This letter is in response to the article about Honolua Stream (“What’s Happening to Honolua Stream?” Aug. 9, 2007). Where does the water that is bisected by the man made ditch go? It seems that this is the first diversion of stream flow and the second is the steel grate that allows only a four-inch PVC pipe to return the rest of the stream flow back to the streambed.
I understand that we are experiencing less rainfall than in previous years, however at Honokohau they get at least some of the water returned so that the stream actually does flow to the ocean, this is only a few miles north of Honolua. The Honolua Ditch and its “engineering genius” seems to be the culprit and underlying reason why Honolua stream no longer flows into Honolua Bay.
If Maui Land and Pineapple Co. are so sure that diversion is not the reason the stream is not running, are they willing to install a flow gauge above the Honolua Ditch and above their steel grate diversion in Honolua stream and publicly report the monthly flow levels? This is done on other streams. Pioneer Mill reported their monthly diversions for years. If the gauge above the diversion records a reasonable amount of water and down below it’s a trickle, something fishy is going on.
-Tamara Paltin, Kahana
While I appreciate the intent, I wanted to correct the correction that ran in this week’s issue of Maui Time Weekly (Aug. 16, 2007).EThe location originally proposed by ML&P for 40 home-sites near Lipoa Point was mauka of Honoapi‘ilani Hwy (not makai as stated in the correction). ML&P withdrew plans for these home-sites, and all other plans for the Lipoa Point area, from consideration by the GPAC in June. We are discussing various options for this land with Mayor [Charmaine] Tavares. The company currently has no plans for any development in the Lipoa Point area.
E-Teri Gorman, Vice President, Corporate Communications, Maui Land & Pineapple Co.
E
TALKIN’ ‘BOUT CROTCH HOLDS
DearESelf-Proclaimed Bitchy Skank:EI agree with Bitchy Skank Starr (I mean, c’mon, look at her name!) as far as dressing your kids appropriately but I vehemently disagree with her that dances of the people (non-classical occidental dances) such as Tahitian, Hula, Raqs al Sharki/Belly Dance, etc. are only about sexual attraction (“Nothin’ but a Hoochie, Mama,” Aug. 9, 2007)!
YES, these dances today are done together, with women and men of all ages starting in a beginner’s class, or dancing in their living rooms or on the beach with their families. I am a globally-renowned American Tribal Style Belly Dancer and am proficient in many other forms of Near, Middle and Far Eastern Dances and I can tell you these dances in which I am expert are not done for sexual seduction, they are simply expressions of joy from women in repressed societies! Yes, there are many layers, but you seem to have made up your mind that “cultural dancing” is inappropriate for young girls.
So many studies consistently prove beyond a doubt that girls enrolled in healthy, esteem-building dance forms such as “cultural dances” do far betterEwhen faced with making good decisions as young adults than their do-nothing counterparts, partly because they learn acceptance and love for their bodies, those of others of different shapes and sizes, and because they are part of a community that supports and celebrates one another and life itself.
I am not talking about “classical occidental dance forms” such as ballet, which isE(IMO)Eextremely bad for young girls and women because it teaches one not to celebrate and embrace their bodies but to tryE“not to be” an actual woman, but a sylph made of air. Talk about sexual crotch holds and inappropriate moves in that form, whoo-hoo! And look at those costumes. Skin tight! Gee, what a package that guy has! Oops, somewhere another young girl who wanted to be in “the corps” just died of anorexia. Oops—this one has such deformed feet she can’t even walk anymore. They’re all over the hill by 30. But you probably like ballet since you, too, hate your body—or at best,Eseverely misunderstand it.
By the tone of your article and because you picked on my favorite life-saving dance form, I can only assume you must be fundamentalist Mormon or something.EBoy, those early missionaries sure did a great job here “convertin’ the heathens.” What a shame you fell for those type of body-shame teachings. I guess you’re covered from head to toe in a mu‘u mu‘u or perhaps aEchadorEsince you’re so ashamed of yourself for being a woman—I mean “bitchy skank.”
Being able to dance is a gift for people of all ages and that should be celebrated, not shamedEby body-consciousEbitchy skanks like yourself. Those little girls you saw in the Tahitian class know nothing about sex and that is not what they are being taught in dance class. Their dance (and The Belly Dance) has nothing to do with sex. These are merely forms that are made to celebrate our connection with The Divine, who made us all perfect.
Now back to those stupid clothes—OK, you got me and I agree—but whatEthe heck do they have to do with DANCE? How did you even make thatEstretch from a playground to a dance class? Are you really that “ignant”??? (Anthony, spelling is purposely incorrect, thanks for not editing).
I’m so sorry for you and really miss Samantha Campos’ column.
-Kajira Djoumahna, Haiku
Starr Begley responds: I really miss Sam, too. But how can you not put provocative dress and provocative dance for little girls in the same group? Would you rather see a preschooler gyrating in sweatpants? Sounds to me like it’s a classic case of “can’t look past your own nose” syndrome. Sure, dance is awesome—I love to dance with my kids. But a kid rockin’ a Bachelor Party routine? That’s pretty creepy. And by the way, any readers who would like to read an interview with Kajira in which she talks about how erotic belly-dancing can be—basically contradicting everything she’s written above—can check it at out www.blacksheepbellydance.com.
THANKS, WE THINK
As a reader of your weekly I just wanted to say how much I appreciate the open-minded, right-minded, island-minded attitude you convey. How many print media are left that do this? Yes, I too can criticize the sometimes obvious errors made in your publication but I notice that for the most part, you have the balls to print the letters coming in that criticize you. Nobody’s perfect. Keep on going, warts and all.
-James Pohsl, Haiku
CORRECTIONS
We listed incorrect hours of operation for Maui Friends of the Library in our Aug. 16, 2007 issue. They’re open Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (for more information, go to www.maui.net/~mfol). And in the same issue, an editing error accidentally cut off part of the last line in Rob Parson’s story “Food Insecurity.” Here’s how the story should have ended: “Whether it takes a hurricane ravaging the islands as a wake-up call, it will be wise to support such efforts that help clarify wise personal choices, and enhance the health and well being of living systems both locally and globally.”
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