Kealohapauole, A Love That Never Ends
As a resident of Honaunau Bay and lineal descendant of Pu’uhonua O Honaunau National Park, Jim Medeiros has consulted on a myriad of issues involving the Park, advocated for the natives’ rights to have a voice in Park governance and advanced those rights.
In the early 2000’s Jim worked with U.S. Representative Patsy Mink, Senator Daniel Akaka and the Trust for Public Lands to successfully purchase 236 acres from Ki’ilae Farms to buffer the park from the impending Ki’ilae Farms development. On July 26, 2001, at the request of Ms. Mink Jim testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources in favor of the Park expansion.
Bills Dealing with National Park Areas in OR, CA, and HI
Thursday, July 26, 2001
Mr. Jim Medeiros
Aloha, my name is Jim Medeiros, Sr. My two sons, Jim Medeiros, Jr. and Jordan Medeiros, my parents, Clarence Mokuohai Puhalahua Medeiros and Pansy Wiwoole Kalalahua Medeiros are descendants of Pu’uhonua ‘O Honaunau and adjoining ahupua’a, including Ki’ilae. My moms family are Lawai’a, fisherman that still fish these areas continuing our Hawaiian cultural practices.
I thank you for this opportunity to share some history of Ki’ilae with you that was told and taught to me by my Kupuna (elders). In ancient Hawaii, Ki’ilae village was a part of Pu’uhonua ‘O Honaunau. After arriving at the safety of Pu’u honua ‘O Honaunau the Kahuna (priest) would perform the sacred rituals and release the persued individual to the village of Ki’ilae and Kauleoli to live in freedom therefore, making Ki’ilae very much a part of Pu’uhonua ‘O Honaunau. Ki’ilae holds many irreplaceable cultural properties such as, a subterainian fresh water coarse that leads from the mountain to the ocean. In the old times, wai (water) was of great importance, for water was the giver of life. Ki’ilae village was a place where agriculture took place because of its dirt and water. My grandparents would grow their food there as did the people of Pu’uhonua ‘O Honaunau. Aquaculture was also a part of this special place where inland ponds were used and maintained by the people to raise mullet and other types of fish. These fish were harvested during the times when ocean fishing was kapu (restricted), or when high seas prevented fishing. There are hundreds of cultural sites, from the burials of my ohana as well as those of the people of Pu’uhonua ‘O Honaunau, Heiau’s (sacred temples), ancient trails, queens bath, site of an old school and gathering of herbs for medicines of which the Hawaiian people of today still practice. Land marks called ahu were built out of stones that marked fishing grounds. From the ocean we line up with ancient ahu’s to catch different varieties of fish. We continue this practice today.
The acquisition of Ki’ilea by the National Park service will benefit not only the Hawaiian people and culture, but will also benefit all peoples for generations to come. Only through the preservation of the Hawaiian culture can the Hawaiian people be Hawaiian and perpetuate the aloha spirit that lives today. What makes Hawaii such a special place is the spirit of aloha. The children will be the keepers of the aloha spirit so it can continue to be felt by all who come to Hawaii.
The acquisition of Ki’ilae by the National Park service will save it from the destruction of a planned development of a private gated community that has benefit only to the rich. The destruction of culture is inevitable once construction begins. The lands of South Kona Hawaii, except for a few beach roads, are culturally fully developed, virgin lands that have never been disturbed by heavy equiptment. These lands were not destroyed by industry like sugar and ranching. Culture is still intact for furture generations.
We thank the National Park service for preserving the Hawaiian culture so the aloha spirit can live on and be shared by all the people of the future. I represent the thousands of Hawaiians that came before me, and the generations to come. I am one of twelve hundred descendants of Pu’uhonua ‘O Honaunau, President of Protect Keopuka ‘Ohana, a community organization made up of cultural practitioners,and environmental protectors established for the preservation of the Hawaiian culture through the education of all people on the culture and history of the Hawaiian people.
Energy and Natural Resources Committee
304 Dirksen Senate Building Washington, DC 20510
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