STAND. COM. REP. NO.120

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2001

RE: S.B. No. 498

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 498 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE NANAKULI HOMESTEAD CEMETERY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for the repair and maintenance of the Nanakuli Homestead Cemetery.

Your Committee finds that the native Hawaiian people, like most people in the world, have a deep respect and love for their ancestors and treasure the remains of their ancestors. Hawaiians believe that their ancestors have a special place amongst the living. It is their "mana" that gives the strength and power of the living to overcome adversity.

Your Committee also finds that the Nanakuli Hawaiian Homestead has a cemetery within its boundaries. The Nanakuli community has taken it upon itself to maintain the site. Unlike commercial cemeteries that have built-in funding sources for maintenance and preservation of the grounds, the Nanakuli Hawaiian Homestead cemetery does not. With only limited financial support from the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands over the years, the Nanakuli community has done its best to maintain the cemetery.

Your Committee further finds that the deterioration of the cemetery has been a major sore point with the residents of the community. Many residents have come forward to volunteer their services to try to stop the degradation, to give the kupuna a proper resting place. However, with limited financial support, the projects were small in scale and did not really stop the deterioration.

Since December 1992, Clean-up and Beautification (CUB) projects have been ongoing. The Nanakuli Hawaiian Homestead Community Association has solicited community organizations and groups to participate in the monthly CUB projects. The Association has had numerous church organizations; Nanaikapono Protestant Church, Door of Faith Church, Nanakuli Mormon Church, etc.; Nanakuli High School clubs; Ike Loa Kulana Club, Travel Industry Club, etc.; and community groups; Boy Scouts of Waianae, Nanakuli Neighborhood Housing Service, etc. participating in one or more CUB projects.

Much work still must be done, such as clearing and removing rocks, setting and replacement of original grave markers, importing soil, constructing retaining walls, grading and filling driveways, replanting trees and plants, the placement and pouring of sidewalks where needed, and other restoration work as necessary.

For these reasons, your Committee believes that encouraging the activities of the Nanakuli community through the appropriation of funds to assist them in accomplishing their goal of cemetery restoration and maintenance is a perfect example of community and government working together.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 498 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

JONATHAN CHUN, Chair