THE SENATE                           S.C.R. NO.            222
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                    SENATE  CONCURRENT
                        RESOLUTION

  REQUESTING A REVIEW OF PROJECT MA`ALO AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON
    WHETHER IT SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
    HAWAII-HILO OR ELSEWHERE.


 1        WHEREAS, Waipio Valley on the island of Hawaii, considered
 2   the "cradle of Hawaiian civilization", holds the single largest
 3   concentration of archaeological sites in Hawaii, and once
 4   contained a thriving Hawaiian community and acres of taro
 5   patches and irrigation and drainage systems which served an
 6   important agricultural function; and
 7   
 8        WHEREAS, excavation and study of Hawaiian places like
 9   Waipio Valley could yield evidence of pre-contact Hawaiian
10   artifacts and further our knowledge of ancient Hawaiian
11   lifestyles; and
12   
13        WHEREAS, many local families have handed down through
14   generations, privately held Hawaiian artifacts and historical
15   records such as household tools, artworks, and weapons; and
16   
17        WHEREAS, many Hawaiian artifacts which are owned by or in
18   the possession of private individuals instead of museums,
19   historical societies, or archives could easily be damaged or
20   knowledge of their history could be lost; and
21   
22        WHEREAS, the identification, protection, registration, and
23   inventory of Hawaiian artifacts have not been as widespread and
24   thorough as the Hawaiian community would desire; and
25   
26        WHEREAS, Hawaii can play an important and pivotal role in
27   the collection of data for the inventory of Hawaiian,
28   Polynesian Triangle, and Pacific Rim cultural artifacts and
29   materials; and
30   
31        WHEREAS, this data will lead to the safeguarding of
32   significant historic artifacts and treasures of Hawaii and the
33   Pacific, enhance contribution of the artifacts and materials to
34   public institutions, enhance educational benefits, and provide
35   a greater understanding of origins, migration, and cultural
36   links among many diverse cultures; and
37   

 
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 1        WHEREAS, Project Ma`alo, conceived in 1989 in direct
 2   response to the need for greater cultural awareness throughout
 3   Hawaii, the Polynesian Triangle, and the Pacific Rim, has been
 4   proposed as a possible vehicle for the photographic
 5   identification, registration, historical analysis, and
 6   protection of ethnic artifacts of Hawaii that are in the hands
 7   of private collections focusing on ancient pre-contact Hawaiian
 8   items and later expanding into other cultures; and
 9   
10        WHEREAS, the establishment of a permanent agency to
11   administer Project Ma`alo will strengthen Hawaii's premier role
12   as a leading center for knowledge, research, and training in
13   Polynesian, Pacific Rim, and Asian artifacts; and
14   
15        WHEREAS, in 1993, the Legislature did not adopt Senate
16   Concurrent Resolution No. 253 which requested the East-West
17   Center and the then Office of International Relations of the
18   Governor's Office to consider working on a joint Project
19   Ma`alo; and
20   
21        WHEREAS, upon further reconsideration, the University of
22   Hawaii-Hilo, which has a strong Hawaiian language and culture
23   emphasis and is situated on the Big Island of Hawaii, may be a
24   better location for the establishment of Project Ma`alo; now,
25   therefore,
26   
27        BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twentieth Legislature
28   of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 1999, the House of
29   Representatives concurring, that the Board of Regents of the
30   University of Hawaii is requested to investigate the viability
31   and possibility of establishing Project Ma`alo at the
32   University of Hawaii-Hilo or elsewhere to promote the
33   protection, registration, and inventory of privately held
34   artifacts of the Pacific; and
35   
36        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this investigation is
37   requested to include, but not be limited to:
38   
39        (1)  Considering the suggestions made by Project Ma`alo
40             which can be implemented without legislative action;
41   
42        (2)  Identifying any other agency which might be a
43             suitable location for Project Ma`alo, if University
44             of Hawaii-Hilo is determined to be unsuitable;
45   

 
 
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 1        (3)  Identifying the steps, if any, that the Legislature
 2             can and should take to make the necessary
 3             improvements to the Hawaiian and Pacific artifacts
 4             preservation system;
 5   
 6        (4)  Proposing legislation, if any, which would accomplish
 7             the protection of Hawaiian and Pacific artifacts and
 8             historical material now in private hands; and
 9   
10        (5)  Making any other observations and recommendations
11             intended to unearth, preserve, and identify the
12             archaeological and cultural history of the Hawaiian
13             and Pacific peoples;
14   
15   and
16   
17        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Regents of the
18   University of Hawaii is requested to report findings and
19   recommendations to the Legislature no later than twenty days
20   prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2000; and
21   
22        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
23   Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the
24   Board of Regents, the President of the University of Hawaii,
25   and the Interim Chancellor of the University of Hawaii-Hilo.
26 
27 
28 
29                           OFFERED BY: ___________________________