STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1827

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: GOV. MSG. NOS. 739, 740

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred Governor's Message Nos. 739 and 740, submitting for study and consideration the nominations of:

Island Burial Council, Island of Hawaii

G.M. No. 739	KALENA BLAKEMORE, for a term to expire 06-30-2025; and
G.M. No. 740	RANDALL HIGA, for a term to expire 06-30-2025,

begs leave to report as follows:

Your Committee reviewed the personal histories, resumes, and statements submitted by Kalena Blakemore and Randall Higa for service on the Island Burial Council, Island of Hawaii.

KALENA BLAKEMORE

Your Committee received testimony in support of this nominee from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and one individual.

Currently, Ms. Blakemore serves as a Legacy Land Management Specialist for the Wao Kele o Puna Forest Reserve for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, where she oversees developing, coordinating, and implementing legacy land acquisitions, management plans, scopes of work, and policy. She represents the Office of Hawaiian Affairs on the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Kupuna Council for Section 106 Consultation. Ms. Blakemore is also the Vice Chair of the Hawaii Island Burial Council, where she has served as a member for the past six years.

Ms. Blakemore received a Bachelor's degree in Anthropology from the University of Hawaii at Hilo. She served for nine years as an Archaeologist for the Cultural Resource Management Division at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park where she implemented protective protocols, inventoried caves, and monitored compliance with the federal National Historic Preservation Act. She also served as an intern with the State Historic Preservation Division in 2002. She is a founding member of the Volcano School of Arts and Sciences and also participates in native plant restoration activities.

Your Committee finds that Ms. Blakemore is compelled by her Hawaiian heritage to serve the iwi kupuna and will continue to bring a unique perspective and kuleana to the Hawaii Island Burial Council as the Puna regional representative.

RANDALL HIGA

Your Committee received testimony in support of this nominee from the Department of Land and Natural Resources and Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

Mr. Higa has served as an interim member of the Island Burial Council, Island of Hawaii, since late 2018 and was confirmed as a member of the Island Burial Council for the Island of Hawaii in 2019. Although originally from Oahu, Mr. Higa has made his home in the Hamakua moku and has genealogical ties to Liloa of Waipio. Your Committee finds that Mr. Higa has dedicated his life to his community, with a career in education and the Honolulu Fire Department, where he retired as a Captain. He has also spent years preserving the natural beauty of Hawaii and local community gathering places by participating in beach and park cleanups and performing volunteer park maintenance.

Your Committee further finds that Mr. Higa has a history of working to preserve historic sites by performing restoration work on multiple walls, fishponds, and other historic sites, including working on projects involving Hawaiian dry stack wall renovation at Puu Kohola Heiau, Kalaupapa, and at the Kaloko-Honokohau Fishpond. Mr. Higa also has extensive experience as a member of the Royal Order of Kamehameha. Mr. Higa not only preserves Hawaii's past but has also been a notable advocate for broadening the appeal of traditional Hawaiian arts to younger generations by serving on the Board of Directors of several canoe clubs. Mr. Higa has been certified as a domestic mediator with the West Hawaii Mediation Center, Neighbor, LLC. Mr. Higa's knowledge and perspective, combined with his interest in preserving Hawaii's past, will assist with the deliberations of the Council and your Committee finds that Randall Higa's experience and knowledge will continue to be valuable assets to the Council.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committee on Hawaiian Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committee, after full consideration of the background, experience, and qualifications of the nominees, has found the nominees to be qualified for the positions to which nominated and recommends that the Senate advise and consent to the nominations.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

MAILE S.L. SHIMABUKURO, Chair