Letter from Kim Kalama

March 24, 2011

 

To All Interested Parties,

                I agree that everyone should know the facts; The Congregation, the Hawaiian Community, and the Community at large. A brief history, when Likeke Hall was built, a total of 117 burials were removed and relocated. However this relocation was not at Kawaiaha’o. The removed burials were moved to Kamoili’ili cemetery.  Then in 1968, Kawaiaha’o Church leased the land from under Kamoili’ili cemetery to Rainbow Plaza Development Inc., where they built a 37 story condominium building called the Contessa. The 117 burials, along with many others against the full approval of all parties who could be reached, were again dug up. This time, under the direction of hired hand, Albert Bingham of Kawaiaha’o Church, told those who were not in favor that if they didn’t sign consent forms, the church would dig them up anyway and move them. In 1971 a lawsuit was filed against Kawaiaha’o church where Judge Allen R. Hawkins, settled and entitled each heir to monetary funds for special damages for pain and suffering as well as punitive damages. Furthermore, Judge Hawkins found that “Under the principles of Common Law, when an area of land is once dedicated as a cemetery, it is perpetually devoted,” to that purpose. The 117 burials as well as many more were then reinterred in a common concrete vault where they were burnt to ash. The names of those, whose families came forward to give the name of their loved ones, were put up on a plaque. The many others who never got mentioned did not receive the honor and dignity they deserve. They are all placed together under what is called, The Bell Memorial.

                At present, what the church called culturally appropriate guidelines and protocols, appropriate is the least  thing done in the recent 69 burials. The bodies were removed from coffins and just their bones were taken and all their other personal possessions as well as caskets were thrown in dumpsters. If this is not called desecration, then I am confused. The church says these are not Hawaiian burials, they are Christian, then why are they treating them the way of a native Hawaiian burial. They put the bones in a lauhala basket, but they forgot the mo’e pu ( funerary objects) associated with them. SHAME!

                Kekuna, are you saying we are all silly and our bodies mean nothing when we are dead. Then explain to me, why do we have funerals?!  Why are we wasting our money on burial plots, caskets, opening and closings, prayers, flowers, and much more?  Why do we have cemeteries?  Why don’t we just do away with cemeteries and utilize the land better, by building more MPC projects. Why do we have Memorial Day?  Why are bone fragments from a U.S. war veteran given the highest honors with a U.S. flag draped over a coffin?  Are you saying the US and military are all silly?  Explain to me, how you can justify your actions as a pastor to be so heartless and insensitive and to twist the words of Kamehameha the third to read what you want into his deed.  I read the same deed. I did not read were he says it is alright to dig up the people from their final resting place on these sacred grounds. Kekuna, the point is, The body returned to the earth “dust to dust.” Body, meaning God, gave his only son Jesus in the likes of man, to rise again to be seated with him through all eternity. Body, meaning the person's bones after the flesh is gone. Body, is at its final resting until it becomes “dust to dust.” GOT IT?!  That is what my interpretation of what Kamehameha the third said. So that the people would have a safe haven, a place of refuge to be honored with respect and dignity.  It is sad that those 117 burials went through years of torment in a foreign resting place, and then to be burned to ashes, and then finally brought back to Kawaiaha’o and only given a plaque with not all their names on it, In a common concrete vault. Maybe these people did not want to be burnt to ash, but rather until their bones were turned to dust. This was their last rights and wishes. Shame Kawaiaha’o! I should only pray that the 69 burials' fate does not end up like the first 117 burials, and that how many more burials may be unearthed and faced with the same fate. Kekuna, if this is your way of showing respect and dignity of a Christian pastor, I no longer want to be your kind of Christian. I will pray for you and pray the Congregation gets this information to save these sacred grounds and the burials where they belong, and how they should be respected. The Congregation has the authority to make this wrong, right. Please give justice to those who were violated. Please have your voices heard, make the difference. I believe in God.  I believe in justice, and as a Hawaiian I live aloha.

Mahalo Ke Akua,  Kimberly Kalama