Posted on: Friday, February 14, 2003

Agreement reached on visit to Kaho'olawe

By Vicki Viotti
Advertiser Staff Writer

A small contingent from the Protect Kaho'olawe 'Ohana has been cleared for tomorrow for a scaled-down version of the scheduled February visit to the island, a visit the Navy barred last week.

The new itinerary will allow five adults to spend tomorrow night on the island. They are members of the group who want "to reaffirm our right of access and our stewardship, making our monthly visit to the island," said Davianna McGregor, one of the 'Ohana access coordinators.

The new plan is for the group to travel by inflatable boat to Hakioawa on the island's north side, make a traditional offering and inspect various sites in preparation for a replanting project in March, McGregor said.

"We'll probably clean up around camp," she said, "and there are some cultural sites to go into and make sure it's good."

The group won't include either the school group or the hula halau that had planned to go with the 'Ohana in the original Thursday-Sunday trip, McGregor said. That trip was canceled because of a dispute over the January visit. The Navy said the 'Ohana entered a restricted area unescorted; the 'Ohana maintained that it thought the area was cleared.

Charles Maxwell of Pukalani Hula Hale, the Maui halau, said the dancers had requested permission for a day trip to Kanapou, a part of the island that is central to the chant they will perform in April at the Merrie Monarch Festival Hula Competition.

But the Navy's policy, newly tightened to bar any island visitors under the age of 15, precluded that. Then the halau hoped for a flyover, but the helicopter company the group approached for the job declined, citing safety concerns.

"It's a cultural insult to us to keep us away from the island," Maxwell said. He said the halau visit follows hula protocols of spiritually seeking permission on the land to perform the dance that depicts a legend of the area.

The halau now plans to dance at Maui's Palauea Beach, which faces Kanapou, across the channel.

Meanwhile, 'Ohana and Navy sources confirm that both sides are meeting to clarify procedures for future visits to the island.

Since 1980, the 'Ohana has served as the court-designated civilian steward to restore the island, previously used for bombing practice by the Navy.

In 1994, title to the island passed to the state to be held in trust for a native Hawaiian self-governing entity, but supervision of access to the island, which is littered with ordnance, isn't scheduled to pass to the state until November.

At that time, trips will be supervised by the state's Kaho'olawe Island Reserve Commission. Its executive director, Keoni Fairbanks, said the Navy has been trying to get the commission to take over early.

"It's not in anyone's interest to force the state to take over prematurely," Fairbanks said. "We have a looming deadline of November, and we need the time to be prepared." The commission has adopted a risk management plan, but the staff needs to coordinate various safety protocols with the 'Ohana and settle a "huge range of liability and other sticky issues."

Lt. Cmdr. Jane Campbell, Navy spokeswoman, acknowledged that the Navy has made overtures with the commission to share responsibility before taking it on entirely but said it is in the interest of a smooth transition.

"The Navy has offered to work with the state so that, instead of having everything happen in November, there would be a slower, gradual handoff ... a crawl-walk-run type of thing," she said.

Reach Vicki Viotti at vviotti@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8053.