FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Mālama i ke Kai ʻo Waipiʻo supports the stand against tourism.
Honokaa, Hawaii – Mālama i ke Kai ʻo Waipiʻo (MaKa) supports Waipiʻo Valley kūpuna, farmers, and ‘ohana in their stance against tourism in Waipiʻo during this emergency proclamation.
“We support the Waipiʻo kūpuna, farmers, and ‘ohana in their stance that tourism, as it exists currently, does not contribute to a thriving Waipiʻo Valley. We disagree with Mayor Roth’s handling of this situation and feel that the county’s use of Emergency Proclamations as a management mechanism has resulted in directly pitting our community members against each other,” says Roland Shackelford, MaKa president. “While we feel strongly that the relationship of our local community with the ocean and coastal area in Waipiʻo is vital, we know that stewardship is necessary and are here to listen and work collaboratively with community members to mālama Waipiʻo.”
On August 26, MaKa reached a mediated agreement with the County to amend the Mayor’s Emergency Proclamation issued on February 25, 2022. In their proposal to the County, MaKa requested restored ocean access for Hawai‘i Island residents, Native Hawaiians for traditional and customary practices, and a total ban on all rental vehicles. “MaKa worked to integrate the pressing concerns from valley stakeholders that were brought up during the long-term steering committee process in the mediation negotiations. Unfortunately, due to procedural aspects of mediation, only plaintiffs and defendants were able to participate directly in mediation. This is why legislative processes are appropriate for long-term management solutions, instead of Emergency Proclamations, because they are inclusive of broad stakeholder voices,” says Shackelford.
MaKa did not seek nor request the resumption of licensed and insured tour operations. This addition was made by the County during the mediation process. “It seemed that the Mayor was responding to threats of a renewed lawsuit by the tour operators, and his path was predetermined, with or without our support. In fact, the Mayor issued his amended emergency declaration before presenting formal settlement terms to MaKa. “It is clear that tourism is unacceptable to the Waipiʻo Valley kūpuna, farmers, and ‘ohana, and without a collaborative management plan in place for the short and long term, we support this refusal,” says Shackelford.
Mālama i ke Kai ʻo Waipiʻo agrees that the increased levels of visitors, both tourists, and locals, accessing Waipiʻo needs to be addressed and a collaborative management plan put into place. This Emergency Proclamation provides no long-term management solution. MaKa hopes to engage with Waipiʻo Valley kūpuna, farmers and ‘ohana in support of this work to mālama ‘āina.
For more information, please visit MaKaʻs website www.oceanaccesswaipio.org. The group is committed to the long-term and sustainable stewardship of Waipi‘o, and welcomes new members.
Mālama i ke kai ‘o Waipi‘o is a community group on the Hāmākua Coast of Hawai’i island. (MaKa) was formed in response to Mayor Mitch Rothʻs Emergency Proclamation issued on February 25, 2022, that cut off access to Waipiʻo Valley to most of our community. Our mission moving forward is to ensure ocean access for Hawai‘i Island residents to perpetuate traditional forms of wave riding, fishing, gathering, and other shoreline activities that sustain a thriving Waipi‘o Valley.