Federal funds support ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i
The Mānoa Heritage Center has been awarded a $90,000 grant from the National Endowment of the Humanities for activities to revitalizethe Hawaiian language, history and culture, U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono announced in August.
The donation will be matched by The First Nations Development Institute. “This project will allow MHC to partner with Hawaiian language researchers and educators from Awaiaulu, the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education and the University of Hawaiʻi’s Uehiro Academy for Philosophy and Ethics in Education, to create a vibrant community focused on providing previously unavailable humanities resources for Hawaiʻi’s educators,” said Jenny Engle, Mānoa Heritage Center’s education director.
“Programs like the Mānoa Heritage Center and East-West Center help expand our knowledge of the histories, languages and cultures that shape our world view,” Hirono said.
Registration open for Maui business conference
The Maui Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce has opened registration for its 11th Annual Hui Holomua Business Fest on Oct. 11. This year’s theme “Ka ‘Ikena ʻŌiwi: Native Wisdom” was selected to explore the new federal Native American Tourism and Improving Visitor Experience (NATIVE) Act.
U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz will give the keynote address on the importance of Native-led tourism. State Sen. Brickwood Galuteria will open the conference with remarks on how indigenous tourism programs can increase Native Hawaiian well-being. They will be joined by Ben Sherman, chairman of the World Indigenous Tourism Alliance; Celeste Ferguson, executive director of the American Indian and Alaska Native Tourism Association and Ramsay Taum, founder of the Life Enhancement Institute of the Pacific.
The NATIVE Act was enacted last September to enhance unique cultural tourism opportunities.
Kamehameha scholarship applications available
Kamehameha Schools is accepting applications for its two K-12 scholarship programs for the 2018-19 school year.
One application can be used to apply for scholarships at the Kapālama and Maui campuses, as well as the Kipona K-12 Scholarship Program. All applications will be completely online this year.
Kipona scholarships are needbased awards for keiki attending KS-eligible private schools in Hawaiʻi.
The Kapālama campus primarily admits students in kindergarten, grades 4, 7 and 9 for Oʻahu residents. Primary admission points for residents from West Hawaiʻi, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi, Kauaʻi, Niʻihau and Hāna are grades 7 and 9. Forthe Hawaiʻi and Maui campuses, kindergarten, grades 6 and 9 are the primary admission points. Applications are also accepted at all campuses for grades 10-12 but spaces are limited.
For more information visit www.ksbe.edu/programs or call campus
Kapālama – (808) 842-8800
Maui – (808) 572-3133
Hawaiʻi – (808) 982-0100
The applications are available online at www.ksbe.edu/admissions. The deadline to apply is Sept. 30.
Army seeking input on draft management plan
The Army is seeking public comment on a draft plan to improve management of cultural resources at its training areas on Oʻahu.
The draft programmatic agreement looks to minimize the impact on historic properties during training activities on Schofield Barracks, Wheeler Army Airfield, Kahuku Training Area, a portion of Kawailoa Training Area and Dillingham Military Reservation.
“We’ve been consulting with Native Hawaiian organizations to hear their concerns, and we’d like to get some input from the general community, as well. Public input is really important when it comes to informed decision-making,” said Richard Davis, cultural resources manager, U.S. Army Garrison-Hawai‘i.
The draft agreement is available online at https://go.usa.gov/xNS7n under “Project Documents.” Printed copies are available upon request.
Comments can be emailed to usaghi.pao.comrel@us.army.mil, or mailed to USAG-HI Environmental Division, ATTN: Military Training Programmatic Agreement, 948 Santos Dumont Ave., Schofield Barracks, HI 96857. Questions can be directed to the U.S. Army Garrison- Hawaiʻi Cultural Resources Program at 655-9707.
The Army plans to finalize the Oʻahu Programmatic Agreement this fall.
Documentary looks at coral bleaching
As Hawaiʻi lawmakers debate a ban on sunscreen containing oxybenzone to protect coral reefs, a new documentary streaming on Netflix explores the phenomenon of coral bleaching.
Oxybenzone, a chemical used in several sunscreens, causes death in baby coral – potentially destroying entire reef systems. “Chasing Coral” directed by Jeff Orlowski, documents an attempt to record coral bleaching events in real time, while shining a light on the issue of mass coral death, which is transforming the underwater landscape.
A bill to ban oxybenzone containing sunscreen failed during the last legislative session but some lawmakers have indicated they’ll make another attempt at getting it passed in 2018.
Help the Army help the ‘elepaio
The U.S. Army is seeking ways to protect the endangered Oʻahu ʻelepaio, which nest in the mountains above Schofield training range.
Biologists estimate that only 1,200 ʻelepaio exist on Oʻahu and are found nowhere else in the world. The Army suspects rats contribute to the dwindling ʻelepaio population and has been monitoring bird pairs and supporting them with rodent control. Predator rats are about twice the size of the ʻelepaio, which are just over five inches.
“We’ve been working with the ʻelepaio since the ‘90s. Over the years, we’ve used bait stations, snap traps and more recently, gaspowered, self-resetting traps,” said Kapua Kawelo, natural resources program manager with U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaiʻi.
“Unfortunately, these strategies haven’t been as effective as we want. We aren’t able to cover a large enough area due to severe terrain and limited access. As a result, the rat population is still rising,” she added.
The Army is proposing conducting a broad-scale application of rodenticide in its area with the largest ʻelepaio population, which is fenced in to keep pigs and goats out and isn’t open to the public or service members.
The public can review and comment on the supplemental environmental assessment at https://go.usa.gov/xREAc through Sept. 7. Comments can be emailed to usaghi.pao.comrel@us.army.mil or mailed to USAG-HI DPW Environmental Division, 947 Wright Ave., Wheeler Army Airfield, Schofield Barracks, HI 96857.
