Kahana: what was, what is, what can be. - Legislative Reference ...

KAHANA: WHAT WAS, WHAT IS, WHAT CAN BE
park, and a concomitant lack of publicity regarding what events there were, to the
detriment of both the residents and the community at large. 140 There was no consistent
system for reporting and monitoring hours. There was minimal communication and lack
of mutual respect between Park staff and residents. 141 Interpretation service hours
were not being contributed, or were being contributed for questionable activities. There
was a lack of training for the residents, something that was increasingly critical as the
kûpuna whose drive had fired the earlier efforts to devise a people's plan for the park
were dying off, their knowledge not always passed on to the next generations.
The park manager also was involved in a questionable use of Kahana property
apparently disfavored by many Kahana residents. He approved the use of one of the
few public buildings in the valley for the Alternative Learning Center of a nearby high
school. This had no connection with the mission of the living park, and was a source of
irritation to some residents. In 2001, by submission to the land board, the park manager
tried to extend the lease by five years, but some of the residents found out and
protested, and the lease extension was limited to one year. It is still unclear what
relationship this Alternative Living Center has to the park's mission.
To jump-start the group's participation, the Kahana Advisory Committee
recommended the following:
(1) Develop a master plan for the ahupua`a, including resource management
and interpretation. 142
(2) Following review and endorsement by Kahana Advisory Committee and
Park staff, the Department of Land and Natural Resources will provide a
series of workshops, including instructors, materials, and locations. 143
(3) Residents should provide a written report of their planned and finalized
interpretive activities.
(4) Residents/park staff to provide evaluation following each event and this
evaluation to be filed in the Orientation Center … Four quarterly review
sessions by Kahana Advisory Committee of activities and evaluations, two
with residents only and two with staff only; and
(5) Kahana Advisory Committee should schedule an annual meeting to
evaluate the program being developed and finalize a report to be
submitted to the Chairperson of the LNR, including evaluations and
recommendations for the future of the program. 144
The head of State Parks recommended that their report be accepted and
implemented. Kahana Advisory Committee has continued to function to the present
day. 145
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