Jan. 14-17: Join mahi'ai (farmers) from all over Hawai'i Nei as we step out of the mauka mud and onto the Capitol concrete to support a law that will PROTECT KALO from Genetic Modification & Patenting!
Na Kahu O Haloa -an open group in support of Kalo & Hawaii's traditional farmers- needs your help to make 2008 the year of the Haloa Law!
The traditional farmers of Hawai'i need your support to protect kalo (known in english as taro)- the traditional food of Hawai'i - from genetic modification and patenting. Hawaiians have successfully bred and farmed many varieties of kalo for thousands of years WITHOUT genetic modification OR patents. Species diversity and access to clean water is what is needed for free-to-grow, sustainable agriculture that can feed our islands. Genetically modified kalo can cross-pollinate with native kalo varieties with unknown longterm effects to the species, native ecosystems, human health, and our local farms and agriculture businesses. These impacts may be irreversibly permanent!
Hawai'i's kalo farmers are calling upon the State government to ENACT A LAW during this legislative session that would put an end to genetic modification and patenting of kalo. Kalo farmers need big support from all family, friends & food lovers to clearly demonstrate this pono purpose at the State Capitol.
SUPPORT Bills SB958 (Senate) & HB704 (House)! These bills call for a 10 year moratorium on all testing, propagating, cultivating, growing and raising genetically engineered taro. Passage of these bills will ensure the safety and perpetuation of our native kalo, the first important step towards a BAN on GMO threats to native kalo! This pono cause needs your support!
Please take action today!
- Get active! A week of events is planned for Jan. 14-17th, the opening of the 2008 Legislative Session!
Pound poi, meet brilliant kupuna, pono science educators, island food-growers, and beautiful people with muddy toes!!
A detailed schedule of Save Haloa events are provided below.
-You can VOLUNTEER and/or DONATE to support SAVE HALOA Events, Jan. 14-17 by contacting: [email protected] (please list your phone number, available times & any special skills)
- Forward this email, please spread this good news! Bring your friends and family! Carpool!
People from EVERYWHERE (not just Hawaii!) can both:
-Stand up! SIGN THE HAWAII-SEED PETITION www.hawaiiseed.org
-Be heard! Submit your testimony to the legislators VISIT KAHEA'S ON-LINE TESTIMONY TABLE at www.kahea.org, or visit the "Testimony Table" at Jan 15th-17th Save Haloa events at 'Iolani Palace & the State Capitol.
~ SAVE HALOA! FOUR-DAY, ALL 'OHANA EVENT! ~
NA KAHU O HALOA
~The Mission is to Save Haloa the Kalo from Genetic Modification & Patenting~
~The Method is Pono & Peaceful!~
ALL EVENTS FOR THE PUBLIC!
JANUARY 14th- MONDAY - The Warriors Speak
(WHERE: Kamakakuokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies at UH-Manoa)
- 7:00pm- Winona LaDuke, Louie Hena, Paula Garcia, and Andrea Hanks to speak about their experiences and struggles in perpetuating food soverignty, restoring food systems, and protecting indigenous cultures and food from genetic engineering. Click here to download the flyer. Visit www.HawaiiSEED.org for more info).
JANUARY 15th- TUESDAY - Gather all 'Ohana
(WHERE: 'Iolani Palace)
- 11:00am- 'Iolani Palace- Pule, set-up Kalo Camp
Kalo plants arrive, T-shirt & sign making-Bring blank BLACK t-shirt to be printed!
- 1:00pm- Press Conference (tentative)
- 5:00pm- 'Onipa'a Na Hui Kalo OPEN meeting -IMPORTANT- briefing on goals and the next days events.
- 6:30pm- Potluck Dinner, bring a dish!
- 7:00pm- Guest Speakers (Winona LaDuke, local farmers, community organizers)
Viewing of films: "Islands at Risk" & "The Future of Food" Continue preparation for next day, t-shirt & sign making. and of course... Ho'o kani pila, wala'au, lomilomi!
- Overnight camping at 'Iolani Palace
JANUARY 16th- WEDNESDAY - Show Solid Support
(WHERE: 'Iolani Palace & State Capitol)
- 7:30am- Gather at 'Iolani Palace (if this is too early for you come camp over the night before!)
Pule, light breakfast, briefing, keiki from schools arrive.
- 9:00am- Procession from 'Iolani Palace to State Capitol, rally at Capitol
- 10:00am- Legislative Session Starts
- 10:30am- 'Iolani Palace- Opening of HALOA Session:
Na Kahu o Haloa returns to 'Iolani Palace to talk story and gather the 'ohana: Information available about GMO issues, other Hawaiian issues, testimony table, info on where to visit reps and senators, public education about GMO, street stompers pass out fliers and gather testimony and petition signatures in downtown Honolulu.
Kalo Activities- ku'i 'ai kalo (traditional poi pounding)!
- 12noon- State Capitol- Visit Legislators' Offices...
VISIT YOUR REPS/SENATORS and let them know you are from their district and you don't want GMO! Anti-GMO information will be handed out to public in lines to legislator offices.
- 6:00pm- 'Iolani Palace- Pule, Dinner... wala'au, ho'o kani pila!
- Overnight camping at 'Iolani Palace
JANUARY 17th- THURSDAY - Present Pono Purpose
(WHERE: 'Iolani Palace & State Capitol)
- 8:00am- Pule, Breakfast
- 9:00-11:00am- 'Iolani Palace - Pule, briefing, keiki from schools arrive to prepare for presentation of Kalo
- 12noon- State Capitol Rotunda - Procession from 'Iolani Palace to State Capitol
Formal Presentation of Kalo to Legislators, protocol by keiki & kupuna of Na Kahu o Haloa
- 1:30pm- State Capitol, Rm. 309 - Kalo farmers & supporters will brief legislators on their stance against genetic modification & patenting of kalo and explain the importance of hearing & passing bills SB958 & HB704 to protect kalo. Led by Chris Kobayashi, a farmer from Kaua'i.
- 4:00pm- State Capitol, Rm. 229 - "Public Advocacy 101" A Training in the Legislative Process for Citizens, by Senator Gary Hooser (D-Kauai). How we can make a difference!
THE EVENT DOES NOT END HERE... We will need to monitor these bills and be there to support when needed throughout the legislative session, until we know our bills have been HEARD and PASSED!
Mahalo again to all who have contributed to this effort!!
What you should know about Genetic Modification of Kalo:
Danger! Genetically modified kalo can cross-pollinate with native kalo varieties and the unknown and potentially dangerous effects to the species, our environment and our local agriculture business and economy can be irreversibly permanent! There is no complete research to understand what long term threats to human health may come from eating genetically modified kalo. Genetic modification is an imprecise and short-sighted attempt at a solution to stresses that Hawaiian kalo agriculture faces when clean abundant water is no longer made available to farms. Hawaiians have been successfully breeding and farming many varieties of kalo for thousands of years- time & experience have proven that species diversity & access to clean water is what is needed for a sustainable agriculture industry that can feed our islands.
Genetic modification of kalo is culturally disrespectful. Genetically modifying and patenting kalo is culturally inappropriate because kalo is both a fundamental and also sacred food source to Hawaiians, who understand that their shared ancestry began with Haloa the Kalo. Haloa the Kalo was the first kalo plant born from the ancient gods and became food for his younger brother, Haloa the Human- child of the same gods and the first human ancestor of Hawaiians. Haloa the Human was given the kuleana (responsibility) to take care of his older brother, Haloa the Kalo, who would in turn provide food for all humans. It must be understood: Kalo is not only a staple food source for people in Hawai'i, Kalo is also a member of our family, Kalo is our Kupuna!
Who "owns" the right to grow kalo? Patents associated with GM kalo create false ownership rights of what is now a free-to-grow traditional food source. The right to freely grow kalo should never be a commodity. Corporately owned food technology is increasing and people of developed countries are becoming LESS healthy. Food science shows over and over that traditional diets are best. World over, our food sources and diets are being patented, processed, and removed from the people. It's time to say, "Stop!"
Bad science, unclear future. Genetic modification (GM, or GMO-Genetically Modified Organism) means altering species through the transfer of genes, regulatory sequences, or nucleic acid by the use of gene vectors or laboratory manipulations, also called "recombinant DNA technology." Genetic modification is still considered a crude & inaccurate science and it is too early to know the long term and permanent effects of such experimentation on the environment and human health. Despite heavy pressure from the USA, Genetically Modified food is widely rejected in Japan & Europe, where many areas have made GMOs illegal as they have come to understand the environmental & economic threats that GMOs pose to traditional foods & agricultural sustainability, as well as human health. Our university and our government must stop the research and development of GMO food that is rejected by other scientifically advanced nations!
We must make it clear that we want appropriate agricultural research & pono policy that sustains healthy islands, culture, as well as productive participation in the international agricultural community. We need our government to review and pass bills SB958 & HB704!
NO Genetic Modification of Kalo!
NO Patents on Kalo!
YES, Enact Haloa Law to Protect Kalo, forever!
Please learn more, check the "Haloa Law" page: www.KAHEA.org
SEE YOU THERE! /VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.KAHEA.ORG
KAHEA works to:
- ensure the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) are fully protected,
- stop the unregulated dumping of waste water into our oceans by the cruise ship industry,
- protect the sacred summit of Mauna Kea from uncontrolled development,
- advocate for the clean up of Hawaiian communities contaminated by landfills, weapons dumping, and other improper uses of native land.
I'd like to meet:
If you are interested in helping to protect Hawai‘i's natural and cultural character then sign up now for KAHEA's Action Alert Network and learn how to influence public decision-making that affects Hawai‘i.
/VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.KAHEA.ORG
Movies:
Learn about Hawai‘i's fragile marine environment:
- Watch "Oasis of the Pacific: Time is Running Out." A film by Zero Impact Productions.
Go to: www.oasisofthepacific.com to view the trailer.
Watch KAHEA's calendar for announcements of free viewings throughout the summer.
- Visit www.forthesea.com and www.learntosea.com for short videos and movies about the need for better marine protection by acclaimed underwater videographer Ziggy Livnat.
Television:
To learn about reef etiquette, watch this short and entertaining video available at:
www.bluefront.org/print/video/reefetiquette.php.
Books:
Want to learn more about what you can do to help the marine environment, then read David Helvarg's new book "50 Ways to Save the Ocean," available in bookstores now.
