Another Localism.com featured!!
By Celeste "Sally" Cheeseman of Mililani, Hawaii!
We all believe in all things tangible because we can touch, feel or see things. If there were no Restricted Preservation and Conservation land in Hawaii our islands would be full of cities and buildings and no History of Hawaii would be left behind except in text books. If there were no one who got involved to protect or take notice of our environment, protect our historic sites and our land what would we have left?
Rich in beauty because of this preservation of our lands and ocean, the eye beholds scenery that all tourists, visitors, relocators and local residents enjoy throughout each and every day.
After living the majority of my life on Oahu, Hawaii since 1967 (my parents decided to retire here as my mother was born and raised on the island of Kauai and my dad was getting out of the US Navy) I have come to know a lot about it's history, the environment and the sacred areas that are indeed to be protected for everyone to grasp in their hearts and for the visitors...in their minds and with pictures. Who would visit our islands if not?
We have many Hawaiian and Environmental groups looking out for us here and I commend them all for taking it to the City, State and Federal levels to keep the preservation of the culture and environment of Hawaii intact. This is the latest story for our Environmental Groups Sue Navy Over Sonar Exercises Off Hawaii and this is just one story on Hawaiian Groups fighting for justice Native Hawaiian groups suing the Army and another story on Judge Proposes Hawaiian Mediation For Artifacts Dispute. So many groups for causes to protect our life, our land and our culture.
Click on the following link for the website regarding Honokahua Preservation which has over 900 burial sites dating between the years of 850 and 1800! They realized this when digging began in 1987for the Ritz Carlton, Kapalua, Maui and moved the site for the hotel inland to preserve this sacred ground.
One more point I would like to hit on is .....KA'U, which is located on the southern part of the island of Hawaii, also known as "The Big Island". The following website is the KAU PRESERVATION -PROTECTING HAWAII'S LARGEST WILDERNESS AREA AND UNDEVELOPED COASTLINE and has many pictures and information on how they are fighting to protect this part of the Island of Hawaii and it's precious coastline and wilderness area.
This area also includes our famous PUNALU`U BLACK SAND BEACH (the sand is BLACK!) and you can see a picture on the above site as well.
I wrote an article on HAWAIIAN Spirits and Superstitions which only scratched the surface to give some information on respect to our islands. This article will only scratch the surface on the Preservation and Protection of our islands.
So...below are many websites to gain more insight and knowledge into this subject and why we need to protect what is valuable. Our islands, our lands. Enjoy!
"Ua Mau Ke Ea O Ka `Aina I Ka Pono" 
Meaning: The Life/Sovereignty of the Land is Perpetuated in Righteousness
From Monarchy to Annexation
The Territory of Hawaii
Hawaii's Culture and Society
Legendary Places in Honolulu
A Brief History of Hawaii
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Sally,
Very informative. As one who has never made it to the "Big Island" I appreciate the info and look forward to the day I can become one of them "tourists.!"