To all Council Members- Aloha mai kakou! Iʻm not able to testify in person today due to work but Iʻve been involved with the burials at Puamana for many years and have heard many moʻolelo about this place from my tutu kane. My ʻOhana supports keeping this burial preserve closed to the public. Erosion will not get better and the Iwi Kupuna has been neglected for too long. Our culture should not be second to recreation- this was a burial ground long before it was a park. I know for a fact that Hawaiian cultural practitioners continue our traditional activities here and that we are not prevented from exercising our native rights to fish, gather limu, and most importantly to malama na Iwi Kupuna.
Our family is descendants of the burials at Puamana. We tie directly to the Land Commission Awards here and strongly believe that Puamana should not be open to the public. Keep it closed. There is too much damage to the berm caused by park users and erosion. People trespass and step all over the Iwi and leave their surfboards leaning against the berm. The ʻāina gets broken down where they jump off the berm with their surfboards or equipment- this causes more burials to erode at the next high tide. Keeping the park closed is a step towards letting the Iwi Kupuna rest peacefully.
Aloha Chair and Members of the Human Concerns and Parks Committee. My name is Jordan Hocker and I support keeping Puamana Park as a burial preserve and closed to the public. The relatively recent recreational use of the area should not take priority over the cultural practice and history of being a burial ground for hundreds of years. Erosion is expected to continue in this area and more Iwi Kupuna are expected to be impacted. We can keep them safe by keeping it closed to the public. Itʻs my understanding that cultural practitioners have continued to access Puamana for burial stewardship through the right of entry permit held by Na Aikāne O Maui cultural center. Letʻs keep it that way,
Mahalo for the opportunity to testify today.
We support keeping Puamana area as a burial preserve which is closed to the public. Ever since the park was closed, itʻs been easier to care for the wahi and prepare the burial site for the reinterment of Iwi Kūpuna, With the kahakai continuing to erode, more burials will be affected and we need to protect them.
Kapali Keahi
Leilani Digmon
Kaiao Keahi
Anoai Keahi
We believe the park at Puamana should stay closed to the public because there are so many burials coming out with erosion. I support keeping this area as a burial ground because the iwi Kūpuna needs protection.
Aloha, my name is Suzette Felicilda and I support the continued closure of Puamana park to the public. The whole area is a sensitive burial ground and should be protected from trespass. Please keep this place as a burial site and do not allow the public to further damage our Iwi Kūpuna. I am a descendant of the generational Hawaiian families of Lāhainā and our burials should be respected by keeping the park closed.
My name is Kaleo Nakoa and I am in support of protecting our Iwi Kupuna and keeping Puamana as a protected burial site. We need to maintain the integrity of our culture before it is lost. Keeping Puamana closed and protected will allow our Keiki and Kupuna to share their mana’o about the rich history that once was. Mahalo for your time
Aloha, my name is Uʻilani Kapu. I reside in Kauaʻula and serve as the moku representative of Lāhainā for ʻAha Moku O Maui island council. On behalf of Hawaiian cultural practitioners and the cultural and lineal descendants of the Iwi Kūpuna disturbed in Puamana, ʻAha Moku O Maui supports the closure of the park to the public while allowing access to descendants and cultural practitioners for wahi kūpuna stewardship. It is right and pono that this burial complex be protected from the previous incidents of desecration where our ancestors remains were abused by the public, in violation of HRS 6E and HAR 13-300. Even when people did not intend to mishandle the Iwi, the damage was done. With shoreline erosion increasing and numerous burials still at risk of exposure, it is critical that the park remain closed to the public. ʻAha Moku O Maui supports the restoration of the place name Waiahiokole, as pending in Public Works.
Mahalo for this opportunity to testify,
Uʻilani Kapu
As born and raised Kānaka, our 'Ohana from Lāhainā, we support protecting the Hawaiian burials at Puamana by closing the park to the public and keeping it as a burial ground as it was since old times before plantations came. The kūpuna who lay there should not be disturbed by tourists and others. We support returning to the old name Waiahiokole and return dignity to the iwi kūpuna by placing the kūpuna into the crypt there. People should not be allowed there unless they are there to mālama the burials.
Jezelyn Gonsalves
Raymond Gonsalves
James Ferreira
Jion Ferreira-Gonsalves
Jirie Gonsalves Ferreira
Geraldine Gonsalves
Alexander Gonsalves
James Gonsalves
Kaena Valentin
Zeldine Martinez
Jose Valentin
Angelina Martinez-Apolo
As a born and raised generational Hawaiian 'Ohana in Lāhainā, we support protecting the Hawaiian burials at Puamana by closing the park to the public and keeping it as a burial ground as it was since old times before plantations came. The kūpuna who lay there should not be disturbed by tourists and others. I support returning to the old name Waiahiokole and return dignity to the iwi kūpuna by placing the kūpuna into the crypt there. People should not be allowed there unless they are there to mālama the burials.
Aloha my name is Rhonda Vincent. I would like you to know that I support the Puamana Burial Preserve and the efforts to protect the Iwi Kupuna from being damaged and stolen by visitors. I feel we must malama our cherished Iwi Kapuna and the Puamana Burial Preserve will do just that.
As a recognized moku descendant, I'm writing to express my full support for the rededication of "Puamana Park" as a cultural preserve for the historical burial complex in Waiahiokole upon which the County park was built. The Iwi Kūpuna of our ancestors has been mistreated for far too long and I mahalo the County for taking steps to prevent further desecration while allowing the disturbed Iwi to be laid to rest and returned to the 'āina in peace.
To all Council Members- Aloha mai kakou! Iʻm not able to testify in person today due to work but Iʻve been involved with the burials at Puamana for many years and have heard many moʻolelo about this place from my tutu kane. My ʻOhana supports keeping this burial preserve closed to the public. Erosion will not get better and the Iwi Kupuna has been neglected for too long. Our culture should not be second to recreation- this was a burial ground long before it was a park. I know for a fact that Hawaiian cultural practitioners continue our traditional activities here and that we are not prevented from exercising our native rights to fish, gather limu, and most importantly to malama na Iwi Kupuna.
Kahikilani Niles
Mauriʻirani Niles-Cantero
Tauvana Nui Niles-Cantero
Liliʻa Niles
Our family is descendants of the burials at Puamana. We tie directly to the Land Commission Awards here and strongly believe that Puamana should not be open to the public. Keep it closed. There is too much damage to the berm caused by park users and erosion. People trespass and step all over the Iwi and leave their surfboards leaning against the berm. The ʻāina gets broken down where they jump off the berm with their surfboards or equipment- this causes more burials to erode at the next high tide. Keeping the park closed is a step towards letting the Iwi Kupuna rest peacefully.
Mapuana Pali
ʻAina Kapu
Poʻokela Kapu
Makamae Kapu
Kaiulani Kapu
Kaulana Kapu
Aloha Chair and Members of the Human Concerns and Parks Committee. My name is Jordan Hocker and I support keeping Puamana Park as a burial preserve and closed to the public. The relatively recent recreational use of the area should not take priority over the cultural practice and history of being a burial ground for hundreds of years. Erosion is expected to continue in this area and more Iwi Kupuna are expected to be impacted. We can keep them safe by keeping it closed to the public. Itʻs my understanding that cultural practitioners have continued to access Puamana for burial stewardship through the right of entry permit held by Na Aikāne O Maui cultural center. Letʻs keep it that way,
Mahalo for the opportunity to testify today.
We support keeping Puamana area as a burial preserve which is closed to the public. Ever since the park was closed, itʻs been easier to care for the wahi and prepare the burial site for the reinterment of Iwi Kūpuna, With the kahakai continuing to erode, more burials will be affected and we need to protect them.
Kapali Keahi
Leilani Digmon
Kaiao Keahi
Anoai Keahi
We believe the park at Puamana should stay closed to the public because there are so many burials coming out with erosion. I support keeping this area as a burial ground because the iwi Kūpuna needs protection.
Kazuo Flores
Courtney Okief
Aloha, my name is Suzette Felicilda and I support the continued closure of Puamana park to the public. The whole area is a sensitive burial ground and should be protected from trespass. Please keep this place as a burial site and do not allow the public to further damage our Iwi Kūpuna. I am a descendant of the generational Hawaiian families of Lāhainā and our burials should be respected by keeping the park closed.
My name is Kaleo Nakoa and I am in support of protecting our Iwi Kupuna and keeping Puamana as a protected burial site. We need to maintain the integrity of our culture before it is lost. Keeping Puamana closed and protected will allow our Keiki and Kupuna to share their mana’o about the rich history that once was. Mahalo for your time
Aloha, my name is Uʻilani Kapu. I reside in Kauaʻula and serve as the moku representative of Lāhainā for ʻAha Moku O Maui island council. On behalf of Hawaiian cultural practitioners and the cultural and lineal descendants of the Iwi Kūpuna disturbed in Puamana, ʻAha Moku O Maui supports the closure of the park to the public while allowing access to descendants and cultural practitioners for wahi kūpuna stewardship. It is right and pono that this burial complex be protected from the previous incidents of desecration where our ancestors remains were abused by the public, in violation of HRS 6E and HAR 13-300. Even when people did not intend to mishandle the Iwi, the damage was done. With shoreline erosion increasing and numerous burials still at risk of exposure, it is critical that the park remain closed to the public. ʻAha Moku O Maui supports the restoration of the place name Waiahiokole, as pending in Public Works.
Mahalo for this opportunity to testify,
Uʻilani Kapu
As born and raised Kānaka, our 'Ohana from Lāhainā, we support protecting the Hawaiian burials at Puamana by closing the park to the public and keeping it as a burial ground as it was since old times before plantations came. The kūpuna who lay there should not be disturbed by tourists and others. We support returning to the old name Waiahiokole and return dignity to the iwi kūpuna by placing the kūpuna into the crypt there. People should not be allowed there unless they are there to mālama the burials.
Jezelyn Gonsalves
Raymond Gonsalves
James Ferreira
Jion Ferreira-Gonsalves
Jirie Gonsalves Ferreira
Geraldine Gonsalves
Alexander Gonsalves
James Gonsalves
Kaena Valentin
Zeldine Martinez
Jose Valentin
Angelina Martinez-Apolo
To Parks Committee and County Council,
As a born and raised generational Hawaiian 'Ohana in Lāhainā, we support protecting the Hawaiian burials at Puamana by closing the park to the public and keeping it as a burial ground as it was since old times before plantations came. The kūpuna who lay there should not be disturbed by tourists and others. I support returning to the old name Waiahiokole and return dignity to the iwi kūpuna by placing the kūpuna into the crypt there. People should not be allowed there unless they are there to mālama the burials.
Consuelo Apolo-Gonsalves
Aloha,
I would like to ask you to support
HCP-1(4), Version: 1
PUAMANA BEACH PARK UPDATE (HCP-1(4))
Our Iwi Kupuna need to be protected.
Mahalo,
Michael Hutchinson
To Whom It may Concern,
re: File #: HCP-1(4), Version: 1
PUAMANA BEACH PARK UPDATE (HCP-1(4))
Aloha my name is Rhonda Vincent. I would like you to know that I support the Puamana Burial Preserve and the efforts to protect the Iwi Kupuna from being damaged and stolen by visitors. I feel we must malama our cherished Iwi Kapuna and the Puamana Burial Preserve will do just that.
Mahalo for you time and support,
Rhonda
Aloha e Committee Chair Kama and Councilmembers,
As a recognized moku descendant, I'm writing to express my full support for the rededication of "Puamana Park" as a cultural preserve for the historical burial complex in Waiahiokole upon which the County park was built. The Iwi Kūpuna of our ancestors has been mistreated for far too long and I mahalo the County for taking steps to prevent further desecration while allowing the disturbed Iwi to be laid to rest and returned to the 'āina in peace.
E Mālama Na Iwi Kūpuna.
Noelani Ahia