From: Nicole Mehanaokala Hind
Sent: Thursday, December 22, 2005 9:00 PM
Subject: Kakoo for Hui Malama I na Kupuna O Hawaii Nei

Aloha mai kakou e na oiwi,

I am writing to inform you of how you may support the efforts to malama the iwi kupuna and na mea i hoomoepuia ma ke kulaiwi o Kawaihae and the members of Hui Malama I na Kupuna o Hawaii Nei.

As you all may have witnessed through the media, Federal District Court Judge David Alan Ezra has ordered a hearing on TUESDAY NOVEMBER 27 AT 10 AM to hear why members of Hui Malama have defied his order to release information of the exact site of 83 moepu within the Kawaihae caves and the names and addresses of those who ceremonial reinterred the moepu.

The judge already has in his possession the GPS coordinates of the caves, along with knowledge of federal and state agents who are fully aware of the cave locations due to previous site visits.

He is insisting that Hui Malama commit the final act of desecration of the burial sites and draw a picture for him identifying the moepu and exactly where everything is within the caves.

The attorney at Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation who is handling this case, Ui Pauole, is requesting declarations from cultural practitioners who's belief it is that what the court is ordering goes against the native Hawaiian cultural understanding of manao such as "mai kaulai ka iwi i ka la".

A declaration is a simple statement of kakoo for the practices of Hui Malama I Na Kupuna o Hawaii Nei and an added paragraph of your area of cultural understanding and expertise (i.e. Kumu Hula, Kanaka Kalai, Olohe, Kumu Olelo Hawaii, Kumu Ike Hawaii, Kumu Moolelo Hawaii, etc).

The judge has openly threatened the arrest of Edward Halealoha Ayau, Esq. (Molokai), Kumu Hula Pualani Kanahele Kanakaole, PhD. (Hawaii), Kahu Charles Maxwell (Maui), William Aila (Oahu), Konia Freitas (Oahu). We believe he will follow through with his threat and our kupuna and their haumana who have taken on the kuleana that many of us have neglected, will be jailed like common criminals. I may be mistaken but this may be the first time cultural practitioners will be jailed by Federal agents for practicing their culture.

Please contact Ui Pauole at 521-2302 for declarations. We are having a planning meeting on Monday for Tuesdays protest.

Please disseminate information to your haumana and for our neighbor island practitioners who may fly in, we will have people who can pick you up from the airport, just let me know ahead of time.

Ai pohaku,
mehanaokala