Work paused on pump station repairs in Lahaina amid demands by ʻĀina Momona to protect sacred Mokuʻula site

ʻĀina Momona has submitted a formal complaint to the State Historic Preservation Division (SHPD) and the County of Maui regarding recent construction activities that have allegedly disturbed or threaten to disturb Mokuʻula, a sacred and historically significant site.

Mokuʻula, once the political seat of the Hawaiian Kingdom and a wahi pana of cultural and spiritual importance, is listed on both the State Inventory of Historic Places and the National Register of Historic Places.

According to ʻĀina Momona’s complaint, recent work by the County and its contractors, “appears to have proceeded without the legally required approvals under Hawaiʻi’s historic preservation laws (HRS Chapter 6E).”

County of Maui spokesperson Laksmi Abraham responded to Maui Nowʻs request for comment saying, “The County has temporarily paused work on emergency sewer repairs at Pump Station 5 in Lahaina out of extreme caution and concern following cultural issues raised during trenching activity by a contractor.”

“According to the contractor, both an archaeologist and a cultural monitor were present during the initial work in April. However, the County later learned that only a cultural monitor was onsite when construction resumed on Aug. 6,” she said. “Out of respect for these concerns, all work was stopped Aug. 6, and protective measures have been put in place.”

In addition to the immediate stop-work order for all ground-disturbing activities within a half mile of Mokuʻula, ʻĀina Momona is calling for:

• A formal investigation into violations of HRS 6E by the County and its contractors.
• A condition assessment of the damage to be conducted by SHPD or an archaeology firm selected in consultation with Native Hawaiian organizations and community stakeholders.
• Public release of all contracts and correspondence between the County of Maui, Mocon Corp., and Scientific Consultant Services, Inc. (SCS) related to the project, pursuant to the Uniform Information Practices Act.

Abraham said the County is working closely with contracted archaeologists and cultural practitioners to fully investigate this incident and to ensure any future contracted work is carried out in a way that protects and honors the cultural and historical resources of Lahaina.

“The Department of ʻŌiwi Resources and the Department of Environmental Management are also working with the Department of Land and Natural Resources, State Historic Preservation Division (SHPD) and the Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE), as part of an ongoing investigation. We remain committed to safeguarding these sites and to proceeding with care, respect and integrity,” she said.

In August of 2024, on the one-year anniversary of the Lahaina wildfires, Gov. Josh Green signed papers to “purposefully transition” Mokuʻula from the state to Maui County for its cultural and ecological restoration.

Mokuʻula is a former island (inland sandbar) that served as the preferred residence for high ranking aliʻi through the mid-1800s, including use as the royal compound for the Pi‘ilani family of chiefs from the 16th century. 

Walter Ritte, Founder of ʻĀina Momona said Mokuʻula is not just a site, but called it the “spiritual and political heart of our people.” He said, “To see it threatened by careless and possibly unlawful actions is unacceptable. We are demanding accountability and immediate protections. This work should have undergone consultation with the state and the community; the County bypassed those steps. Hawaiʻi deserves better stewardship of its history and heritage.”

Ritte continued, “We’re grateful the community cultural monitor had the courage to alert authorities — without him, the damage could’ve been far worse. The blame here belongs squarely on the contractor. Their archaeology firm failed to show up, and the contractor should never have proceeded. This is a clear violation of archaeological regulations, and the damage is their fault. They need to be held accountable. The County of Maui needs a formal process to let cultural monitors stop work when archaeologists fail and sacred sites are at risk.”

Email requests for comment on Monday evening to Mocon Corp. and SCS Hawaiʻi went unanswered.

Editor’s note: The state Department of Land and Natural Resources responded this morning saying it cannot comment at this time because the incident is currently under investigation.

Ritte added: “It is also time to remove the pump house from this sacred area once and for all. Its continued presence is incompatible with the respect and protection Mokuʻula deserves. It is clear that as long as that pump house remains in its current location, Mokuʻula remains at risk.”

ʻĀina Momona urged state and county officials to “honor both their legal responsibilities and their moral obligation” to protect Hawaiʻi’s cultural legacy.

Director Kaponoaʻi Molitau of the Department of ʻŌiwi Resources also released a statement saying: “The Department of ʻŌiwi Resources is committed to the preservation and protection of this place and remains steadfast in providing a voice for our wahi pana and wahi laʻa. We will continue to uphold the sacredness, cultural sensitivity and enduring relevance of Malu ʻulu o Lele to our rich history.”