Colonialism
The firestorm that burned Lahaina is a marker in the 150-year history of colonialism in Hawai‘i.
First, a short-term profits extractive economy replaced Indigenous management that was in harmony with the long term health of Lahaina’s wetland environment.
Then, when profits were exhausted, a second phase of colonialism set in. The cane fields and mills shut down, and the land above Lahaina was neglected, growing fuel load for wildfires where sugar cane once grew.
A third act of colonialism, whether a predatory land grab of the homes and businesses of Lahaina victims occurs, or a redeeming of past wrongs being managed by residents of Lahaina, is unfolding now.
On Kaua‘i, we see a legacy of colonialism with continuing massive diversions of water with unjust distribution, the same abandonment of former cane land on the south and west sides, and aging reservoirs left over from that era.
One example is Grove Farm’s Waita reservoir, the state’s biggest.
Waita was built in 1906 and holds 9,900 acre feet of water. Imagine a structure an acre big at the base, and 99 stories tall. It’s barely a mile uphill from Koloa town.
It was last inspected in 2018, when it was ranked in fair condition, with a high hazard classification, meaning a high potential for loss of life.
We are already experiencing the predicted continuing drought, extreme wind events and extreme rain events.
It’s ironic that nostalgia lingers for that time when an industry ruled Hawai‘i.
Koloa, downwind from recurring brush fires and in the shadow of Waita reservoir, celebrates that industry with Plantation Days, and descendant companies of the Big 5 continue extractive water and land management practices while benefiting from a residual of public trust.
Kip Goodwin, Kapa‘a
Pu‘u Road
Safety on and around Pu‘u Road in Kalaheo, approaching the Kalaheo Elementary School, is a major concern of the residents here.
Over the past five years, I have spoken with and shared my concerns with you and several council members.
Children use the Pu‘u Road sidewalk for attending school; residents regularly walk along to exercise.
Everyone who uses this pathway is in jeopardy of serious injury because of careless drivers speeding up and down this road.
As discussed earlier, I believe this road should be fully evaluated for current and proper signage, with possible installation of speed bumps, and any other improvements that will advance the safety along this vital community corridor.
The safety of our children and residents is paramount.
Dickie Silva, Kalaheo
Brilliant essay, Kip, full of internal contradictions and nonsense.
For example: You castigate sugar growers as exploitive colonial types, yet in the next paragraph you clearly acknowledge that the plantations kept the fire prone grasses in check. Which is it Kippy? (FYI: profits were not “exhausted”, sugar lost its US gov protective tariffs, which placed the growers in direct competition with more efficient and cost effective foreign growers and eventually drove them to other endeavors) Moreover, governments from local to state to federal, in the name of the climate change fraud, have waged a battle against effective land management that can cull brush, grasses and deadwood and significantly reduce the fuel load for wildfires.
Then, of course, the absolute drivel about “unjust” water distributions. You sound like the pathetic and DEI incompetent Kaleo Manuel who in the name of “equity” withheld water release to fight the fires. You’re in good company there, Kip.
Next in another nonsequitar paragraph you jump onto Waita reservoir to no rational purpose. Followed by the internally contradictory statement: “We are already experiencing the predicted continuing drought, extreme wind events and extreme rain events.” So perhaps enlighten us mundanes how a drought continues in parallel with “extreme rain events”.
Get a grip…enough of your progressive drivel.
RSW
RSW (Reason Suspended Writer):
What a misinformation-rich comment.
The plantations didn’t have to keep fire prone grasses in check because they were growing cane, not grass.
Sugar abandoned Hawai`i when workers demanded living, not starvation, wages.
Land management as a cause of world wide wildfires is a long debunked trope.
On Kaua`i as on Maui, today, farmers are being shorted on water as luxury condo development advances.
Waita reservoir and grasslands above Poipu/Koloa are both owned by Grove Farm, successor to the sugar baron era. GF must honor its responsibility to community.
Climatologists predict, for Hawai`i, Continuing draught with less frequent, more intense rain events, as we have experienced already.
My grandmother called me Kippy. Brings fond memories.
I totally agree Kip ,but the Hawaii Sugar Planters Association created in 1909 is long gone and the damage is done. Now Kauai will reap what was sown. Once again…. Protect your loved ones, All the money that touched Maui did not
One bit of information that is always left out of these missives is that it was the Hawaiian Royalty that sold or leased the land to the sugar cane and pineapple plantations !!! So, guess that they are the root cause of all of the ‘colonialism” in the first place ?? Kamehameha V sold Niihau to the Robinsons for $ 10,000 ! Easy to leave out inconvenient facts when stating a case, which is common with progressive left wing people.
The root cause is money Barry, There’s always going to be the blame game… What’s important to understand is the Hawaiian people were left out of the decision making process. In my opinion … if the capitalists couldn’t buy them out… they forced them out. Pretty simple strategy
It’s America. I mean if you want to have county council or mayor in government and have them run the community, then great. But these people on olelo are ridiculous.
I’ve never seen so much lose or failures together talking about something.
They absolutely make no pay. What now for the community. Another Maui.