Introduction
A plastic bucket sits quietly on the side of a mountain. Forgotten, yes. However, it remains there still- waiting to be rediscovered. If someone were to attempt to remove the pale, it’s sun worn integrity would crumble. Each attempt to remove the aged pastic provides the precedence for the object to divide once more. Revealing the depth of time as it’s spent. Now, as minute as the pale’s existence may come across, it genuinely exists. The unfolding reality of the pale provides basis for understanding not only the object itself but also the story of Mauna Lahilahi.
Who is Mauna Lahilahi And who are it’s caretakers?
On the west side of O’ahu, Lahilahi sleeps quietly in Makaha. Mauna Lahilahi is both the world’s smallest mountain, and it’s best teacher. Once, the location of a Hawaiian temple and area for practice of various cultural affairs over time, the mountain now stands as a professor well learned in the relationship between malama aina and malama kanaka. (Taking care of the land and how it relates to taking care of it’s people). Despite being a location of historical importance, it is also currently the home to many homeless persons, lively generational ties, and dreams of a near future- one that better intermingles Hawaiian culture and the people who live on Hawaiian lands. A relationship with the mountain most inspiring to my self is that of the Samson family’s. Ku’uleilani Samson is a woman of incredible strength and leadership skills. Her family has ties to taking care of the land for generations. More recently however, after a pause in care, Ku’u stepped up with the help of the surrounding neighbors to reinstate malama for the Mountain. Going by the name of ‘Malama Rising’, the Kiai o Lahilahi, or the caretakers of Lahilahi, is a group that’s come together at a time of frustration in government inaction. Tears of neglect ran down the face of the mountain. Trickling upon the roots of invasive species, and permitting crime to go unchallenged. The local government had done little to meet the demands of the surrounding community. Searching for a return of both order and effective resources aimed at assisting the homeless camp, Malama Rising stepped up to the challenge in 2019. Meeting every first Sunday of the month, the group aspired to clean the mouuntain’s various cliffs of litter and debris.
To see this as a project solely aimed at picking up trash would be to misunderstand the foundation for which the problem has built itsef upon. Lahilahi is not where homeless people go to throw trash. Lahilahi is where people with seemingly nowhere to go find home. It’s where they endure the negative effects of homelessness. Seeing the people for what they were- human beings, Ku’u quickly realized in order to maintain a clean and safe space for all, she needed to connect with the community at hand. “Why are you here?” “Who are you” are some of the simple yet transformative questions she asked of those living there. Offering a safe space to talk, Samson connected with everyone all while firmly stating that where they were currently living and the unsustainable prospects for which they had been living could go no further. Each new sunday was helpful in providing those living there with someone to talk to and different resources they may need to connect with. At the same time, however, the cleanups were disruptive and persistent. A firm reminder that Lahilahi is in the process of transformation. A future in progress that resembles a past where culture and recreation thrive.
It doesn’t take someone with a masters degree in history to realize that in a way, the reason there are people without adequate shelter living at Lahilahi is due, in part, to the effects of colonization and the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawai’i. A disproportionate amount of homeless persons on O’ahu are native Hawaiians. Having a connection to the land in a way, flows through the blood of many of these people. Potlucks are held at the end of every clean up and although some may correctly attribute the incentive of food as partial motivation for some of the homeless to join the Kia’i o Lahilahi, others are capable of seeing a different motivator. The desire to malama aina simply in the name of caring for the land.
How to help?
As an evergifting and loving mother, it’s important that we as humans return the favor and are reciprocal the planet that nourishes us. However, not everyone is able to make the trip out to makaha and that’s fine! Malama rising needs everyone’s help. Digital designers. Weed whackers. Story tellers. Muscles. Chefs. People to show up and do civics shit. Money to donate. Entertainers. People to make lei and do hula.
Moving Forward
Because Lahilahi was such a prominent site for cultural practice, the goal for the mountain’s status moving forward, would not reside solely in cultural rememberance, but also continuation. Because of the interwoven relationship between the cleanups that occur at Lahilahi and Hawaiian culture and language itself, it only makes sense for the future of Mauna Lahilahi to remain viewed through a “Hawaiian Lense”. Yes, the mountain resides within the boundaries of U.S. Territory. However, Lahilahi has been and will forever remain on Hawaiian soil, and be taken care by hawaiians. Children have learned to fish here. The area has been used to make lei po’o and dance hula. In all, from my own perspective, the goal is to breathe new llife into an area that’s breath has been stolen.4q