STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1466

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.C.R. No. 60

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Tourism and Government Operations, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 60 entitled:

 

"SENATE certified copies of thisSOLUTION REQUESTING THE HAWAII TOURISM AUTHORITY TO ENCOURAGE THE USE OF THE NAME "MOKOLI'I ISLET" AND DISCOURAGE THE USE OF ITS POPULAR NAME "CHINAMAN'S HAT","

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to request the Hawaii Tourism Authority to encourage the use of the proper name of a popular destination – Mokoli‘i Islet and discourage the use and publication of the name "Chinaman's Hat".

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA).

 

     The name Mokoli‘i, on the other hand, comes from part of the Pele legend:  After Pele traveled across the Islands and finally made her home on the Island of Hawaii, she still wandered in her dreams as a spirit.  During one of these travels, she found a handsome prince, Lohi‘au, on Kaua‘i and wanted to meet him.  She asked each of her sisters to go to Kaua‘i and bring him back, but they refused, foreseeing the dangers of the trip.  Finally the youngest of the girls, Hi‘iaka, agreed.  On O‘ahu, as Hi‘iaka followed the trail on the shore of Kane‘ohe Bay, she was confronted by a mo‘o, a large dragon-like creature.  Using her supernatural power, Hi‘iaka killed the mo‘o, cut off his tail, and threw it into the ocean, where it became an island called Mokoli‘i, or "little dragon".

 

     Your Committee notes that the HTA is using the name "Mokoli‘i Islet" in the latest version of its Style Guide, which is part of the Hawaiian culture initiative.  The initiative is part of the Hawai‘i Tourism Strategic Plan 2005-2015 to honor and perpetuate the Hawaiian culture and community.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Tourism and Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 60 and recommends its adoption.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Tourism and Government Operations,

 

 

 

____________________________

CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair