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| The community is invited to a meeting on the Preservation Plan for the Hawaiian hula site, ʻImakakāloa Heiau. The gathering will be held this Saturday, April 1 at 12:30 p.m. at Pahala Community Center. See Plan, Archaeological Inventory Survey and Protocol Guide at www.edithkanakaolefoundation.org. See story below. Photo from Edith Kanaka`ole Foundation |
According to Hawai’i Revised Statutes, Chapter 42F, Grants-in-Aid are awarded for either capital improvements or operating funds to support programs. OVCA is asking for a grant of $40,000 to replace the roof.
The application is reviewed by the Senate Ways and Means Committee, chaired by Jill Tokuda, and the House Finance Committee, chaired by Sylvia Luke.
On Saturday, OVCA President Ron Gall and OVCA Vide-president Dave Anderson made a joint personal presentation in Waimea, limited to ten minutes, to members of both committees in the Legislature.
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A row of tall, carefully crafted 'Ohi'a posts, stand in proud testament to skill of volunteers who built Ocean View Community Center in 1979. Trademark columns support the Community Center's upper lanai. The two-story meeting place is home to many community events, medical programs, social services resources, political talk stories, meals and gatherings. Photo by Ann Bosted |
“I think it went pretty well,” commented Gall, “they all seemed familiar with the Ocean View situation and I felt we got a positive reaction. We gave them a photo book showing the poor state of the metal roof. We just have to wait and see.”
The State of Hawai`i website lists about 46 grants awarded last year. They range from $ 1.7 million to $35,000. Gov. David Ige has the final decision as he can withhold funds even if the grant is awarded.
As part of the application process, OVCA provided, in advance of the presentation, a summary of its background, stating that OVCA has “served the community’s needs as a place to talk story, meet our neighbors and learn about issues important to our community. The OVCA sponsors community forums, activities and events important to the Ka’u District related to Health, Education, Social Services and Community Services.”
The State of Hawai`i website lists about 46 grants awarded last year. They range from $ 1.7 million to $35,000. Gov. David Ige has the final decision as he can withhold funds even if the grant is awarded.
As part of the application process, OVCA provided, in advance of the presentation, a summary of its background, stating that OVCA has “served the community’s needs as a place to talk story, meet our neighbors and learn about issues important to our community. The OVCA sponsors community forums, activities and events important to the Ka’u District related to Health, Education, Social Services and Community Services.”
Under the section devoted to the building's contributions to health, OVCA’s application lists: “Department of Veterans Affairs medical, mental health and benefits assistance; Public Health nurse services; Dengue Fever briefings; Medical insurance enrollment; and other medical service.”
Educational contributions are explained by “Early Head Start; kindergarten registration; family reading night; school parent-teacher conferences; farmer and field worker briefings.”
OVCA lists the social services facilitated in the community center as “Legal Aid services; Epic `Ohana services to Hawai’i’s at risk children and youth; Project Vision free vision screening and glasses; Imua Ka’u family and community training.”
Community services provided by OVCA include: “free community dinner once a week; free Thanksgiving Day dinner; venue for three local churches; Neighborhood Watch monthly meetings; CERT training and meetings; Volunteer Fire Department training and meetings; free spay and neuter clinics; and adopt-a-Highway program."
Educational contributions are explained by “Early Head Start; kindergarten registration; family reading night; school parent-teacher conferences; farmer and field worker briefings.”
OVCA lists the social services facilitated in the community center as “Legal Aid services; Epic `Ohana services to Hawai’i’s at risk children and youth; Project Vision free vision screening and glasses; Imua Ka’u family and community training.”
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Looking down on Ocean View's Community Center, which was largely built by town volunteers in 1979, is the center's iconic metal roof with "Aloha Ocean View" in large letters next to a red flower. The OVCA Board has applied for a state Grant in Aid to raise $40,000 for a new roof. Photo by Ann Bosted |
“For our politicos,” the OVCA application states, “we host meet and greets for Hawai`i County Council members and state Representatives. The Community Center is a Hawai'i County polling site for local and national elections.”
The purpose of replacing the roof is, according to the application, “to preserve the building’s integrity and continue to provide a safe and dry environment for use by the Ocean View community and for services in the Ka’u District."
The purpose of replacing the roof is, according to the application, “to preserve the building’s integrity and continue to provide a safe and dry environment for use by the Ocean View community and for services in the Ka’u District."
To help take care of the facility and pay for expensive insurance or Ocean View Community Center, OVCA is urging an expansion of its membership and for all current members to renew.
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According to the Foundation, "KaʻūImakakāloa Heiau is one of the few documented hula heiau in the pae ʻāina of Hawaiʻi. Little is known of the practices and protocol used at heiau hula. The Edith Kanakaʻole Foundation is conducting research in this area in collaboration with hula practitioners, other cultural practitioners, the community, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo Heritage Management Program, State Historic Preservation Division, and private land owners in the area.
The Foundation states that three documents have been generated "to move the ʻĪmakakāloa Heiau restoration project forward. They are available online: Archaeological Inventory Survey of the Heiau and the two acre area surrounding it; Preservation Plan for restoration of the Heiau, and a Protocol Guide "to help orient and prepare volunteers and visitors prior to entering the site."
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THE HULA HEIAU MAKAI OF KA`ALAIKI ROAD, the old sugar cane haul road between Pahala and Na`alehu, is the subject of a public meeting this Saturday, April 1 at 12:30 at Pahala Community Center. The Edith Kanakaʻole Foundation, which is working with the Edmund C. Olson Trust to steward the historic site, will explain its Restoration Plan and Protocol Guide. Preservation Plan for ʻĪmakakāloa Heiau at Kaʻalāiki, Kaʻū, Hawaiʻi Island was written by Konrad K. Mossman, Matthew R. Clark, Dr. Peter R. Mills and Dr. Huihui Kanalehe-Mossman.
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| An aerial view of ʻĪmakakāloa Heiau Photo from Edith Kanaka`ole Foundation |
Goals stated by the Edith Kanakaʻole Foundation, are: "To mālama this heiau in perpetuity; to complete an archaeological inventory survey; to design a preservation plan for this heiau; to restore the heiau to be utilized in hula practice by 2018; to research and design hula protocol; to teach protocol to practitioners and community; to study alignments with other heiau and puʻu and to inspire similar initiatives throughout Hawaiʻi."
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| North corner of ʻĪmakakāloa Heiau. Photo by K. Mossman |
According to the Foundation, "These three documents were a collaborative effort involving cultural practitioners, non-profit organizations, government agencies, the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo and the Kaʻū community." The Foundation explains that the Archaeological Inventory Survey documents the site as it exists today as well as compiles historical, ethnohistorical, and archaeological background of the area. The Preservaiton Plan outlines how this site will be restored to maintain the authenticity of the site as well as to follow cultural protocol in the process. The Protocol Guide is a means of "disseminating proper etiquette and protocol to the masses. Within this guide, oli and mele are offered and discussed, these mele include traditional compositions as well as newly composed mele. We offer these documents for the purposes of demonstrating the steps taken in the work of mālama heiau to help other similar initiatives."
See more on the Edith Kanaka`ole Foundation at www.edithkanakaolefoundation.org.
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| Prince Kuhio |
PRINCE KUHIO DAY is Sunday, March 26 with the state holiday on Monday to celebrate the birthday of Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole Piʻikoi on March 26, 1871. He was an heir to the throne of the Kingdom of Hawai`i, a territorial delegate to the U.S. Congress and authored the first Hawai`i Statehood bill in 1919. He also won passage of the Hawaiian Homes Act to create the Hawaiian Homes Commission and set aside 200,000 acres for the benefit of Native Hawaiians.
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Hawaiian Hoary Bats, Tue, Mar 28, 7 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. USGS bat biologist and researcher Corinna Pinzari reveals recent research and examines ‘ōpe‘ape‘a’s current status and distribution. Free; park entrance feed apply.
Hawaiian Hoary Bats, Tue, Mar 28, 7 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. USGS bat biologist and researcher Corinna Pinzari reveals recent research and examines ‘ōpe‘ape‘a’s current status and distribution. Free; park entrance feed apply.
Coffee Talk, Fri, Mar 31, 9:30 – 11 a.m., spotlights Footprints in the Ka`u Desert. Kahuku Unit of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. A monthly series of talks on various subjects. nps.gov/havo or 985-6011
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| www.kaucalendar.com |
