KAHEA from Ohana Ho’opakele

Aloha Kakou,                                                                                                           January 6, 2011

This is a call for your help in establishing Pu’uhonua on all islands as alternatives to prisons to help heal our people, families and communities.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie has said he wants to bring our roughly 2,000 pa’ahao home from being locked up in Correction Corporation of America (CCA) prisons for profit on the U.S. continent. That is a good thing.  But where will they go when they come home?

The mission of Ohana Ho’opakele (To Rescue the Family) is to establish Hawaiian Holistic Alternative to Prisons open to everyone, not just Kanaka Maoli.  We advocate a traditional ho’oponopono process and decentralized pu’uhonua (wellness centers) on each island and eventually in every district on every island.  To do this we need lots of kokua.  This is a kakou thing.  It involves all of us.

We need to begin to act now.  While other positive programs are being proposed, in our judgment Pu’uhonua has the best hope of long-term positive change and healing for our people and communities.  Pu’uhonua is also the best hope in crime prevention, saving money, reducing recidivism, and making the transition to a restored independent nation of Hawaii judicial system that is based on the host culture of this place.

If we independence leaders and allies do not act to put forward Pu’uhonua as alternatives to prison, it is likely that both the building of more private or public prisons here in Hawaii will be proposed.  We cannot allow that to happen.  We do not need more prisons.  We need Pu’uhonua as alternatives to prisons, and we need them now.

It is our proposal with this KAHEA that meetings by independence leaders and allies, be set up on all islands to discuss establishing Pu’uhonua on each island.  Myself and others in Ohana Ho’opakele would be glad to come and share our efforts with you.  We have already done a Needs Assessment and a Feasibility Study for Pu’uhonua, but we need you to carry the effort forward on your home island.

Here on Moku O Keawe, we are planning a meeting on Thursday, February 24th from 9-11AM at the Church of the Holy Cross, 440 W. Lanikaula St. Hilo (right across from the University of Hawaii at Hilo).  Come if you can.  Email or call and leave a message if you can’t make it but want to be involved.  The important thing is to pull together on each island for a Pu’uhonua.  It is for the good of all of our people and our nation.

Mahalo nui loa,

Samuel Kaleleiki
President

Ohana Ho’opakele P.O. Box 5530 Hilo, Hawaii 96720
ohanahoopakele@gmail.com
Phone 937-7193

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