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[06 Jul 2010|07:30pm] |
I tried to rearrange things so that everything fits on one page, loads immediately, and makes it easier for you to find what you want to see. ;) Best viewed at 1024x768. E-mail me or leave a comment if you have any questions. All displayed images were taken by Kristen Tanz and may not be used without permission.
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| Kaho'olawe |
[08 Mar 2007|11:36pm] |
This probably requires some significant back-story... Kaho'olawe is the smallest of the main Hawaiian islands. It has always been dry, so it was not as suitable for agriculture as the other islands, and Hawaiians didn't settle it extensively... but the waters around the island were prized for being excellent fishing grounds. In the 1800's it came to be used primarily for ranching, which further stripped the vegetation and led to a chain reaction... there were not enough plants to hold the soil down, so what little rain there was resulted in massive run-off, which ripped away the plants that were there, which resulted in more run-off... which choked the reefs close to shore. The island wound up stripped. After Pearl Harbor, the US military took over the island and used it for tactical training and bombing practice for almost forty years. Kaho'olawe is now back in the hands of Hawaiians, and they are doing amazing work to try and revive the island both ecologically and culturally.
Kaho'olawe is not what you would expect. Even knowing the history of the island, it's hard to communicate just how badly the island was battered (though the vast swathes of bright red hardpan make it hard to ignore). It's also difficult to convey how deeply alive the island still is... and how much more it wants to be. Whatever your beliefs, almost everyone who makes the journey to Kaho'olawe regards it as a deeply spiritual experience. I'm hesitant to write much here about Kaho'olawe, because I don't want to sound as if I'm trying to speak for PKO or KIRC or anyone else... But I'll write what I can. ;)
( Kaho'olawe )
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