37
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES             H.R. NO.              H.D. 1
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________


                     HOUSE  RESOLUTION


ENCOURAGING THE STATE OF HAWAII TO ACQUIRE TWO PARCELS OF LAND
   ADJACENT TO LIMAHULI STREAM ON THE ISLAND OF KAUAI FOR THE
   PRESERVATION OF IMPORTANT CULTURAL RESOURCES AND THEIR
   INCORPORATION INTO HA'ENA STATE PARK.



 1       WHEREAS, the preservation of natural, cultural, and
 2   spiritual resources is essential to the preservation of Native
 3   Hawaiian culture and of utmost importance to the people of
 4   Hawaii;  and
 5   
 6       WHEREAS, archaeologists and historians still search for
 7   clues about the lives and customs of the original Polynesian
 8   voyagers who only settled in a few special places throughout
 9   the Hawaiian Islands, one of these being Ha'ena on the island
10   of Kauai;  and
11   
12       WHEREAS, the cultural history of Ha'ena, where the great
13   romantic epic of the love triangle between Pele, her younger
14   sister, Hiiakaikapoli O Pele, and Lohiau, a handsome Kauai
15   chief begins, is famous throughout the islands and memorialized
16   in many ancient mo'olelo (legends), oli (chants), mele (songs),
17   and hula (dances);  and
18   
19       WHEREAS, the history of land use in this area has always
20   reflected a commitment to conservation even after the break up
21   of the traditional stewardship systems;  and
22   
23       WHEREAS, in the mid-1980s three lots at the entrance to
24   Limahuli Valley, Ha'ena, were sold to out-of-state residents.
25   The National Tropical Botanical Garden, who manages one
26   thousand acres surrounding these lots for conservation,
27   education, and research, has purchased one of these developed
28   lots in the hopes of making a land exchange for the other two
29   undeveloped lots that are rich with archaeological sites,
30   significant to the total cultural importance of the area,
31   including terraces, a pohaku ho'ohanau (birthing stone), and
32   ancient walls and housing sites all dated as early as 1200
33   A.D.;  and
34   

 
Page 2                                                     37
                                  H.R. NO.              H.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1       WHEREAS, these two lots (TMK 5-9-06-10 and 5-9-06-11) have
 2   remained virtually untouched until 1998, when the owner removed
 3   all trees on these lots and subsequently damaged the
 4   traditional auwai (irrigation) system supplying water to the
 5   taro lo'i located in the adjacent Ha'ena State Park, making it
 6   clear that development on the property is imminent;  and
 7   
 8       WHEREAS, the owner is not willing to negotiate a land
 9   exchange to preserve the important archaeological sites on the
10   land, and the State of Hawaii has the power to acquire
11   interests in real estate for public use, to include
12   preservation and the control future growth, development, and
13   land use within the State;  and
14   
15       WHEREAS, lands having value as a resource to the State
16   includes land having natural, environmental, recreational,
17   scenic, or historic value which, as in this instance, may be
18   required to be placed under public ownership and management for
19   public use, including making such land  accessible to all of
20   the people of the State; now, therefore,
21   
22       BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the
23   Twentieth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session
24   of 2000, that the State of Hawaii is encouraged to acquire for
25   public use, through purchase, acquisition by eminent domain, or
26   other means these parcels which have value as a resource to the
27   State;  and
28   
29       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the State of Hawaii is
30   encouraged to grant the management responsibilities of the
31   aforementioned parcels to the Department of Land and Natural
32   Resources, Division of State Parks for continuity with their
33   preservation and interpretive programs at Ha'ena State Park;
34   and
35   
36       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
37   Resolution be transmitted to the Department of Land and Natural
38   Resources, Ira Goldberg, Hui Maka'ainana O Makana,
39   'Ilio'ulaokalani, the Governor, and the Speaker of the House of
40   Representatives.
41