House Advances Measure Designating October as Kalo Appreciation Month

In 2008, the Legislature designated the “kalo,” the Hawaiian word for taro, as the state plant. Today, the House of Representatives advanced a bill (HB2809) that would make October Kalo Appreciation Month. The measure will now crossover to the Senate for consideration.

The purpose of the bill is to promote kalo cultivation and appreciation, as it is a culturally significant plant to the kanaka maoli, Hawaii’s indigenous peoples, and to the State of Hawaii.

In testimony in support of the measure before the House Agriculture Committee, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs stated, “This would be an opportunity to showcase the kalo plant and perpetuate the historic cultural, spiritual and health-related importance of kalo. No other plant more suitably represents Hawaii.”

The measure was introduced by Representatives Faye Hanohano, Angus McKelvey and Jessica Wooley.

Related articles

• Coming Up… The Taste of Kalo (damontucker.com)
• House of Representative Faye Hanohano District 4 Updates (damontucker.com)
• Poi and Kalo and a self sufficient Hawaii, 1915. (nupepa-hawaii.com)

House of Representative Faye Hanohano District 4 Updates

Greetings and Happy New Year to all of you!

As we start the year 2012, we want to acknowledge the accomplishments of 2011.

Act 195, The Native Hawaiian Recognition Bill was signed into law by the Governor on July 6th.  The bill recognizes the Native Hawaiian people as indigenous, aboriginal, maoli people of Hawai’i and it adds a new chapter to the Hawaii Revised Statutes, which establish a process for Native Hawaiians to organize themselves.

Act 164, which consists of monies allocated towards various school on the island of Hawai’i to develop, plan and/or design.  Pahoa Elementary School is in the stage of planning and designing for a new cafeteria. The University of Hawaii at Hilo, is planning and designing for the development of Student Housing Facilities and Living Learning Community.  The lower campus at Hawaii Community College plans to update their long range plans.

H.B. 141, Labor Trafficking Bill was approved on June 20, 2011 and went into effect on July 1, 2011, which consists of two penalties in the first and second degree.

These are just some of the many accomplishments that we acknowledge.

Act 162, Motor Vehicle Registration raising the Annual fee of $25.00 to $45.00 and Act 86, raising the Weight Tax on your vehicle are two bills that I did not support.  I have voted not in favor of these Acts due to the timing of our economic restraints.

As we progress in the session of 2012, I continually ask for your support and thank you for letting me serve as your Representative for District 4.

`O wau iho no me ka ha`aha`a

Faye Hanohano