been dramatically impacted by the dominant greed-based world views of successive waves of outsiders, who generally view this place as an exploitable utopian playground rather than the unique, fragile, and sacred space that it is, or at least was. How many people today remember just how different the reefs were just fifty years ago, when they were still teeming thick with diversity and aliveness? So much of the land, and ocean, was relatively wild and unspoiled for millions of years, before being irrevocably damaged in less than a human lifetime--a blink of a cosmic eye. Many people who would be outraged at someone smoking and flicking their cigarette butt away in a church just don't seem to mind when someone bulldozes a patch of pristine tropical rainforest to put up a huge mansion and landscaped, manicured lawn. As Wendell Berry once wrote, "There are no unsacred places; there are only sacred places and desecrated places."

Anonymous said...

Question to you:
"New comers don't have to genuflect to the fringiest parts of the community to get along just fine with everyone else.December 18, 2010 3:15 PM"

I would like to know what the "rich" have done to make this a better place for us all to live?

Dr Shibai

Anonymous said...

I would like to know what the "rich" have done to make this a better place for us all to live?

what have you done to make this a better place? What have the poor done? what have the middle class done? As a group or as individuals? What kind of idiot question is that even? "The rich" is made up of individuals. Like any other arbitrary way you can group them up, of the individuals who happen to be "rich," some have done squat (like you maybe?) while others have done a great deal to make this a better place under any measure you'd care to define as "making it a better place."

Anonymous said...

more that race, class seems to be the divisive issue that seperates the haves, have nots and have mores. i think that was michelle who called in support of the 'poor' rich folks being singled out.

Anonymous said...

"how different the reefs were just fifty years ago, when they were still teeming thick with diversity and aliveness?"
Until the Hawaiians showed up followed by everyone else eating their way across the planet.

Anonymous said...

"fringiest."

You mean people like Charles and the late Loke Perreira?

These wonderful Hawaiian activists spoke up and showed up for us when we didn't have time to. Although we couldn't be there in numbers, we knew they were there to represent us. Charlie still does.

"fringiest?"

No, middle of the road over here.

Anonymous said...

Can we agree there are many non-Hawaiians who "recognize the life giving force of water" -- even some who choose to live on Kauai? That owning a nice home on Kauai doesn't necessarily mean one does not embrace aloha aina or recognize Nature's sanctity?

Anonymous said...

Can we agree there are many non-Hawaiians who "recognize the life giving force of water" -- even some who choose to live on Kauai? That owning a nice home on Kauai doesn't necessarily mean one does not embrace aloha aina or recognize Nature's sanctity?

Do you really think running water through attractive ponds on the way downhill instead of through a ditch (which is what Auntie's water runs through) is to not embrace aloha or recognize nature's sanctity. It's a man-made ditch after all that we're talking about. It seems you should be upset about the ditch in the first place if you are so concerned about running the ditch water through some ponds.

Anonymous said...

Dear..MR/MRS/MS who said:

"what have you done to make this a better place? What have the poor done? what have the middle class done? As a group or as individuals? What kind of idiot question is that even? "The rich" is made up of individuals. "



By rich, I mean those who have developed Kaupea, Kealia Kai, Moloaa, from farm and rurual ag lands to megamansionville making mega bucks...blocking off access to beaches and mountain trails....for the rest of the non gated community members....who have a second home or vacation rental here that is monstrous.....

In the process......creating more polarization on the Island, resentment...etc. etc.

Until we can all live together on this island harmoniously, we will continue to live erroneously pretending we have Aloha spirit as a community.

Perhaps it will take another crisis or hurricane to bring back the community spirit.

Its not about whether you are rich or poor....its about respecting the land, the people, the process, and the culture that was here when you moved from another place that is different.

Dr Shibai

Anonymous said...

From 11:05am....."It's a man-made ditch after all that we're talking about. It seems you should be upset about the ditch in the first place if you are so concerned about running the ditch water through some ponds."

THOSE DITCHES ARE CRUCIAL TO LIFE HERE. NOT JUST HUMAN LIFE EITHER.

Anonymous said...

"Until the Hawaiians showed up followed by everyone else eating their way across the planet."

What an ignorant, racist comment. Sure, the Hawaiians impacted the natural environment to an extent, but they were far more connected to the natural world--and were much more careful to preserve and protect it--than the more materialistic and acquisitive westerners who arrived here later. Also, I personally remember how rich, diverse, and teeming with life the reefs of Hanalei and Ha`ena were just fifty years ago. A lot of the destruction and "development" occurred in the past couple of decades, not centuries ago.

Anonymous said...

The degradation of the reef in Haena is dramatic just in my lifetime(i'm 20), and was born and grew up there. Too young to have a longer comparison, .

Anonymous said...

Quit the whinning get with the program...
"The Navy will use only “third generation” biofuels. That means no ethanol made from corn because it doesn’t have enough energy density. The Navy is only testing fuels like camelina and algae that do not compete with food, that have a total end-to-end carbon footprint cleaner than fossil fuels and that can be grown in ways that will ultimately be cheaper than fossil fuels."

Anonymous said...

"the rich" - McCluskys have donated land. Ms. Midler holds lots of land in private trust not to be developed and some has been restored with native plants, the county has $1 leases on lands for public use...

Anonymous said...

re....4:09

"Quit whinning and get with the program."


So how's this; "Quit whinning about fossil fuels and get with the program."

I see it's not whinning when it's something you choose to discuss...

Anonymous said...

THOSE DITCHES ARE CRUCIAL TO LIFE HERE. NOT JUST HUMAN LIFE EITHER.

The ponds don't interfere with the ditches. They are part of the ditch system. The water flows through them. They do not prevent any water from flowing to the taro. They don't change the rate the water flows. They don't add or subtract anything from the water. The only difference is, instead of a purely utilitarian man made ditch, it is an ornamental man made series of little ponds. How is that such a bad thing?

Anonymous said...

Can we agree there are many non-Hawaiians who "recognize the life giving force of water" -- even some who choose to live on Kauai? That owning a nice home on Kauai doesn't necessarily mean one does not embrace aloha aina or recognize Nature's sanctity?

Do you really think running water through attractive ponds on the way downhill instead of through a ditch (which is what Auntie's water runs through) is to not embrace aloha or recognize nature's sanctity. It's a man-made ditch after all that we're talking about. It seems you should be upset about the ditch in the first place if you are so concerned about running the ditch water through some ponds.

I asked the first question. Someone chose to quote/address it, but from my perspective s/he did not answer it in any way, shape or form. Instead s/he used it as a soapbox from which to story-talk about his/her agenda.

Okay.

Some folks here talk of polarization as a thing to be "fixed," and I wonder: is it possible this condition is created when people *CHOOSE* not to listen, not to hear, not to respond to a direct question?

My issue -- the reason I asked the question -- regards the pervasive "Us vs. Them" mentality (BIG on this blog and to a much lesser extent on the island, itself) that doesn't take into account whatsoever that people are individuals. This impedes conversation, imho.

I'll also offer another opinion: polarizing yourself may not be in your best long-term interest. I understand it's your choice, though, and that people don't always choose actions based on their own best long-term interests.

It is Life.

Aloha.

Anonymous said...

Auwai or "ditches" fed stream water to the lo'I and back into the stream as the wai made its way to the sea. Man made or not, life sustaining kalo cultivation for Kanaka Maoli supersedes aesthetics for vacation rental units. Give tourists the real deal...Hawaiians actually practicing their traditions in Haena and not some sanitized pretense of it.
Otherwise go to the Caribbean or anywhere else one can find a warm, sunny island. Kanaka culture is what makes Hawaii unique and that's what tourist should see when they Visit.

Anonymous said...

A lot of polarization is manufactured. Take the improbable notion that forming a man-made irrigation ditch into a series of decorative pools having no discernible impact on the water running through them on the way to a taro plot in any way offends the sensibilities of native Hawaiians. That is purely manufactured outrage that has no basis in reality.

Anonymous said...

"That is purely manufactured outrage that has no basis in reality."

Maybe not in YOUR reality but since you're not a native Hawaiian you can't really say, can you?

Anonymous said...

This is what happens when tvrs commercialize a neighborhood. Kalo cultivation in Haena has a long history. Generations before Pierce arrived. This is why old timers like Ham Young resent those who move into an area and change the essence of it by imposing western values in a community once dominated by Hawaiian values and customs. Individuals need to use water for aesthetics purposes rather than a kalo farmer trying to feed their ohana and community would be seen as pono'ole (unjust).

Too bad people like Brosnan fail to learn anything about the culture of a place beforehand and NOT what is served up by HVB. Some education and sensitivity would serve to sooth these cultural clashes between Hawaiian practitioners and newcomers.

Joan Conrow said...

OK, Anonymous, you just pushed it one too many times. Big delete for you, buddy!

Anonymous said...

"Some education and sensitivity would serve to sooth these cultural clashes between Hawaiian practitioners and newcomers."

As a long time local, born and raised here, I would wholeheartedly agree. They would... "sooth these cultural clashes between..." non-native Hawaiian locals and newcomers, too. So many newcomers who are quick to charge "racism" are simply unaware of the true history and culture of this place--I don't mean the usual HVB propaganda--and are thus seen as offensive to the sensibilities of locals and native Hawaiians alike.

Anonymous said...

It's funny, all the times in my life that I was called a "fucking haole", I didn't get a dissertation on cultural values. I think it's really convenient that Hawaiians have this crutch for racism.

"Many malihini just think of themselves & only themselves. Most kama'aina think about how their actions will affect the community & environment."

Really? Bull phlegm.