Using length of residency as a measuring stick
Browsing over the celery and romaine lettuce in the Keauhou KTA market recently, a longtime friend of mine who unfortunately I only see infrequently gabbed with me about yesterday, today and tomorrow.
I remember as a young man, tomorrow was a promise. Not something to dwell on, but something to look forward too. And, as one says, the youth is wasted on the young.
But on that day I find myself in the company of a person who as a youth I could never have foreseen in my future but always assumed he would be there.
So, I’m sitting in a meeting in Kainaliu circa 1994. The subject of the meeting is whether the collection of reef fish off of West Hawaii for aquariums should be regulated. In 1953, the Legislature of the Territory of Hawaii determined that nonfood fish are fair game for aquarium fish collection.
What the Territory of Hawaii did not know is what constitutes food fish. Not food fish in the eyes of the collectors or regulators, but food fish in the eyes of those who rely on fish as a food source.
Everyone deserves a voice. And this is the crux of this letter.
Having sat through hours and hours of testimony from individuals who introduced themselves first by name and then second by how long they have been in Hawaii is perplexing. It’s as if the length of time of having “moved” here from your birthplace is part of some kind of formula to justify one’s contributions.
Then as a Native Hawaiian, when I voice the concerns of my ancestors, my family and my mo‘opuna, I’m branded a complainer. So, my being here since the beginning is not a number. I need to be a number.
My Chinese grandfather emigrated to Hawaii in 1877. My haole (European) great-grandfather emigrated to Hawaii around 1850. I have no record of them telling folks how long they had been here. Both families married Hawaiians, and here I am.
I have three children and five mo‘opuna. Their ethnicities range from Chinese to Black to Filipino to Portuguese to English to Japanese to European and Chamorro. They have been here forever.
Nobody cares how long one has been here. It’s who you are.
Charles Young
Honaunau
To those who don’t believe in climate change
There are many who question whether climate change is caused by human activity.
Scientists have known about the greenhouse properties of CO2 for 100 years. Sixty years ago, oil company scientists predicted the climate change we are now seeing.
CO2 at our current level adds energy to the atmosphere. This is established fact, not theory.
Think of the planet’s weather as a system. Add energy to the system, and weather events become more energetic.
This means more and bigger storms, colder winters, bigger droughts, more tornadoes, etc. It’s really that simple.
The ability to grow food depends upon the weather being consistent and predictable.
I find it interesting that in a place and culture that so reveres care of the ‘aina, that so many are willing to just allow it to be destroyed because they don’t want to believe in climate change.
Russell Button
Pahoa