ASSOCIATION OF HAWAIIAN CIVIC CLUBS
A RESOLUTION
No. 2018 – 37
SUPPORTING ESTABLISHMENT OF THE KAWA‘EWA‘E HEIAU CULTURAL PRESERVE AS PART OF THE HAWAIIAN MEMORIAL PARK CEMETARY PLAN AND THE EXPANSION OF THE CEMETARY TO PROVIDE BURIALS SPACES FOR ISLAND FAMILES
WHEREAS, Kawa‘ewa‘e Heiau is located on Kawa‘ewa‘e ridge in the ‘ili of the same name, in the ahupua‘a of Kāne‘ohe; and
WHEREAS, the heiau is believed to have been built by Chief Olopana as a Kū heiau centuries ago, and subsequently also used as an agricultural heiau dedicated to the god Lono; and
WHEREAS, during his visits to the Ko‘olaupoko moku, Chief Olopana stopped at Kawa‘ewa‘e Heiau to rest and to receive requests for help or judgment on various matters in the region; and
WHEREAS, the site is legendary as a wahi kapu where Olopana and Kamapua‘a met in conflict in ancient times; and
WHEREAS, after the great epidemics of the 19th century, when many of the people who cared for this heiau were stricken with fatal illnesses, there came a time where there was no one left to mālama this wahi kapu; and
WHEREAS, in addition, following the death of Kamehameha I and due to the influence of Ke Ali‘i Ka‘ahumanu, the people were forbidden to follow the teachings of the priests; and
WHEREAS, in modern times, with the emergence of western society in island communities, the heiau complex lands fell into other hands and were used for cattle grazing and other purposes; and
WHEREAS, nearby residents of the Pikoiloa tract re-discovered the heiau in the 1990s and began efforts to clear and raise awareness of its presence; and
WHEREAS, both the Ko‘olaupoko Hawaiian Civic Club and Queen Emma Hawaiian Civic Club have given of their service and time to mālama this wahi kapu over the years; and
WHEREAS, the property was acquired by Hawaiian Memorial Park Cemetery in 1983 as a potential area for development of burial spaces; and
WHEREAS, the landowners have subsequently decided that, as part of the cemetery’s proposed expansion, a cultural preserve should be established to incorporate Kawa‘ewa‘e heiau complex; and
WHEREAS, the landowner has begun meetings with the Hawaiian Islands Land Trust and the Ko‘olaupoko Hawaiian Civic Club to plan for establishment of the cultural preserve, including the setting aside of 100 Native Hawaiian burial spaces; and
WHEREAS, the entirety of the expansion area would be placed into a conservation easement managed by the Hawaiian Islands Land Trust to preserve the cultural and natural resources; and
WHEREAS, the entirety of the cultural preserve would be placed under the management of the Ko‘olaupoko Hawaiian Civic Club for cultural and educational purposes that would benefit the club and surrounding community; and
WHEREAS, this cultural preserve would be included as part of the cemetery’s plan to expand burial spaces available to the general public in the surrounding area; and
WHEREAS, this project becomes a model whereby private companies and Hawaiian Civic Clubs can work cooperatively to develop ways to give the management of lands and cultural resources to kūpuna, Hawaiian practitioners, and Hawaiian communities.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs at its 59th Annual Convention in Kalapaki, Kauaʻi, in the malama of Welehu and the rising of ʻOlepau, this 17th day of November 2018, supporting establishment of the Kawa‘ewa‘e Heiau cultural preserve as part of the Hawaiian Memorial Park Cemetary plan and the expansion of the cemetary to provide burials spaces for island familes; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that a certified copy of this resolution is transmitted to the Governor of the State of Hawai‘i, Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu, Honolulu City Council, the Ko‘olaupoko Hawaiian Civic Club, and Hawaiian Memorial Park Cemetery, as well as the President of the State Senate, Speaker of the State House of Representatives, Chair of the State Senate Committee on Hawaiian Affairs, Chair of the State House Committee on Ocean, Marine Resources & Hawaiian Affairs, Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and all other County Mayors.
The undersigned hereby certifies that the foregoing Resolution was duly adopted in the malama of Welehu and the rising of ‘Olepau on the 17th day of November 2018, at the 59th Annual Convention of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs in Kalapaki, Kaua‘i.
Annelle C. Amaral, President
