As I make my way to catch the plane from Molokai to Oahu, I wanted to take this time to reflect and express my gratitude for the wonderful experiences Ive had over the last 2 weeks. I came home a weak bird with a persistent bad cough and asthma that had been with me since April. Kuu one hanau, my beautiful island is returning me back to Oahu strong and healthy once more. I am very maana, so satisfied and so piha (full) of great love and appreciation for my island, Molokai Pule Oo, Molokai Aina Momona, Molokai Nui A Hina ... how I love you! I also maana seeing how my nonprofit and the good people who are the heart and soul of the organization are planting great seeds for our island, helping families and children, growing nourishing foods of the land, and inspiring community. Thank you for all that you do. We put up a bamboo hale which will serve as a food hub to package and distribute food grown from our farmers to our stores, restaurants, and schools. We were also blessed with First Nations for helping us with our strategic planning. Today world renown permaculturists Geoff and Nadia Lawton and their beautiful daughter Latifa came by to film our efforts at the high school to teach sustainable agriculture. Fred Richardson has been working so hard and his knowledge so expansive. It was a joy to see Geoff and Fred talk story and exchange ideas. Also, my law students and I were able to report back to the Aha Kiole - Manae Moku on our legal findings and preliminary recommendations from our interviews of 27 Manae cultural practitioners. This work will be incorporated into a cultural plan for mauka-makai ahupuaa management associated with the proposed East Molokai Watershed Management plan. If we are successful as a community in working together to create a comprehensive management structure that restores the entire watershed and not just the pristine upland native forests, we will be setting a precedent for all the islands. We will show everyone that conventional conservationists, hunters, laau lapaau and native plant gatherers, lawaia, and mahiai can all work together to do what is pono for the aina.
Posted on: Wed, 13 Aug 2014 02:56:24 +0000
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