Nearly 65 years ago in 1964, the State of Hawaiʻi leased ceded land to the Army on the islands of Hawaiʻi and Oʻahu. Now, at the precipice of these leases expiring, there is a critical lack of leadership from the Army and the state’s administration on the future of these lands. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) is ready to fill this vacuum of leadership.
The Army’s use of these lands, including Mākua Valley on Oʻahu and Pōhakuloa on Hawaiʻi Island, is steeped in historic trauma for Native Hawaiians. When the Army seized Mākua at the beginning of WWII, they marched Native Hawaiians out of their homes with the promise they could return after the war. This promise was never fulfilled, and Mākua Valley was subsequently used as live-fire target practice throughout the 20th century.
On Hawaiʻi Island, Pōhakuloa hosts critical habitat for a variety of protected and endemic species. These lands also have sacred historic and cultural resources including burial caves and ceremonial sites for traditional and customary practices which still occur today.
Native Hawaiian values are rooted in kinship and stewardship of our lands. The historic control of our lands by the Army has been antithetical to these values. It took unwavering advocacy from organizations such as Mālama Mākua to force the Army to address concerns of natural and cultural resources.
At Pōhakuloa, the Army has continually put our natural and cultural resources at risk. In their Environmental Impact Statement, the Army disclosed they have been responsible for nearly 900 fires since 1975. Army training also severely limits how Native Hawaiians and cultural practitioners can engage in traditional and customary practices and exercise their beliefs.
As a military officer, I understand the importance of training and readiness. With growing tensions in the Indo-Pacific region, including from China and North Korea, Hawaiʻi is critical for our national security.
But as a Native Hawaiian, I understand that the U.S. military has a legacy of abuse and exploitation which began with aiding the overthrow of our Kingdom, the bombing of Kahoʻolawe and the poisoning of our wai at Red Hill.
To rebuild this trust, the Army must model leadership by providing meaningful, tangible concessions in exchange for any new lease. This should include returning all the land at Mākua to the state, including the federal land in the valley, with funding for remediation.
At Pōhakuloa, the Army should be prepared to commit to stringent lease conditions, better protection for natural and cultural resources, and meaningful benefits for Native Hawaiians and cultural practitioners. Further, the Army should be willing to pay an above-market rate for any prospective lease.
We must expect better leadership from the state. The state’s administration has avoided taking a proactive role in steering towards an outcome that ensures a net positive benefit for our lands and people.
Earlier this year, the Board of Land and Natural Resources held a vague discussion on a potential land swap. It’s crucial for the state’s administration to lead with political courage on this contentious issue to prevent unilateral actions by the Army and incoming federal administration.
OHA should be engaged in the future of these leased ceded lands given OHA’s constitutionally mandated interest to ensure these lands are protected for the benefit of the public trust and Native Hawaiians.
As the Trustee for Moku o Keawe, I look forward to working with the state and Army leadership to forge a path forward that ensures the protection of our natural and cultural resources, safeguards the public trust, and benefits our local communities and Native Hawaiians.
