HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

98

TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2002

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 
   


HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

supporting the development of curricula for hawaii public schools utilizing hawaiian fishponds (Loko i'a) as a resource for teaching.

 

 

WHEREAS, in October 2000, the United States Department of Education funded a grant request of the Pacific American Foundation entitled "Kahea Loko" to develop curricula under the native Hawaiian curricula development, teacher training, and recruitment program; and

WHEREAS, the goal of this program is to utilize Hawaiian loko i'a as a living resource to teach new and innovative curricula to students both in and outside of the classroom in grade levels Kindergarten to 12th grade; and

WHEREAS, the newly developed curricula focuses on three areas of study including science, social studies, and language arts; and

WHEREAS, all curricula will meet or exceed the Hawaii Department of Education's prescribed content and performance standards for the three focus areas of study; and

WHEREAS, the development and implementation of the finalized curricula will be available to teachers and schools in both English and Hawaiian language; and

WHEREAS, loko i'a are cultural treasures unique to Hawaii and the "Loko Kuapa" is a style and feat of Hawaiian engineering that has not been duplicated anywhere else in the world; and

WHEREAS, these ancient structures are ties to an important element of Hawaiian culture that is on the verge of being lost forever; and

WHEREAS, the experience of preserving, nurturing, and revitalizing the loko i'a in recent times have proved to be a valuable tool and resource for learning and an opportunity to instill awareness of the need to "malama I ka 'ama"; and

WHEREAS, traditional knowledge of the physical, spiritual, and cultural aspects of loko i'a represents a near perfect balance of early Hawaiians' understanding of our relationship to the land, sea, and heavens; and

WHEREAS, this knowledge continues to have a profound influence in understanding the problems of contemporary society and its relationship to the environment today; and

WHEREAS, the legislature commends the Board of Education for its recent adoption of policy 2140, that supports the learning of Hawaiian history, culture and language for all of Hawaii's students; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2002, the Senate concurring, that the Legislature acknowledges the importance of preserving, nurturing, and revitalizing Hawaiian loko i'a throughout the State as an integral part of Hawaii's rich cultural heritage, and supports inclusion of curricular for Hawaii public schools utilizing Hawaiian fishponds (loko i'a) as a resource for teaching; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature recognizes and supports the efforts of the Kahea Loko project, the United States Department of Education, the Hawaii Department of Education, the Waikalua Loko Fishpond Preservation Society, the University of Hawaii Sea Grant Extension Service, the Pacific American Foundation, and the teachers, students, and other participants in this statewide education project in completing its mission and goals for the benefit of all of Hawaii's children; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, the President of Kamehameha Schools, the Director of Kahea Loko Project, the Secretary of the United States Department of Education, the Superintendent of Education, the Director of Waikalua Loko Fishpond Preservation Society, the

Director of University of Hawaii's Sea Grant Extension Service, and the Director of Pacific American Foundation.

 

 

 

 

 

Report Title:

Hawaiian Fishponds