ABOUT US

WHAT WE SEE, what we are

Some look at Mākua, a sacred valley on Oʻahu's Waiʻanae Coast that is home to endangered species of plants and animals and more than 120 known ancient cultural sites, and see a perfect place to practice war by dropping bombs and firing bullets. But we say: ʻAʻOLE!  We look at sacred Mākua, where Earth mother Papa and sky father Wākea created human life, and see a breathtaking wahi pana (legendary place, often sacred) that is vital to the Kānaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) culture, and thereby vital to all of the Hawaiian archipelago, for without Kānaka Maoli, there would be no Hawaiʻi.

Mālama Mākua, organized in 1996, strives for the preservation, community access to and return of Mākua Valley, which has been occupied by the U.S. army since World War II, for culturally appropriate use. But whatʻs more, as is stated our mission statement, Mālama Mākua has set its eyes beyond Mākua, through Mākua, as we look to be in solidarity with other Indigenous Peoples throughout the world whose lands are threatened by all manner of settler-colonialism, whether it be through militarism or settler-colonial land grabs : We mālama Mākua, a piko of global peace-building for hoʻihoʻi ea.

The non-profit organization hosts free cultural accesses to ancient and culturally-vital sites in sacred Mākua twice each month. All are welcome. Come home to Mākua.

DOWN TO EARTH: Mālama Mākua LEGAL COUNSEL David Henkin TALKS STORY ABOUT SACRED MĀKUA

KŪPUNA OF Mālama Mākua

Lynette Hi‘ilani Cruz, PELEKIKENA (President): recognized with Individual Achievement Preservation Honor Award

Article courtesy of Historic Hawaiʻi Foundation, posted June 16, 2021 at historichawaii.org.

Educator and advocate [and Mālama Mākua president] Lynette Hi‘ilani Cruz, PhD, was born in Hilo and grew up on O‘ahu, eventually settling in Wai‘anae. She holds a PhD in Anthropology.

For most of her adult life, Cruz has been a strong and effective advocate for the preservation and maintenance of ancient Hawaiian historic places. During her years as a professor of cultural anthropology at Hawai‘i Pacific University, she has inspired hundreds of students to volunteer and mālama historic sites primarily on the island of O‘ahu. By promoting place-based learning, Cruz encourages students to put into practice what they learn in the classroom. Since her retirement from HPU, she continues these efforts as a professor at Leeward Community College Wai‘anae. She also maintains her advocacy work via Hui Aloha ‘Āina o Ka Lei Maile Ali‘i, an organization which she formed to involve people in cultural service work and learning in honor of Queen Lili‘uokalani.

After years of practice, Cruz has established relationships with a considerable number of caretakers and supporters. Under her leadership, volunteers have completed restoration or rehabilitation work at dozens of sites, including: Hālawa Valley, Ho‘oulu ‘Āina (Kalihi), Huilua Fishpond (Kahana), lo‘i kalo in Ka‘ala, Kanehekili Heiau (Haiku), Kanewai loko i‘a (Kuli‘ou‘ou), Mākua Valley, Ulupō Heiau (Kailua), Kaniakapūpū (Nu‘uanu), and many others.

“Lynette has been a tireless voice of na kūpuna kahiko (the ancestors), teaching others about the value of these wahi pana and wahi kapu (famous and sacred places) as well as introducing and connecting them to modern historical events,” says fellow advocate Mahealani Cypher. “Her strong heart and love for history has nurtured and inspired many to follow in her footsteps to support and preserve the history of our ancestors.”

This 1897 article by Miriam Michelson inspired the re-enactment “Ka Lei Maile Ali‘i”.

Also among her achievements in historic preservation education, Cruz produced “Ka Lei Maile Ali‘i (The Queen’s Women),” a historical re-enactment of a September 16, 1897 meeting in Hilo attended by over 300 Hawaiians. Speaking there were Mrs. Abigail Kuaihelani Campbell and Mrs. Emma Aima Nawahi, who had collected the signatures of more than 38,000 Native Hawaiians—97 percent of the native population—in a kū‘ē (to stand in opposition) petition to oppose the U.S. annexation of the Hawaiian Kingdom. After learning about the meeting in an 1897 news article “Strangling Hands Upon a Nation’s Throat,” Cruz asked a friend, Helen Lee Kwai, to write a play based on it, resulting in “Ka Lei Maile Ali‘i”. Since  its debut in 2001, the re-enactment has been performed over 100 times.

Personal events and experiences over 30 years ago led Cruz towards her current path of caring for ‘āina and kūpuna, a path which she pursues admirably with wholehearted conviction. Witnessing a disparate number of Hawaiians becoming displaced and houseless, she was motivated to pursue a graduate degree as a means of advocacy and developing influence.

“I’m not an academic. I don’t even consider myself a scholar,” she says. “I am an activist who went to school. I’m an activist who thought about how I might get people pay attention to me…I found that having credentials matters. I can stick up for others.”

In addition to a connection with cultural identity, Cruz seeks to engage young people with ancient lo‘i kalo (fields of taro) and loko i‘a (fishponds) in order to support development of a more sustainable way of life to modern alternatives. By reconnecting people with the ‘āina, Cruz envisions a more equitable future.

“In my view, caring for ‘āina and kūpuna is a form of resistance. We often have to either ask permission to do the job that government is supposed to do, or we do the work without asking permission. Either way, the work gets done and ‘āina and kūpuna are cared for.”

– Lynette Cruz

Lynette Cruz is the recipient of a 2021 Preservation Honor Award in Individual Achievement.  To learn more about her advocacy work, please visit her Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/lynette.cruz2.

Kūpuna of Mālama Mākua featured in Honolulu Museum of Art exhibit

On a Sunday morning in early March 2019, more than 80 of the 108 people featured in Kapulani Landgraf’s installation ‘Au‘a, one of four works that were on view at the Honolulu Museum of Art as part of the Honolulu Biennial 2019, came to the museum to see the finished artwork. Landgraf selected subjects she felt have contributed to the community and photographed each person, including Mālama Mākuaʻs Sparky Rodrigues and Lynette Cruz, then superimposed the words “we are not american he hawaii au mau au mau” on their larger-than-life portraits.

Sparky Rodrigues, founding member: Admitting the Truth

As told to Kathleen Wong, from a Honolulu Museum of Art blog post entitled: “Kapulani Landgraf: ʻAuʻa | Voices of Those Who Refuse, [Part] I”

I was a little skeptical, there’s a lot of fear that goes along with stepping up and making that comment. Admitting that as being truth was a challenge, but once it happened, it…was responsible. The kuleana that goes along with it is always present in everything that we do. The militarization here, the way the government is and how the Hawaiians have just been pushed aside and denied access to almost everything and becomes normal, even for us. We tend to say, ‘Oh well,’ and to make the step, you know—‘I am not American—to take that stand is really a challenge. And I think a lot of people that didn’t want to do it was because that line of fear that we face, kept them from taking that step.

When I first saw it, I realized, when we’re doing our individual work sometimes it feels like you’re the only one, very lonely, and a lot of times, especially when you’re in public, making statements, it’s a challenge. But to see everybody here—we’re not alone and even though we only do a small part, the foundation is getting bigger and stronger and deeper and more stable. All of these faces could be replaced with kupuna who were here before us. And that’s a different tribute, because they laid the foundation and their bravery is what set the path for us. 

About the subject: With deep roots in Wai‘anae, Sparky Rodrigues has been a key player in the legal fight for the halt of live-fire training in and access to Mākua Valley, which is been occupied by the U.S. military since the 1920s. He is a member of Mālama Mākua, for which he has served as director, president and board member. He is pictured above with his granddaughter Alina next to his portrait in ‘Au‘a.

Lynette Cruz, PELEKIKENA (president): IT WAS VERY LIBERATING

As told to Kathleen Wong, from a Honolulu Museum of Art blog post entitled: “Kapulani Landgraf: ʻAuʻa | Voices of Those Who Refuse, [Part] IV”

I was surprised to hear that this project was happening and I was at Thomas Square at an event called La Ho‘iho‘i Ea. I forgot who approached us but they said, “Hey you guys want to take a photo and say you are not an American? And I think everyone around me said, “Let’s do it,” and so we all trotted up the steps and took photos. I wasn’t alone when I came up, there were five or six people with us. I thought it was progressive and…nobody had ever asked. Because a lot of us are employed by the system, so this is not exactly a popular thing to say, because people are fearful. And yet, the fact that somebody would ask me that question, “Are you an American?,” and for me to be able to say, “I am not”—it was very liberating. I kind of loved the idea of being honest and straight up, and not thinking about the potential impacts of it because some point in my life I actually had to say my own truth.

Just coming in here this morning overwhelmed me. I actually felt like I am going to cry because all of these faces represent voices. They represent people I have met over the years, and they are where I am and everybody wants to say their truth. And it’s about time. So for me this is a really good and forward thinking and probably controversial topic, but eh, that’s the way it is and history tells us we are moving in that direction. Whether people like it not, whether it is popular or not, it is irrelevant. I can be me.

I am proud to be among so many outspoken, educated, well-respected people in my community. It makes me feel not alone. Because I think for many years I felt like the crazy person in the group, the one who would say stuff that other people found indelicate, so you’ve always got to watch your words, but here in this space, it’s kind of safe, and I really like it.

About the subject: Dr. Lynette Cruz is a retired professor of anthropology at Hawai’i Pacific University (HPU), where she is currently kupuna-in-residence. When her sister and her family became homeless in the 1980s, her awareness of this issue spurred the woman who thought the only thing she could do was work in fast food to attend college. She is a long-time community organizer and advocate for Hawaiian independence.