Report on January 30, 2016 Aloha ‘Aina gathering at Pohakuloa to Stop the Bombing
Report on January 30, 2016 Aloha ‘Aina gathering at Pohakuloa to Stop the Bombing
Alha Kakou,
Our Aloha ‘Aina gathering today started out with pule and ho’okupu at the Pu’uhuluhulu ahu. We then proceeded to the main gate area of Pohakuloa (mauka side of the Saddle Rd) for a one hour sign holding vigil. Several dozen bikers and others were already there as part of the pro-military Gathering of Eagles. They had only a few signs but lots of American flags, even an Israeli flag. Military jets and live fire bombing could be heard in the background.
There are 7 photos below. The first 5 are people calling for stopping the bombing at Pohakuloa. The bottom 2 are those supporting the bombing. The group “Gathering of Eagles” must monitor our Malu ‘Aina website (www.malu-aina.org) and whenever we have a gathering at Pohakuloa, the Eagles are there to support the U.S. military. The event was mostly civil with the exception of an “Eagle woman” on a bull horn that some other Eagles refer to as “The Screaming Eagle” who hurled a few insults across the highway.
Our Aloha ‘Aina gathering concluded at noon with some prayers and chants facing Mauna Kea. As we left, we waved and exchanged words of aloha with some of the Eagles. We appreciate the good will of those Eagles who respect the right to disagree. Those of our group that could were headed to the hale near the Mauna Kea visitors center for a meeting to discuss future strategy to protect Mauna Kea.
We took this action today to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the landing by 9 Hawaiians in Jan. 1976 to occupy the Island of Kaho’olawe in a call to Stop the bombing there. It was the birth of a movement. It took more than a decade, the loss of 2 lives –George Helm and Kimo Mitchell, and the imprisonment of others but the bombing was eventually stopped. The action of the Kaho’olawe 9 and others inspire our actions today to Stop the Bombing of Pohakuloa.
Jim Albertini
