Hāna Huddle: East Maui Homestead Issues Discussed

(L to R) Flora Wong of ʻĪao Valley; Nanihala Oliveira of Hāna; Kekoa Enomoto of Kula; Kukunaokala Helekahi-Burns of Hāna, and ‘Anelamaikalani Bell of Santa Barbara, California. PC: Keakalimawaikiki Kanakaʻole

A gathering was held on Thursday, Nov. 7, in the East Maui community of Hāna to discuss the area’s homestead issues ahead of a Hawaiian Homes Commission set to take place later this month on Maui.

Among those in attendance were Flora Wong of ʻĪao Valley; Nanihala Oliveira of Hāna; Kekoa Enomoto of Kula; Kukunaokala Helekahi-Burns of Hāna, and ‘Anelamaikalani Bell of Santa Barbara, California were among those who attended the meeting at the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College, Hāna site.

Helekahi-Burns and Oliveira’s husband, Zachary Oliveira, are on the waitlist for 743 homeland acres at Wākiu across from Hāna High and Elementary School. Oliveira hopes for a five-acre farm homestead, while Helekahi-Burns seeks a 20-acre agricultural lot.

Kekoa Enomoto, who organized the meeting, is the new president of the 2019-23 Maui/Lānaʻi Mokupuni Council, a consortium of 14 Hawaiian homestead entities.

As president, she invited the two and all waitlisters to advocate before the Hawaiian Homes Commission.  The commission meeting is scheduled to take place at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 18 at the Kula Community Center.

The Mokupuni Council will also host guest speaker Puanani Danner of Kauaʻi at UHMC Laulima 226 starting 5 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 14 for a “Hawaiian Lands in Hawaiian Hands” presentation.

For information, contact Enomoto at paupena.kekoa@gmail.com or phone 276-2713.