KEAUMOKU KAPU for Maui OHA Seat

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Jason Schwartz sits with KE’EAUMOKU KAPU, Candidate for OHA Maui Seat. Office of Hawaiian Affairs candidate has long history of service and activism for the Hawaiian people and has significant personal experience in the U.S. Courts in regards to Title on HIS familial West Maui property, Chairman of Hawaiian Burial Council, Cultural Commissions… good conversation. 10-1-2018

Summary & Transcript

1. Interview with Keaumoku Kapu, Candidate for Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) Maui Seat

• 

  

  [00:07 → 06:22]
  Introduction and Background on Keaumoku Kapu and OHA
  Jason Schwartz welcomes listeners to the show on KAKU 88.5 FM Maui and introduces Keaumoku Kapu, a candidate running for the Maui seat in the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA). Keaumoku’s background includes deep cultural involvement and advocacy for Native Hawaiian rights and heritage. He is part of Mele Poo Kula, a group dedicated to preserving Hawaiian cultural practices through annual pilgrimages and ceremonies at sacred sites. He describes his passion for protecting Hawaiian culture and natural resources and his longstanding involvement in cultural and political advocacy

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs was created in 1979 during the Hawaii State Constitutional Convention to address historical injustices against Native Hawaiians. It manages ceded land revenues (20%) to support Native Hawaiian health, housing, education, and legislative advocacy. Keaumoku has been involved with sovereignty and Native Hawaiian organizations for over 20 years and has served on several commissions in Maui related to cultural resources, marine and land preservation, and Native Hawaiian arts.

• [06:22 → 13:08]
  Experience in Native Hawaiian Advocacy and Cultural Resource Management
  Keaumoku discusses his previous appointments by Maui officials to serve on cultural resource commissions and councils. His role has involved listening carefully to stakeholders’ concerns and representing Native Hawaiian interests in land, ocean, and water resource management. He emphasizes the importance of including Native Hawaiian voices in planning and development decisions, especially on ceded lands, to protect cultural heritage and natural resources.

He highlights a recent example where a proposed development in Kihei was halted because the developers failed to consult Native Hawaiian communities about the land’s cultural and historical significance. Keaumoku was instrumental in raising these issues, which led the developers to reconsider their plans. He draws attention to past problems on Oahu, such as Safeway’s development in Ala Moana that failed to honor buried Hawaiian burial sites, as cautionary tales.

• [13:08 → 20:13]
  Challenges with Environmental Impact Assessments and Land Development
  Keaumoku explains how cultural impact assessments often fail because consultants do not adequately engage with the host Native Hawaiian communities who have ancestral ties and knowledge of the land. He advocates for starting development discussions from “ground zero” — fully recognizing Native Hawaiian families’ undivided interests in land and cultural protocols before any planning proceeds.

He ties these issues to larger environmental concerns on Maui’s West Side, such as flooding caused by poor land management and development that ignores traditional water flow and watershed stewardship. The recent flooding in Lahaina exemplifies the consequences of disrupting natural land and water systems without Native Hawaiian input. He stresses the need for collaboration between state, county, private developers, and Native Hawaiian communities to create sustainable solutions.

• [20:13 → 26:06]
  Incorporation of Traditional Resource Management and New Technologies
  Keaumoku discusses efforts to integrate traditional Hawaiian resource management into modern policies, including initiatives like the Haiku Maui watershed project, which uses GPS mapping to track environmental data. He mentions innovative ideas such as creating water from air to supplement water supply, particularly for Hawaiian homesteads practicing self-sustainability.

He envisions a future where Hawaiian knowledge and cultural stewardship are combined with modern technology to address climate change, water scarcity, and land management challenges. He references programs supported by OHA aimed at empowering Native Hawaiian stewards and educating the community.

• [26:06 → 38:23]
  The Complexity of Running for OHA and the Rice vs. Cayetano Case
  Jason and Keaumoku discuss the logistical challenges of running for an OHA trustee seat, which requires canvassing multiple islands since all Hawaiians and non-Hawaiians statewide can vote for each island’s representative due to the 1990 Rice vs. Cayetano Supreme Court decision. Keaumoku explains how this ruling made voting for OHA candidates inclusive of non-Hawaiians, which has been controversial but necessary for democratic representation.

Keaumoku shares personal experiences related to the devastating West Maui wildfires that affected his family’s land and homes. He expresses frustration with state and county agencies for inadequate response and emphasizes the need for better coordination with Native Hawaiian kuleana landowners, who often live off-grid without public utilities.

He recounts efforts to investigate the cause of the fire and coordinate relief for affected families, highlighting community solidarity and the need for more comprehensive fire prevention and emergency services in rural Hawaiian areas.

• [38:23 → 45:34]
  Environmental and Flood Management Issues on Maui’s West Side
  Keaumoku recounts environmental degradation issues dating back decades, including fertilizer runoff causing algae blooms and failed flood control projects. He critiques government inaction on long-standing infrastructure projects designed to mitigate flooding and protect coastal lands, which have been ignored despite increasing climate risks.

He discusses political dynamics involving local officials and the challenge of balancing development with environmental protection. He stresses the importance of Native Hawaiian cultural impact assessments and environmental reviews in halting harmful developments, citing a recent Kihei project that was stopped due to these concerns.

• [45:34 → 53:07]
  Role and Accountability of OHA in Land and Resource Management
  Keaumoku elaborates on the role of OHA as both a trustee of ceded lands and an advocate for Native Hawaiian rights. He calls for OHA to take a stronger stance in representing Hawaiian interests against development pressures, especially on ceded lands. He explains the complexity of navigating these political and legal responsibilities and the need for OHA trustees to be active and knowledgeable advocates.

He also addresses the controversial topic of “Fedwreck” (federal recognition), asserting that Native Hawaiians should have self-determination separate from the U.S. federal government’s Indian Affairs framework. He envisions a sovereign Hawaiian nation that governs its own affairs, including land and cultural preservation.

• [53:07 → 56:27]
  Closing Remarks and Vision for the Future
  Keaumoku reflects on the challenges of passing down Hawaiian cultural knowledge across generations and the importance of preserving Hawaiian identity amidst colonial legacies. He expresses hope for a future where Hawaiian culture flourishes and the islands’ resources are managed with aloha and respect.

He emphasizes his commitment to listening to the community, advocating for housing, health, education, and environmental protections. He encourages voters to support candidates like himself who have lived experience, cultural knowledge, and dedication to serving Native Hawaiians and all residents of Hawaii.

Jason Schwartz closes by reaffirming Keaumoku Kapu as a strong candidate for the OHA Maui seat and urges listeners statewide to participate knowledgeably in the election.

1. 1. 1. Key Insights

• The Office of Hawaiian Affairs plays a critical role in managing ceded lands and advocating for Native Hawaiian rights, but its impact depends heavily on the leadership of trustees like Keaumoku Kapu.
• Native Hawaiian cultural knowledge and traditional resource management are essential for sustainable land and water stewardship, especially in areas facing climate change and development pressures.
• Legal victories and protracted court cases over land title, such as Keaumoku’s 17-year quiet title case, serve as precedents and empower Native Hawaiian families to protect their ancestral lands.
• Transparency, community involvement, and respect for Hawaiian cultural protocols must be central to development and environmental planning in Hawaii.
• The complexities of voting for OHA seats due to statewide electorate and diverse candidates underscore the need for greater public education and candidate visibility.
• Native Hawaiian sovereignty and self-determination remain pivotal issues intertwined with OHA’s mission and the political landscape of Hawaii.
  • • Outline of Topics Covered

1. Introduction to Keaumoku Kapu and OHA history
2. Keaumoku’s cultural and political background
3. Native Hawaiian advocacy and cultural resource commissions
4. Challenges with development and environmental impact assessments
5. Water management, traditional stewardship, and innovative technologies
6. Rice vs. Cayetano case and statewide election logistics
7. West Maui wildfires and community response
8. Maui’s flood control and environmental issues
9. OHA’s role in land management and sovereignty debates
10. Closing reflections on Hawaiian identity and leadership

This detailed summary encapsulates the depth and breadth of the interview, providing a comprehensive understanding of Keaumoku Kapu’s candidacy and the broader cultural, environmental, and political issues facing Native Hawaiians today.

Transcript

00:07

hello hi welcome to the neutral zone [Music] No [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] hello this is Jason Schwartz October 1st 2018 we’re on Kaku 88.5 which is a half FM in Kahului Maui and I’m your host Jason Schwartz I have a guest with me Keaumoku Kapu some of you when I say that name say wake up who that means that there do you know that there’s a race now for oh-ha office of Hawaiian Affairs and that we on now we have a representative that all of us vote for yeah some of you know but we have a

01:39

candidate who has to run to all the islands to get himself known to represent Maui and so we thought you know of all the races the race that really could use some public understanding and awareness is Ola and I have to be fair and have the other candidate on as well MS Lindsey if she chooses to be on but I wanted to give you the time whenever I’ve known you when I first met you whoa right along thank you for being here at our show that the video troll zone it’s anything but neutral what that means is we speak

02:17

to everyone about everything but opinions are allowed in fact I think the thing that when I first met you you were running for council on the west side of Maui maybe six years ago something like that oh I think it was the wrong even eight years ago yeah longer than 2010 me yeah but when I met you and yo the first thing I felt was tremendous I don’t want to seem funny mana or what I felt is tremendous energy and strength and leadership you would just come back from a meeting on the Big Island yeah what

02:58

were you doing there what is your role I’m part of its called mechanical poo Cola which means the men of the mound of the whale and we have a hell which is a National part that we care for and do rituals and ceremonies there once a year normally in August so it’s a pilgrimage that we normally take to recognize and identify our heritage our cultural beliefs and you know to try to collaborate with a lot of Native Hawaiians throughout the state of Hawaii to come to a place and to identify ourselves as the richness of the culture

03:43

that we serve in the state of away well you are so full of presents when I first met you I thought well see how the council race goes but I don’t know this guy I like this guy I’m as macho it’s over the years I mean when I was getting ready for this show I mentioned to you about warming your laundry list you have a lot of sizes I mean if someone would go to your website they see it in more detail but you have been involved in cultural Commission’s and and work projects and things in all

04:19

kinds of ways you’ve also had personal direct experience in the courts of the United States the offending title of land and being successful after almost two decades of jail share with us plus you decided to run for oh and I know that in America I’m purposely given a big upfront thing because I think this is pretty much your stage you’ve you know anyway maybe I should break in very experienced awayand man running for oh ah we as oh my us how does that work rice versus Cayetano was a lawsuit many years

05:03

ago and I’m not giving you this to explain but in that lawsuit it says wait a minute everybody votes yes so now we even though we’re not Hawaiians we vote for the ojas seats of the office of our anniversary’s which means whether we know it or like it or not but we have of this decision to make and it really nice to know who our candidates are and why all over the state but in our own example we have a representative for here and I’ve met a man with heart and that’s why I brought

05:37

you on why did you decide to run for the OSC it’s been a passion for mine of mine for a long time understanding the rules that are subjected under the state of Hawaii and you mentioned about the right sky eternal case there was detrimental to Native Hawaiians because we didn’t have the percentage of votes that we needed to be complacent in the legislation so when office of Orion Affairs was formed it all happened during the time of the Constitutional Convention of 1979 in 1970 in 1979 it

06:22

was to address the crimes that have been placed upon Native Hawaiians from the time of the illegal with wrong so the office of Hawaiian Affairs was formed to have a voice in legislation based upon revenue that came out from the state legislations ceded land revenues of 20 percent to address native orange health housing as well as education to have a voice in legislation for the benefit of Native Hawaiians to have an equal say based upon gathering rights access rights you know when it came to development pristine lands on ceded

07:06

lands that there were voices in a community community that could address those kind of problems so I’ve been kind of a strong advocate I would say pretty much over 20 years I’ve been involved with a lot of the sovereignty organizations from the past 1986-1987 collaroy been involved in a lot of other Native Hawaiian organizations as well then you know when I first moved to Molly which is the heart of my Paulo’s birth I really got involved in the cultural resources Commission I was actually appointed by Mayor Alan Arakawa

07:44

that time you know there was some years ago when he served his first term right after chemo apana then I also served in the Maui Lani I’ll embarrass console I did a full eight year term and four of those years I was the the chairperson for the state marine and I an aberrant also then also I served men aivalis I served as Native artists art preservation council for officer whirring offense to listen to the concerns from the constituents or the stakeholders of our state to address issues and concerns with the officer on

08:25

offense I served the COO of full capacity of over nine years as the chair of the NH HPC Native art preservation Council and also in a federal level well here I am I’m a listener amo koo koo ka pu you’ll see it their services jona kay moko Kapoor is running for the Maui seat Oh oh-ha know if you’re hearing this and you live in Hawaii you have an opportunity if you like this man to vote for him whether you’re Hawaiian or not no matter what Island you’re on so we’re spreading the word we’ve got a

09:03

megaphone because this is a race that’s hard to run yes so we’re hoping that this interview gives you presents I mean your level of experience shows me that if you were sitting at a table of counsel your experience is great I’ve been in touch with a lot of people and your voice speaks for many and has had experience listening would you say that’s fair yeah there’s that overboard I mean you have the experience because you’ve been living this twenty years I mean 1978 you came back let’s say 20

09:43

years ago 90 yeah about 1996 okay I’m not sure where you were before that but I hear in Hawaiian Islands and on the mainland I’m but you’ve been to fight in the American courts for so long and they also have experience like you have why haven’t you been or have you been recognized before and in front of Ohio well they always I would say a good opportunity to really start to address a lot of the issues that we face as Native Hawaiians so my whole jump and my whole reason is why I

10:26

am I am I put my name in a ballot is because I understand a lot of the policies and you know all those you know what they have placed in honestly Levana planning as well as the County Council and the policies that were set forward to address certain issues so I’ve always been an advocate to make sure that if there are issues that are pending for missing components within a Native Hawaiian community as consultants my kuleana always draws me to the County Council to give provide testimony to make sure that we’re not left out of the

11:08

box when it’s not talking about water resources ocean resources land resources you know all those kind of things so trying to be an advocate I mean I saw you recently had a meeting where in Kihei it was a meeting of a developer that was planning to put condos and a medical office facility and senior housing and they did their best but right in the middle of it was something that suddenly I used this word sparingly trumped all the conversations going on that was the rights to these lands in the history

11:50

of this land even a history of the way water moves which was never considered here yeah and here we are you stop the meeting cold by your truth and your expressions there there was a real that was a very powerful experience the people that didn’t want the development turned and honored you I don’t know if you got that completely that you they felt that the Hawaiian issue and they this this guy here you know expressed it so eloquently that the developer himself I hope have they come forward to use yet they’ve eat mailed me

12:29

my position at that time is the seal for a hammock on maui ink and when the different moku was called for support or consultation to help provide information that would be detrimental to the development this this project stemmed off the mega mall and you know originally when we ran in front of the Planning Commission not on none other issues of Native Hawaiians was ever addressed so it gave them an opportunity to go back to the drawing board the part that I really didn’t like was they drew something together without consulting

13:08

with any of the Native Hawaiian communities shall i point to on Oahu experience of Safeway is it right there in Ala Moana where they have graves that are isolated in the middle of a giant complex to say that they’re not honoring yeah that was the Walmart the one more wall or yeah excuse me Safeway may you have a problem here in Maui yeah problem see so there’s all kinds of stuff going on in fact that was another experience where I saw you were out in force trying to make truth be understood

13:44

later really when you’re talking about the rules that are set for say for instance the environmental impact statement you know once those are said all the higher cultural consultants to address those kind of issues culture consultant comes for to the native community to do a cultural impact assessment normally those things they they go to people that they feel would be you know a part of the the process that was provided by legislation but really don’t see or ask for information from the host culture that know of the

14:24

place so when I mentioned that uh when I provided testimony saying take off all our buildings take off all the plans and let’s start from Ground Zero what is actually in place I also talked about the families that existed in those errors on the undivided interest that they still hold today and they’re being called to the table to give recommendations on the project but we don’t address undivided interest part first I think that should be done first the history the cultural heritage the

14:57

protocols the gatherings of those errors before we can even go forward and I think they went one step ahead that was what you stated that very well yeah and I like to cite I don’t know the details of your case but if after seventeen years you won that should give someone this mega mall that was in Kihei planned it was rezone for something that would be more I don’t want to call it urban let’s call it a mix of something useful inside of town and the people we’re holding them up and we know that’s

15:35

that’s a Gulch that’s a note that means big water you know recently were I want to say hero one of the people working to help people on the west side of Maui with the floods that happened with these hurricanes and passing rain unbelieva floods excuse me when you can you say screw when you screw with the land you put an upper Highway now the water comes down now there’s flooding on Front Street now this Malo now things are trapped now people are losing homes and running you know I’m not talking for the gods I’m

16:13

talking for the planners what’s the deal and excuse me no matter whose land this is no matter whether Hawaiians get the title or whether the United States get title we better seriously look at some things right now you’ve just been smacked in the face I think pretty easy what’s been happening with the water out there I just can’t help but go to that you know and we’re in the county as well as the state starts to put a gate put together you know the bypass has been an issue over

16:46

20-something plus years already and you know right at the last minute all of a sudden the State Department of Transportation tries to do a band-aid fix not addressing you know a lot of the issues of where the majority of water the comp that comes from you know from the watersheds of West Maui and how they’re gonna levy those things I think they weren’t kind of little bit too fast when they made a determination they cut off no ha no peel on the highway on the entry into town and that’s where all the problems basically

17:18

insisted I think the county state and the private sector are married to each other you know to the point where we need to ask for community called consultation from the right people of the area it shouldn’t be the developer versus the state DoD versus the county I think you should have people who really are keen in understanding the lay of the land so we can do projects better and there’s been too many times where a lot of the general community thoughts are placed aside or because you know when

17:51

private sectors say that okay the state has a what do you call it an eminent domain that they can purchase highways for the benefit of the general community and the public safety of all of us a lot of things are missing in those components before they start to go forth and we seen prime examples of that just last week when the whole lawn your area and the new bypass just got flooded all so it tells us something that the goddess thought going into the host culture to find out ways on how we can improve our livelihood over there to

18:26

provide safety and health for the majority of people that live in Lahaina and in the short term find a way to collect some of that water and be able to use it because that’s fresh water yeah that’s old water I mean that’s the other piece if you’ve been following my shows here some reason I’ve been fine on a trail about water and one of them is storage and the biggest thing that I know is that the west side of Maui could use a lot of that water that is going and running and being a problem so if

19:02

you’re part of the government or if you’re in the private sector why not talk to the Hawaiians I bet that they got some answers because they’ve been raining here a long time and the sole reason why a haiku Maui was formed literally when she legislation it passed to the house in flying colors and when she descended forming 2x up to 1/2 which is the people’s building up to 8 8 which involves the department of land and natural resources to look at ways on how we can incorporate traditional resource

19:35

management into our policies and how we need to more reach out on the generational knowledge of those errors on how land management was done yesterday and how we can incorporate a lot of those land management into our policies today to make sure that we’re not withering away or we’re not dumping water we’re not making sure that you know like the biggest issue on our website right now is the sea walls you know everybody talk about climate change is climate change is really at its capacity was gonna start infecting

20:13

affecting our environment you know those kind of things I think a lot of our problems exist in the West Side has is land related you know like the septic systems that you know literally Connie is getting penalized by agencies the federal agencies on their for not caring for you know our resources the way they should but we had environmental man has been head-on here and they you know they know that the Westside is an area they need to address mm-hmm and they’re finding ways and we’re gonna

20:50

have a show on we’re gonna talk about being able to create water from air and lessen the stress on the system use all the resources and things that are coming out of the effluent a hundred percent and find ways of financing it and again you know I’m talking ahead of ourselves here but I think the private sector Hawaiian and non-hawaiian however the banking system will allow that the people with the land the big resource can be the tool for financing for a lot of solutions to make things sustainable

21:27

and to use Hawaiian knowledge and culture and the base Hawaiian with new things together like this is a funny time to mention it but I went up to Hawaiian homelands we can change ago and there’s a lady up named kokoa and she had a self-sustained the water from air unit for large group and for individual homes imagine the things that we can do if we use the technologies of now and can bring back water too for example the Hawaiian culture wants taro and they’re talking about water what would happen if

22:05

the strain of civilization doing their thing in the civilization zone let’s culture thrive because give you back water I mean I’m just bringing up examples is that the kind of thing that Omaha does for example because that they were in the Hawaiian homelands I thought you know that’s very clever of them to be self-sustained and be able to get financing through self-sustaining with solar and power these lands that they gave the Hawaiians that look like trash and the rock could all be calm

22:41

examples of self-sustainability give the culture a platform to rise globally I think Ohio has great programs out there to help you know the stewards of the lands basically you know there’s a lot of lands that I had been pursuing which were ceded lands you know for me I would like to you know address the issue upfront is pertaining to all Native Hawaiians that have a right to certain lands you know by giving them directions on where to go how to seek for all those things on the land commissioner water or

23:19

oil patents well it’s all research it’s all simple research and I think or should be the prime agency to provide the information for all Native Hawaiians so they can have the paperwork you can have the resources to go deeply into where their families existed you know the Land Commission Awards the Royal patents what does that mean in the time of the mahalia during the indices Awards the kweilyn titles in the state of Hawaii from nineteen from 1897 you know this is a thing that you did personally

23:57

does your case stand to be a boilerplate did you have any specific things that made it extraordinary or was yours more common and others could follow that path yeah you know I tell a lot of people when you’re dealing in the courts today yeah that the attorneys job for Native Hawaiians against native oint is to prove that you are not the person you claim to be so when you start to put your information together when you see a quiet title adverse position case in the newspaper my hopes is to get people

24:30

families way ahead of themselves to start putting the information together so they had their just in case all of a sudden a development company or private land company wants to come out and quiet our lands it’ll give families an opportunity to address the issue on whether or not they still own an undivided interest of those properties so even if they know those properties if they own them they stand to be a financial resource yes you know what’s gonna go in commercial here in a couple of minutes I don’t want to

25:01

start a long big subject but maybe we can come back to it yeah but while we’re gone we’re on K aku 88.5 FM in Kahului Maui I’m here with ka moku Kapoor who is running for the o ha seat from Maui he’s running all Islands can vote for him if you want and we vote for all of these oh-ha candidates and that boy it gets crazy but if you’re on Maui and if you’re anywhere and you’re like ka moku capo you could vote for him so remember that cuz he’s running to a Wahoo and

25:33

lanai I called you there trying to reach you was quite a job because you have quite a hard race to run yeah and against someone who is somewhat of a celebrity so but I think that that’s maybe why we’re doing this to give you some presents and understanding in the ears and the eyes and those are on Facebook live around my Maui Maui neutral zone calm you can come to this afterwards watch the show again see a beautiful smiling face see me it talks a little over the top but that’s why we

26:06

say it’s anything but neutral cuz um I wanted to have you on I just been very impressed by your presence and your command of and knowledge of the issues and if I wanted someone to represent Hawaiians I shall feel comfortable about you so that’s why I thought they I wanted to bring you on and I don’t know who Lou Lindsey I’m sure she’s nice lady I look forward to meeting her but I know I’m very happy that you know I’ve gotten to know you and I’ve seen you stand and you’ve

26:36

walked the talk in all kinds of ways that really is a lot means a lot to me it means a lot to these donors and people to get you on the and hear what they have to say they’re gonna come up here in a few seconds this is the neutral zone I’m Jason Schwartz we’ll be back in a few minutes hang on in 50 feet left why are you so slowly after a few drinks I’m taking a slow get ready to pay in point getting pulled over for buzzed driving could cost you around $10,000 and fines legal fees and increased insurance rates

27:22

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27:56

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28:40

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29:10

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29:55

Jason Schwartz on the neutral zone I’m here with ka moku Kapoor candidate for Omaha Maui seat no matter what island in Hawaii you’re on if you like this guy you can vote for him even if you’re not Hawaiian now get ahold of that you can vote for all the candidates in all the islands and you get almost no information about any of these candidates and then you’re asked to vote and this was forced on you were given this opportunity because in rice versus Cayetano he was our governor at the time

30:29

there was a big case and so you’ve got not only an opportunity to vote you hopefully have a responsibility to know who you’re voting for and it’s been a little bit difficult I mean I don’t know about you but how do you do this are you Superman how do you go to all these islands well it’s not easy sometimes but you know for like maui county is really easy i mean we had the ferry to take me to lanai I have also families that honorable that can take me tomorrow you know but that’s the position I’m

31:04

running for his Marconi but because of the rice Caetano case it solid decided that it was unconstitutional that you know not only Hoynes but non-hawaiians are allowed to vote so I am kind of putting it out there saying that don’t waste of all you know a lot of non-hawaiians feel that they shouldn’t be a part of the process they shouldn’t be allowed to vote but you know we’re dealing with these kinds of issues and you know what I guess ongoing support from the non Hawaiian community we can

31:37

put the right people in place because there’s been a hard decision for a long time that ohon has basically been kind of stacked when you start talking about for me having to fly to the different islands to candidate for my position as a Maui representative I have to go to a wall more than any other other Island because of all the mix-up 51 percent of the voter post for officer will get that 51 percent of the votes are in a Wahoo for a Maui seat and he has to get known hopefully this video and think

32:14

will help be a tool for you because that’s the thing that I learn about you I already kind of had a notion you’ve been doing this you walk in you talk you hear a Hawaiian who isn’t talking without experience how did you get that you know your case before I get to your case there was a fire yeah I don’t know which to say there was rain there was fire we had a fire in the Westside take it take it away please yeah it happened the night of the hurricane go yeah a couple weeks ago and you know I’m still

32:51

asking for questions pertaining to what actually has happened a lot of people’s claim that it was from a transformer which Miko’s transformers or power lines is nowhere within the facilities of where my families live and so I still asking for a lot of answers from that on how we can start collaborating with the enforcement agencies on how we can look at more ways of managing our resources as well because kuleana lands on our lands our families that live basically off the grid that were not provided any

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public utilities or public service so the night when the incident happened you know it was a very detrimental for my family that you know especially the families that live lower from the public apology or on the loss to homes and my families live below that lost everything in their company in their their kuleana so at the same time I’m running for office of Hawaiian Affairs I found myself kind of up up against the wall to address the issues and concerns of my family came first that was my priority

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and now things are kind of little bit slowing down and settling down I am prepared now to take to the roadways of my first initiative is to run for the office of warning affairs I wanted to throw out you know on big Mahalo out to the community for all the donations a monetary donation the food the water that we’ve been receiving for the past three weeks you know when it came to something devastated at that you know the community really really came out you know I’m pretty at the same time still

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upset at the state and county agency that I feel that they really dropped the ball on this one because it’s not only the Ana’s got affected but the private sector as well as the community the general public community that affected from this fires too so there’s a lot of questions I’m asking out there and how we can more tighten up at least a conversation between all individuals and parties but first at the same time trying to get to the bottom of what actually occurred that night you know I

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had someone on Molokai said to me it was a deliberate fire that this guy they know you know in this talk going on no I knew all these stories maybe because I’m somehow understood as media but people come at me with almost too much information yeah but how’s that investigated mission going any with some individuals state our state representative English McKelvey is trying to look at ways on how we can more tighten up our resolve is kuleana landowners you know I’m in asking out there on how we can more get

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adequate supplies such as our fire hydrant within these kuleana areas there is no public utility no public services I met with the fire department to come up in a mountain and you know their investigative report and it’s kind of interesting on you know what we found in the area that you know the only place of fire coulda came from you know would have been the private sector so looking into those trying to get answers for everything because my family lost everything uptown and trying to juggle

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things around to make sure that I’m on top of the situation my house my two hours is up I lived far this way up on top didn’t get affected we got surrounded by file but thanks to my two sons and my nephew’s I went up there in the early morning hours to actually fight fire with literally the the minimal resources that they had the water lines is all burnt so they fought a fire well and they actually are heroes in my book because they saved our homes from being a crime burning too so thank you for

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that report I think that you know you’ve been out there the after that burn then the rains came in the floods came our building almost got inundated with water but you know in a canal system you’re trying to use to that area you think that all that water that came down into Lahaina afterwards is because our part of because the fire is taking all the woodland yeah yeah because there’s no vegetation on the fields and what went into the ocean was raw material so yeah there’s no vegetation to hold back

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anything up on the top you know the hundred year flood plan that was set in place does anyone check the quality of the water yeah I’m sure they must have normally we do – AHA moku all the twelve districts on Maui we have our own kids relevant GPS mapping because you know I’m always hearing the thing about the DDT and all the runoff for years that’s 88 when I got here and I saw it in 1983 Department of Defense page three of the right report it talks about runoff of fertilizer causing algae bloom yeah and I got here

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in 88 and they spent 200 grand on a study to find the same thing I always wondered that was like my early experience what is going on here the answers are here we know what’s happening you guys have been tough I didn’t understand that all that was going I lived in Lahaina and it was quite an experience when I got here to see that it was like out of another time zone looking at things that were right there that was 88 I got involved in in politics in 92 and early on and all that stuff to me that was early on yeah

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it’s changed the law doesn’t yeah many years and then they did the bypass meanwhile they kept building properties and taken all the coastal lands any open coastal land on the west side anymore no I think you know I think it was about 15 years ago when the state came out with the flood plan the flood project which was gonna cost like somewhere around 38 million dollars and get that you know forward that never went no place somebody dropped the ball on down and now they’re in front of us the last

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meeting we had they talked a little bit about it this meeting was I’ll say maybe I’m a couple months ago that the state wants to rican tin you the conversation about the flood project it’s forty years ago yes late one Mike victory no I we don’t have time for all the things you know people have said I’m getting involved in stuff I shouldn’t probably but Victorino and Ellie both running for mayor mmm victory know some people say he could have made housing happen I’m sure he’ll say well you know I got

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all these other guys to deal with now I’m gonna be mayor now he’s talking and pointing about what she thinks isn’t planning and then she says well I can’t do it all I’ve got the council what if the vote doesn’t come the way what do you think is going on here this problem I definitely don’t want to be the referee between them two but I think that you know we have good potential whichever way this goal is to make sure because the the beacon is literally the general community knows for sure that if

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the government is failing in their fiduciary duties to protect our resources then one of them better step up to the plate step up so it’s gonna be this whole thing and then here comes the Hawaiians that’s a whole layer that none of us are talking about that you’ve talking about which I mean that’s really like a giant trump card yeah it’s kind of interesting when you go in front of the colony and everybody wants to push the environmental issue but then when the Kanako comes out they talk about the

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existing laws under the Constitution yeah to address certain things such as the cultural impact assessment a county administrative rules 343 to address the historical concerns you have the state where they have like section 6e administrative rules Hawaii many straight a route 13300 to address Native Hawaiian cultural concerns then if projects are using federal monies it triggers a 106 consultation when they don’t organizations so I try to tell everybody out there that yeah environmental issues is is a

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pressing issue when you start talking about development is going to impact the environment but the key component to that is what comes from the discussion from their native Hoynes on how to juggle the process to make sure the process is poor know the process is important in a small little mouth which is the native hauling community comes out and says this project will be detrimental to the habitat and resources of that era which changes the minds of our county council when they start to realize they got a point we need to look

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at how we can are they moving forward are they do they stop are they stopped but it’s top developer in Kihei yes stopped and the environmental people there if they thought a we’re important but this is even senior to us so is the council now stopping I think they’re getting very very well educated le put out there saying that they should have people that are keen and understanding of these kind of concerns to be incorporated into commissions yeah like Tom Oakley being representatives from the home Oakwood

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should sit on boards and commissions which is already thinking I get that I’m I am pushing that one step because I don’t want to lose my point about if any building and development happens well planning happens I mean I would like to see the titles that Hawaiians have because you know there’s if we’re voting on all this and we’re voting for representatives for I want to say a government inside a government at least that’s the the way it sort of appears that they’re trying to take this role of

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being in charge of Hawaiian Affairs yeah they’ve been appointed office of Hawaiian Affairs I don’t know if they’re respected by all Hawaiian groups but officer why enough is is an opportunity to correspond so the planning of a are they getting involved in the land and saying well I know you wanted to have new condos in Kihei but that land is titled to all guys and we think it’s detrimental so no condos we need it on open space and we want this to be open space we want that to be open base that

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would stop development I mean in my opinion I think dresses like ceded land issues if developments are being crouching upon those ceded lands on holiday will be a yeah I only see the lands reinstated nation of Hawaii and other groups – yeah would serve in a capacity of representing you know the Native Hawaiian organization of communities if the communities come out and they feel that this project will be detrimental to their life and the resources of the era then or should be the one standing in the front line

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providing the testimony sending a correspondence to the Planning Department that the permit or application for the Planning Department to provide for services in a private sector those things need to be cleaned up well I’m saying what you said I’m just trying to get to the fact that the council’s hearing it but they’re not letting it lead which means no development has been stopped because someone said hey we’ve had carrying capacity on our land that’s our land that I will get that where first we say

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no that just stop like everything yeah potentially so that’s not happening yet right but yet this is this confusing people and yet this we have an office of Hawaiian Affairs no do we ask them to stand up against their papa who’s funding them and keeping them going on about title to land no and we’re looking for representatives that we all vote for to represent the Hawaiian people what I don’t know that but here we are so here’s a Hawaiian who has lots of seams hands on feet on mud

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and fire you know I honestly I just wanted to put all this together because it’s very confusing if it’s confusing to me and I’m trying I feel sorry for the people out there we need we need good leaders you know the serving office right now yeah and what’s not happening is you know I always provide testimony out there the County Council even the State Planning Commission’s that the land the water Commission’s I’m always there because the great concern is where the private sectors are now building

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their capacity making money by forming public utility companies you know so those resources that supposed to be benefit show for the public trust doctrine we see a lot of those things slipping away you know like uh the that just came out with the Water Commission on the react la mission of waters being put back into the river you know all those kinds of things because the state is now starting to understand that our Father and our species are being jeopardized so now we need to put water back in a river you know all those

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things is is the kind of thing is that I’ve always been addressing and I see on a dress and that’s the reason why I put my name in I had to run for office or in a fit because we need better representation out there for our constituents at the same time we need leadership that can levy not just an Illinois issues but on on Illinois issues and environmental issues on how we can put those things together how we can weave that AHA cord together on all the input that we get from the private sector the general community the Ron

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Owens the Hawaiians and how we can really that together to make this one color is one rope to assure that our resources we’ll be protected for the benefit on the people that live here in Hawaii in all Hawaii not just Maui you know as my position running iya I understand you know the heart and will that it’s going to take to make sure that we start pressing a lot of these issues when we talk about resolutions and policies and ordinances and rules well you’re a popular guy saying those were not voices from the

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sky by the way where this is ka moku kapu I’m Jason Schwartz we’re on kak u LP that doesn’t stand for long plane I think it’s low-power radio 88.5 FM on your dial Kailua also on Facebook live and also on Maui neutral zone calm we’re building a library of we hope good show so you can hear issues and our first candidate you know you’re a really welcome guest in this we had an aquiline on the first show before election season got started and then I haven’t had anyone else on but

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you really our guests that I think needs this vehicle to be known on other islands so that people know who you are you’ve been doing this with or without any elections and you’ve been at the end at a zero budget Wow what’s it like to be in court how’s that can you kind of navigate us down that stream what that was about yeah well it was I think a good 17 years that Makela land company fought a quite sour adverse possession case against properties that are related to me so I entered pro se at the time 17 years

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later you know Marla – my first attorney’s name is Richard McCarty he my guide me through this maze of how the judiciary works then I lost him back in 2015 he died of cancer I’m sorry then right after that Lance Collins this is my attorney now took up the torch and started guiding me in the direction which it went right into a jury trial the jury made decisions that chemical Kapoor owns a hundred percent of 6507 to kuleana lensing : value whereas Makela and company on zero you know there was a

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big open air I hope enough for not just me myself but a lot of Native Hawaiians you have gone through the same course and still going to the same course that my success becomes everybody’s success and that that’s exactly what I can bring to the table when we’re talking about you know what am I gonna bring to the table as as a trustee for office of Hawaiian Affairs these are the exact kind of things that I can bring to the table to make sure that our native minds are just adequately in the judicial

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system today so it’s a great successful of mine that my wind becomes everybody’s wind and we can look at possible resolves and solutions on what was what the outcome of seventeen years how we can pick and choose in their what would be beneficial for other families are not going to the same that’s terrific yeah well you know I I mean you want to talk any specific Hawaiian issues inside of Omaha seat itself let’s say now here you are oh ha representative any issues that are immediately coming up there’s someone

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serving now anything that you might want to direct in any way that you’d like to yeah I think we got to create more programs to give a lot of our native always hope you know that there is succession and a lot of thing is by going forward a lot of our native own communities you know out there feel that you know the officer wearing affairs I’ve been robbed robbing you know the the people for a long time you know one of the biggest hardest issues is Fed wreck for the Department of Interior you

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know might thing about that when anytime anybody mentions Fed wreck and office of Hawaiian Affairs I think it’s none of their business what does that mean Fed wreck wreck federal recognition to Native Hawaiians placing us under the Indian Affairs the America so it’s none of the business of the United States what you say yeah that our people should decide our own faith and it shouldn’t be or is a state agency yeah I think that’s what I meant about a nation within a nation like the Indians

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yeah versus a nation deciding its fate it is a little challenging being that you know my grandfather born in 1893 that was a big event that so long ago and when there’s nobody living now that I think maybe I could be but no one living now from then and so a lot of people in truly understanding the story you know we kind of get ashamed being white and being colonial icers with nowhere to go all the resources and everything turn this into America instead of being Hawaiian I’m hoping you know I guess you’d say I’m my neutral

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stand I’m hoping that the Hawaiian culture can flourish and that the spirit of these islands can be back in Hawaiian hands and as far as land and what to do what’s best for everyone that’s for future discussion but I recognize that you are a leader of men and women who’ve had experience in the trenches and I you know if I’m a voter I’m a voter and I I feel good about you Mahalo I like that I like that you aren’t talking without really hearing people’s opinions and are those opinions

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but you’re out there aren’t you yeah every issue every topic that you know basically will come about for native vines you know in the health housing and education field you know I also spend time in a while to look at the bills and listen to the bills that are going to your legislation you have the Department of all that has a plan in there to provide more housing for their points you know put on a little program school accompany programs it’s a strong foothold for generations upcoming to make sure that

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we grasped the knowledge or the ek of the paths in our children with foo or little Hawaiian speaking children out there you know there’s there’s great opportunities for an existing nation of Hawaii that we can most definitely you know definitely be successful in what is provided for us out there we just gotta address we just got a MacGyver to this maze of politics on how we as data points count in this whole maze of I don’t know production or destruction whichever you want to put it well I hope

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in what we do no matter who owns and controls that we have the love and aloha that I feel and know from you and the strength whether you’re sitting in the seat are not sitting in the seat you count and you count to me what and what I’m voting or not and I hope that we all can become part of solution well that’s gonna wrap up our show here today I’m with kmo cuckoo oh ha candidate for Maui seat no matter what I earned your honor if you like this guy Campbell ku Kapoor you can vote for him so remember that

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Maui neutral zone dot-com you can hear this show again and any of our shows we’re gonna jump off here in a minute thank you for being with us Marla thank you we’re gonna do some more talk and I know we are friendly thank you guys out there for being here thank you kak you thank you for cash-for-gold carmine alone and the Maui miracle org this is the neutral zone signing off on Monday I’m your host Jason Schwartz and here is [Music]