Wow. I cannot believe what is happening right now. The County is determined to build a bike path across OUR Wailua Beach. Wailua Beach is sacred. Wailua Beach should not be touched. Wailua Beach should not be destroyed. PERIOD!!
For years, I have been questioning the placement of the bike path (among other things). I have been criticized for being so vocal in my quest to get my questions answered. I have been labeled "Mr. Oppose-O" and "Mr. Anti Bike Path." It is quite interesting how many of my critics are now opposing the bike path being built across Wailua Beach. You see, I don't oppose the bike path at all. In fact, I think it is a good thing. What I do oppose is the fact many shortcuts were taken. This project was destined to be completed, regardless of what the people wanted. Remember Wailua Houselots? Papaloa Road? And now, Wailua Beach?
I stand firm in opposition of any construction along our beaches of Kauai, especially Wailua Beach. Beaches are becoming more and more difficult to find. As you know, many of the northshore beaches have been lost due to construction and erosion. Kekaha is losing beaches as we speak because of construction. We cannot let this continue to happen. Beaches and shorelines must be protected. We have State laws that mandate that. We cannot continue to allow the destruction on our natural resources. Enough is enough.
I'm curious to see what happens with Wailua Beach. The right thing to do is to build the path mauka, behind Coco Palms. It is a beautiful route that will allow the preservation of OUR Wailua Beach. Your thoughts?
Mel,
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts on this matter, its getting out of hand, I'm behind you on this one. Why are they even thinking about sidewalks when there's a-lot of other important issues to be worked on. I live on the West side of the island and Kekaha really is losing beaches due to the construction thats going on at the harbor. With all the concrete laying over our beaches, the local people won't be able to enjoy the beaches in years to come. Wailua beach is sacred and I oppose this project also.
Herman
Question, why are the political machine pushing so hard to push this? answer, it's for the tourist dollars. do they care about the host culture? ofcourse not. i've come to believe the majority of our county officials only care about their individual pay offs, whatever it maybe. i've even gone further and have registered my opposition supported by my ohana to mayor carvalho, county council and the state. the question we asked, would the public be allowed to desecrate their family burial or sacred places since they don't seem to be bothered by this.
ReplyDeleteCan you imagine going to a new place and trying to build something on lands that are sacred to the host culture? This is unthinkable!! Except on Kauai because our fearless leaders allow them to. Shame on all of them.
ReplyDeleteFirst the county allowed and facilitated brescia to desecrate over 30 Iwi, now the county wants to do the same at Wailua Beach. The burials there are sacred burials. Doug Haig should be investigated along with Ian Costa. keep the friggin path off of our beaches.
ReplyDeleteIt seems strange to refer to a "political machine" pushing for the bike path. The whole effort started from huge *volunteer* efforts with Kamalani park, not some grand conspiracy.
ReplyDeletePeople see this as a way to improve life for locals and tourists by removing some of those noisy cars from the highway. I can't think of a better way to enjoy this sacred site than on a quiet bicycle.
I think they meant that the "political machine" was pushing for the path crossing Wailua Beach, not the bike path in general. It would be hard to find anyone that opposes the bike path in general, but many oppose the willful disrespect of the host culture by building a path over known, sacred burial grounds of the native Hawaiians. Thanks for the post.
ReplyDeleteWell, if it is disturbing a burial ground, it should be reconsidered. Has there been a survey of the area under the planned path?
ReplyDeleteI just worry that people are resistant to the bike path because it is different. Every time it comes up, there are different arguments against it.
In this article you mention loss of beach area and disturbing iwi. The change to the beach area would be just a few percent and the iwi might not even be in the area of the path.
In the Wailua houselots, people (including my sister, who lives on Eggerking) resisted because they thought it would require widening the road. That was a total red herring: no change to the road width was planned.
Resistance to change can help protect local culture. The TVR stuff people are talking about is a good example of that. But what if this bike path was a way of strengthening local culture also?
You don't strenghten local culture by desecrating burial grounds. The problem with this is that all the masterminds that thought of this plan are not from here. They are newcomers that have no clue, nor care, of the host culture. They constantly try to make Kauai like the places that they came from. Kauai is special. Leave the culture alone.
ReplyDelete> You don't strenghten local culture by
ReplyDelete> desecrating burial grounds.
Of course you are right. If we know there are burials there, they should not be disturbed. In fact, they should be closed off to all public intrusion (but not to Native Hawaiians, naturally).
> The problem with this is that all the
> masterminds that thought of this plan are not
> from here. They are newcomers that have no
> clue, nor care, of the host culture. They
> constantly try to make Kauai like the places
> that they came from. Kauai is special. Leave
> the culture alone.
I would disagree with you here. Again, I think of Kamalani playground and multi-use path. Many local volunteers worked to make that into the wonderful place it is today.
Has there been a survey of the area under the planned path?
ReplyDeleteThe answer is no, plain and simple, Nancy Mc Mahon is incompetant at best, corrupt at worse. She did not require one. She is the problem, she no care, but she is the one who gets paid to protect the counties historical property, yet she must of said, WTF as she imposed only monitoring . The path requires they anchor the path with augars that dig 8 feet down. And that means, whaatever burials they find, get pierced with the augars that anchor the 14 foot "path". How do they sleep at night? No leadership from Da Mayor, come on Bernard, why don't you care? This could be a travesty for you. I can see the headlines now County dismembers Iwi, or county dig up 40 iwi Kupuna, . No respect , no care from the path planners. Muttering under there breath, yeah, desecrate, desecrate, yummmm
The Office of Hawaiian Affairs cited in their September 9, 2009 letter to the Federal Highway Administration:
ReplyDelete"...OHA would recommend that any proposed pedestrian or bicycle path stay off of and away from the sacred sands of Wailua, and that any such project occur in a more mauka alignment, towards an existing cane haul road. We are cognizant that subsurface cultural features, including human burial sites, could and do exist all throughout the Wailua area, including a more mauka alignment, but the coastal area is truly a living phenomenon and the accretion, shifting and erosion of the beach at Wailua, along with its sacred designation, truly warrants the preservation of the open space there now unencumbered by man made structures, no matter how seemingly ephemeral."
"OHA understands that Federal Stimulus monies may be available for some of the transportation improvements planned for Wailua and that portions of this project as well as other related projects may qualify. It is our hope that our comments and recommendations are seen in the light of making difficult decisions on behalf of a wide and diverse beneficiary base, but always in the spirit of Aloha and aloha aina. Economic Stimulus is truly important in this time of difficulty. We also believe that spiritual stimulus is equally important as well and the well-being of a populace can be measured in many different ways."
"In summary, the Wailua area of Kaua`i is a truly unique and sacred traditional cultural landscape where important parts of pre-contact Hawaiian history occurred. It also remains a very special and sacred wahi kupuna which serves to inspire our modern Native Hawaiian community and cultural practitioners as well as assist in the reconnection of the opio, the youth, with both the aina and with their kupuna kahiko. We ask that the utmost care and sensitivity be afforded this wahi kapu during the planned improvements from planning all the way through implementation."
It is clear that the area is sacred, and should not be touched. I will be surprised if the County proceeds with the Wailua Beach alignment. If the County proceeds with this alignment, desecration will definitely occur and many will be held accountable, including local, state and federal decision makers. As the old saying goes, "Money isn't everything."
audit the bike path
ReplyDeleteFrom today's Garden Island newspaper:
ReplyDelete"In a phone interview Friday, Noyes said he expects the county to convene a stakeholders meeting in the near future to review the issues, but said Kaua‘i Path supports the work that’s already been accomplished in the planning and design phases and expects that the administration will continue to make progress on bringing the project to construction while ensuring that archaeological concerns are weighed."
Also:
" “The mayor is aware of the change in OHA’s position and feels that this position should be considered before we proceed,” Tokioka said in an e-mail. “The county is currently in discussions with the federal and state agencies involved with the project to determine a course of action in light of this new information.”
She said she had not heard of any plans to convene a stakeholders meeting."
Is this a County project or a Noyes project? Shouldn't the Mayor know if the County is planning to convene a stakeholders meeting? Or maybe Noyes is planning a meeting for his stakeholders.