Drivers, pedestrians can share the road
I would like to contradict the lady complaining (TGI, Forum, March 12) about the walkers and strollers clogging up the road from Brennecke’s to Nihi Kai.
First and foremost, there is no sidewalk, only rutted dirt, rocks and uneven asphalt shoulders.
Second, the happy fishermen along that stretch park their pickups in the “No Parking Anytime” zone, often all day and all night.
Third, the speed limit is 20 mph. Can’t you give people and families a break and go that slow? It’s only two blocks! We must all share the public roads!
Nancy Anderson, Poipu
It is about the land
At one time all of Hawaii belonged to the kanaka maoli, the Hawaiian people. The concept of land ownership was foreign to them. But with foreigners coming to the shores they have managed to leave only a small percentage to these original owners and their descendants.
Prince Jonah Kuhio worked to provide land for the Hawaiian people. Through his work in the Legislature he made possible land grants for homesteads and a separate agency to administer them. However, what little land the Hawaiians have managed to retain is still being usurped.
My heart grieves for the losses of the Hawaiian people. Land has been torn from them by values foreign to the Hawaiian culture: by political maneuvering, by false claims, by laws foreign to Hawaiians, and by greed.
Hawaiians are here to take care of the land, not to surround it with American concepts of ownership, by fences, with hotels and by no trespassing signs. Slowly, little by little, the Hawaiian spirit is being smothered.
The large-size purchases and large subdivisions on agricultural lands are just more of an effort to remake Kauai into a state like California. If these lands must be overtaken, I call on the people who want particular lands to replace them with some other property in the broad name of the Hawaiians.
I suggest that the parties who wish to buy kuleana property instead buy some other desirable piece of property and trade it. Perhaps this might be the way for Hawaiians to obtain the Coco Palms property and to enable it to become a Hawaiian monument with a Hawaiian cultural center.
I suggest, too, that “owners” of properties that were originally just leased to them do not really own those properties, and they should give them back.
Marjorie Gifford, Princeville
At one time, California and Texas belonged to Mexico. We annexed them after defeating Mexico in a war. This pattern has been repeated throughout history. Why is Hawaii different? Should California go back to Mexico? Your wish is enviable but not realistic. Hope your wish comes true. And, what exactly is a “Hawaiian”? Who, exactly, are these “Hawaiians” you want to control the Coco Palms property? Anyone who currently lives here? How about a fifth generation Kauaiian whose family came from Portugal to work the sugar fields? Tongans? Philippinos? Please tell me what exactly you mean by “Hawaiian”.
Great perspective. Great questions.
Many of your questions will create a deer-in-the-headlights look from many on these islands. Why stop at 1893? Let’s go back 300 years, then 500 years. How about 900 years? Every country / culture has been conquered, reconquered, occupied, and reoccupied. It’s about playing the victim.
Should we give all “overtaken” land everywhere in the world back to who originally had it?
That would be a monumental task!
“I suggest, too, that “owners” of properties that were originally just leased to them do not really own those properties, and they should give them back.”
Drivel, Marjorie. But in any regard you might suggest that to all the owners of property that they previously leased from the Bishop Estate (an estate BTW that was set up to benefit Hawaiians). The courts forced the Bishop estate to sell their previously leased lands.
Pull your head out…it’s the 21st century and we are never returning to the pre foreign 17th century.
RG DeSoto
As much as I’m for the aina, there may still be skeptism as to the value of it. To make a comprison, Indonesia just built their subway faster than Oahu’s rail transit. And 10 Million people in Indonesia. Kaua’i has only 68,000 people or so. You can see my view.
Aloha Kakou,
The first Polynesians in Hawaii landed in Wailua, in front of Coco Palms. It is sacred for that and other reasons, like a source of fresh clean water to quench the thirst of a long sea voyage and bathe their bodies, and rinse the salt off, and have abundant water for their future crops of canoe plants.
Perpetuating that is the wondeful Quiet Title of Kuleana lands by Profesor Andrade. Carlos and his wife and children being Hawaiians have shown they already malama the Aina there for decades.
It is fitting that the Andrade family would welcome their new neighbors, the Z Family, into their neighborhood, regrdless of each’s property dimensions.
Hopefully Mr. and Mrs. Z will malama the Aiña as well as the Andrade Family has for so many decades.
Charles