STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2154-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: S.C.R. No. 121

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 121 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE COUNTIES AND THE STATE TO WORK WITH HUAMAKAHIKINA AND KUMU HULA TO ESTABLISH POLICIES PROTECTING HULA,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to urge the counties and the State of Hawai‘i to work with Huamakahikina and Kumu Hula to establish policies protecting hula.

Your Committee received testimony in support from the Halau Hula ‘O Kawaiho‘omalu; Kaulana Na Pua, Inc.; God's Country Waimanalo; Na Nupuna a me Na Kako‘o O Halawa Inc.; Kumu Hula Association of Northern California; Moku O Manokalanipo Kauai Council of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs; Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs; Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement; and numerous individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition from the Department of Land and Natural Resources Hawaii State Aha Moku.

Your Committee finds that Huamakahikina was first convened in 2020 to promote the voices of Kumu Hula, or those recognized to represent hula lineages and advocate for the proper preservation of hula.  Your Committee further finds that growing interest in Hawaiian culture has unfortunately also led to misrepresentation and dissemination of incorrect choreography, designs, proper names, and lexicons of hula by persons who teach hula without being acknowledged as Kumu Hula.  This measure protects hula by urging the State and counties to develop policies and increase resources to perpetuate hula for future generations.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 121 and recommends its adoption.

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

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair