I am a preschool teacher at a local public charter school, and our keiki need access to these special places. Young children light up when they tell me about the times their ʻohana take them to the beach. It gives them connections to their heritage, stories of their ʻohana, and a sense of place. It is heartbreaking to imagine one of our keiki being told they cannot visit Waipiʻo. Please protect access to a very treasured place for our keiki.

Waipiʻo is important to my family because it is part of what makes us…itʻs who we are. The ocean is our livelihood, and Waipi’o is one of the nearest access to the ocean for my family. It allows us to live the lifestyle that we need to survive in the modern world. Waipi’o provides sustenance for our mind, body, and soul. Waipi’o is the ever carried story that most share and that we continue to live.

I have been going there since birth. It is my favorite place on the island and holds many special memories. I learned to swim there; my recently deceased grandpa would always take us. The waves were scary, but they taught me how to be in the water, and it was extremely freeing. I also do hula, and being able to chant to the valley, to the land, into the silence is a greatly treasured experience. I wish that one day my children can have these same experiences.