STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1826

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: GOV. MSG. NO. 766

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 No. 766, submitting for study and consideration the nomination of:

Island Burial Council, Island of Molokai

G.M. No. 766

KEOMAILANI HIRATA, for a term to expire 06-30-2023,

begs leave to report as follows:

Your Committee reviewed the personal history, resume, and statement submitted by Keomailani Hirata for service on the Island Burial Council for the Island of Molokai.

Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination for the appointment of Keomailani Hirata from the Department of Land and Natural Resources and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

Upon review of the testimony, your Committee finds that Ms. Hirata's background, experience, and dedication to public service qualify her for appointment to the Island Burial Council of the island of Molokai as the East Molokai regional representative. Ms. Hirata describes herself as a keiki o ka ‘āina and a kupa‘āina of Molokai. Her family comes from ‘Aha‘ino, Molokai and she was raised on their kuleana lands. Ms. Hirata is well-versed as a cultural practitioner of burials and Native Hawaiian arts following the path of her parents who served as board members of the Island Burial Council in the 1990s. Ms. Hirata has also been trained in the cultural protocols for caring for iwi kūpuna and her family has hosted cultural trainings to wrap kapa for iwi kūpuna before reinterring them back to their resting place.

Ms. Hirata has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Hawaiian Studies from Hawaii Pacific University and received specialty training in cultural and historical trauma informed care and the National Preservation Act. She has assisted her family through lengthy litigation to protect their kuleana lands and burials and conducted extensive research during her high school years at the Bureau of Conveyances and Hawaii State Archives, which included translating documents from ‘ōlelo Hawaii into English. Your Committee finds that Ms. Hirata will be an asset to the Island Burial Council for the island of Molokai as a representative for the region of east Molokai based on her experience, knowledge of the profession, and desire to contribute to the community.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee, after full consideration of the background, experience, and qualifications of the nominee, has found the nominee to be qualified for the position to which nominated and recommends that the Senate advise and consent to the nomination.

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

____________________________

MAILE S.L. SHIMABUKURO, Chair