From Ambition to Apathy??

January 2014

We had our first official visit and clean-up day this past weekend. We traveled to Mau'i island and visited our adopted site to re-assess what we needed to have done.

Friday, the 3rd we realized, was mostly a lost day. We were able to get our keys to the site and to explore what our focus was. We would focus our efforts at Haleki'i first and then work from there. As our micro-mini vehicle made its way up the paved drive, we noticed its shape: severe wash-out and increase in damage to the asphalt; more cracking, lose areas, and potholes. The recent storms caused a large boulder to break off from the lithified sand dune and lie on the side of the road. Buckets filled with water lined the road, openly inviting mosquitos to breed. The most memorable moment was when I was able to provide a brief educational experience of the site for 3 visitors from the East Coast.  They couldn't stop saying, "How gorgeous is this view!?" With time running thin, we made our last minute purchase of an eco-friendly weedwacker at Lowes and retired for the evening.

Here are the photos from when we arrived:

Paved parking lot of Haleki'i Pihana Heiau with severe run off

Front Face: Haleki'i Pihana

Walkway to the Heiau 

Walkway shot 2

Grass Overgrowth

Haleki'i from walkway with severe overgrowth

Saturday, the 4th, was our big day. As always when approaching a sacred site, I said a prayer asking for protection, forgiveness, and that all negative energies be left at the site.

As an ambitious person, I believed we could get a lot done: the entire walkway, the entire Haleki'i area, and possibly the parking lot. It looked like it would be beautiful weather: overcast, cool, and possible rain. It was a great day to be out working in nature. However, what seemed manageable in my mind suddenly became a massive seemingly impossible feat. The 10 acres loomed in front of me, laughing at me. The heavy rains resulted in a large overgrowth of the grass and Koa trees. But we got started. My mother took to the bottom, hand clipping tough weeds the stuck out of the grounds and I got started on the grass with my trusted weed wacker. I thought, "Man, with this thing, no problem!" But soon, my spool started to shred and get caught. The protective shroud fell off and worst of all the battery died (as did the back-up battery). What should have been a 4-5 hour power tool lasted an hour. I took to the grass with a hand tool: swinging back and forth. After a few hours, I managed to get 1/3 of JUST Haleki'i cleared. I managed to clip only 1-2 dozen of immature Koa Haole trees that spread across a 40 yard area. My mother managed to clear the entire site of the inappropriate offerings, the grass overgrowth, and cleaned up the cemented area.

We stood back and the ocean was still covered by 5 feet tall immature Koa and 3 feet tall grass. I looked at it at felt utterly defeated. I was angry at the situation and felt that the state, who has the power to maintain the site, does not. I found myself asking, if one person were to cut the grass just once a month, only once, this site would be much better maintained and would not be so easily forgotten. I found myself angry at process for which we had to operate: no pulling of ANYTHING do to the delicate nature of the sand dune, no pesticides, being aware of any and all rocks, not hitting a rock or formation, or accidentally bumping something, etc. I found that my ambitious nature was just that: too ambitious. I am not one to easily feel defeated and this had me going. As we called it a day, I just couldn't shake the feeling in my stomach that no matter what we would accomplish, it would not be sustained. And to me, that felt like failure - something I don't deal well with.

Working Hard

A picture of the grass chopped by hand after weed whacker died!

Photo from walkway

After photo of grass and cleaned area from walkway

Monday, the 6th, we returned to the site again to complete some final touches for this month's trip. At Pihana heiau, many locals and visitors had left numerous inappropriate offerings. From non-native plants, to lava rocks wrapped in Ti leaves, binders with a local's information on it, and make-shift fishing poles with a dead animals skull hanging from it. I was even more disgusted when I saw this. After removing the "offerings", I found that the non-native plant (an aloe vera plant) had been physically planted within the heiaus rock surface. It had begun to root making it impossible to pull out without having to move a substantial amount of rocks. As a respectful hawaiian, I had a bad feeling about doing this and if its one thing I was taught was to always listen to the na'au. I sadly had to walk away from this plant until next month when we could better assess how to remove it without desecrating the site. The anger in me just rose to a new level.

Here are some of the photos from the inappropriate offerings:

Binder with personal information in it topped with Ti wrapped lava rocks

Makeshift fishing pole with pig skull

Stick with nails and bracelets pinned to it

Non-native Aloe Vera planted in the heiau formation

My mother, our company's Vice President, reminded me that "any work we do is better than what is being done now. Which is nothing." She said that she felt pride in knowing that she was contributing to the islands upkeep, to the historical preservation, and ultimately the beautification of this site. I know and knew she was right. We discussed the local community, the Maui State Park attendants, the Kahu for the area, as well as the Hawaii State Departments. I found myself upset at everyone and questioned why it has come to this level of neglect, or any level of neglect, before someone will step up. I know that no one will care for the site unless someone or some people from the community step up and take responsibility for this. And this is what its about: KULEANA.

My Hawaiian brothers and sisters live on the land, eat the earth's food, drink her life's blood, build on her back, and sometimes scar her by leaving trash and junk throughout their yards. My Hawaiian brothers and sisters take pride and shout at the top of their lungs that they are "KANAKA MAOLI" and are "IMUA." My experience with my Maui brothers and sisters is that they tout their superiority to all others. And yet, the land is neglected: lo'i are disappearing as are other indigenous plants and animals from the island. More and more hotels are being erected, shopping malls, and parking lots are throughout Mau'i island, one of the Islands HOTTEST tourist islands. It was then that I realized that My Hawaiian brothers and sisters are not fulfilling the collective Kuleana and are not making it pono.

Our small business, with all its good intentions, sweat, blood, tears, and emotions will not be enough to sustain this historically important piece of Hawaiian antiquity. Our efforts are only enough to raise awareness that this site exists and of the problems that exist on it. It is up to you, the community, to ensure that it SURVIVES, that it THRIVES, and LIVES to see another 100 years.

So here it is, cut and dry: Haleki'i Pihana Heiau is in great need for the support of its local communities and businesses. It is through a joint effort that we can work towards preserving and maintaining the site in a respectful and beautiful way, honoring our past and welcoming in the future.

What is your call? What is your responsibility? Is it not all our responsibility to love Mother Earth? As the American Indian proverb is told, "We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors, we borrow it from our Children." What, then, will your legacy be to your children?


*All photos are the private property of Danielle Grauman and may not be reproduced, altered or used without written request and consent*