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Moloka'i is
an island in the Hawaiian chain, it is approximately 38 miles
by 10 miles, and has three volcanoes. The population is 7,000,
mainly Hawaiians with some Filipinos and Caucasians. Most of the
land is privately owned and there are some large-scale foreign
land owners. Community visioning started in Moleka'i in May1998
and one of the first activities was to develop a visioning statement.
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Visioning
statement
Moloka'i
is the last Hawaiian island. We who live here choose not
to be strangers in our own land. The values of aloha 'aina
and malama 'aina (love and care for the land) guide our
stewardship of Moloka'i's natural resources, which nourish
our families both physically and spiritually. We live
by our kupuna's (elders) historic legacy of pule o'o (powerful
prayer). We honour our island's Hawaiian cultural heritage,
no matter what our ethnicity, and that culture is practised
in our everyday lives. Our true wealth is measured by
the extent of our generosity.
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We envision strong 'ohana (families) who steadfastly
preserve, protect and perpetuate these core Hawaiian
values.
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We are a wise and caring community that takes pride
in its resourcefulness, self sufficiency and resiliency,
and is firmly in charge of Moloka'i's resources and
destiny
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We envision a Moloka'i that leaves for its children
a visible legacy: an island momoa (abundant) with natural
and cultural resources, people who kokua (help) and
look after one another. And a community that strives
to build an even better future on the pa'a (firm) foundation
left to us by those whose iwi (bones) guard our land.
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Over
a four-month period the community, the Moloka'i Enterprise Community,
prepared a strategic
plan which aims to achieve economic growth and community
development through environmental protection, the promotion
of a diversified agriculture, encouragement of tourism, and
the addition of new community facilities. Since 1998 they have
been implementing their plan; their successes are outlined in
a Benchmark
Summary Report, and include:
- Diabetes
is a serious problem, especially for older Hawaiians,
and the community visioning process resulted in a dialysis
centre being established on Moleka'i so that people can
receive treatment while living at home with their families
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- Fish ponds
are being restored
- Taro patches
are returning to Moleka'i
- Moleka'i
recognises the need for development, but maintains that it has
to be done the 'community' way, compatibility is the key word
- During
a conflict with the largest landowner, families and the communities
became divided; now the community is working on a land use plan
with the landowner, based on their vision statement
- Moleka'i
succeeded in preventing cruise ships from coming and docking
on the island, instead the passengers are brought via tenders
from neighbouring Oahu
- The State
Government were rather dismissive of the community strategic
plan at the beginning, however, now in the sixth year the situation
is reversing and policy makers are asking how they can be part
of the community plan
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Students in the library at the
Aka'ula School
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- Establishment
of a new independent middle school, Aka'ula School, with
a curriculum based on environmental education that serves
students regardless of income.
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- A
project to control goats and fire in the Kawela Watershed
so as to reduce land-based pollution and improve coastal
water quality and coral reef health
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See
more at http://www.molokaiec.org
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