Healoha Carmichael is a Native Hawaiian fisher and gatherer, born in Ke‘anae-Wailuanui on the east side of Maui. Accessible by only a windy, two-lane highway, Healoha’s rural community is known for its abundant rains, rich forests, and dozens of streams, with verdant valleys and gulches that have sustained Native Hawaiians like Healoha and her kūpuna (ancestors) for centuries. Keʻanae-Wailuanui is considered a “cultural kipuka” where “Hawaiians have maintained a close relationship to the land through their livelihoods and customs—that play a vital role in the survival of Hawaiian culture as a whole.” Healoha’s community and its ways of life, however, have been severely impacted for more than a century.
The History of Illegal Water Diversions in East Maui
Alexander & Baldwin (“A&B”) is one of the storied “Big Five” sugarcane corporations that wielded considerable power over the economy and politics across Hawai‘i prior to and through the overthrow of the Kingdom, during the annexation of Hawaiʻi into the United States, and in early statehood. For more than 125 years, A&B’s operations included diversion of millions of gallons of east Maui water every day.
Over time, the impacts of these diversions on the environment and on Native Hawaiian cultural practices in east Maui have been devastating. Streams completely dried out. Plants and animals that live in the streams died. Native Hawaiian families lost the means to continue traditional farming and gathering practices critical to maintaining culture and sustaining their foodways.
Since the 1970s, Hawaiʻi law evolved to impose trust duties on the state to safeguard water and the environment for the public good and affirmatively protect Native Hawaiian traditional and cultural practices. Nevertheless, A&B’s large-scale diversion of water from across east Maui persisted without the required analysis or respect for environmental and cultural impacts. For decades, the state has issued “temporary” annual revocable permits authorizing A&B and its subsidiary East Maui Irrigation (“EMI”) to divert up to 450 million gallons of water a day from east Maui streams across approximately 33,000 acres of former Crown owned public land.
Community Advocacy and Resistance
Felecia Phillips Ollie DD (h.c.) is the inspiring leader and founder of The Equality Network LLC (TEN). With a background in coaching, travel, and a career in news, Felecia brings a unique perspective to promoting diversity and inclusion. Holding a Bachelor’s Degree in English/Communications, she is passionate about creating a more inclusive future. From graduating from Mississippi Valley State University to leading initiatives like the Washington State Department of Ecology’s Equal Employment Opportunity Program, Felecia is dedicated to making a positive impact. Join her journey on our blog as she shares insights and leads the charge for equity through The Equality Network.
