Realities of life
in Puna ma kai
With all due respect, I offer comments regarding letters by Mr. Leningrad Elarionoff on Nov. 23, and Ms. Tiffany Edwards-Hunt on Dec. 14. While both raise valid points, each present errors of fact and, I believe, wrong-headed thinking.
First, the “poho” in Kapoho and Pohoiki refers to subsidence of land, often during earthquake or intrusion of magma into the rift, creating low places or depressions, especially along the shore. Pohō, a different word with emphasis on the second “o,” does indeed mean “loss, damage, or out of luck”; a waste of time. Place names do indeed often reflect geography or circumstance.
During the past two centuries, Puna ma kai witnessed lava flows in 1790, 1840, 1955, 1960, 1977, and 1983-2018, and most certainly will again in the future. Over time, populations increase, and so does impact from eruption, tsunami, subsidence, hurricane, earthquake and flood.
It is misguided to equate “recovery” with restoration of roads and waterlines, and other infrastructure, all of which encourage reoccupation of land in hazard-prone areas. The “build, destroy, rebuild” process costs all of us money, and lots of it. Those funds would be better used to educate and relocate residents away from hazard. There seems to be a common sentiment in our communities that kamaaina are okay with Pele and her work. She comes, they move. Many malihini, on the other hand, want and expect everything to be “restored” the way it was so that they can stay.
The ahupuaa of Keahialaka, in which is located the Lower East Rift Zone-straddling Leilani Estates, is a wahi pana, a noted place celebrated in stories and chant, where an almost identical series of events to that in 2018 occurred several hundred years ago. History repeats itself. We choose to ignore evident truths. Simply drive through Puna ma kai and see successive lava flows. Then, wonder why on Earth would we want to spend precious funds rebuilding, rather than relocating?
Bobby Camara
Volcano
What’s the plan?
How are travelers flying to Kona on Jan. 3, 2021, supposed to get COVID-19 test results within 72 hours if labs are closed Jan. 1 and UPS used to deliver tests to labs is also closed. Has Kona come up with a solution or do passengers just arrive and go into quarantine. Help!
Janet Sampson
Waunake, Wisconsin
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