IWNAM 2012 Hawaiʻi Report Back video

this year, we decided to use the medium of video to report back to the network. i created a video using interviews with local activists and images that represent the conditions that Hawaiʻi has been facing for several decades.

mahalo nui loa to interviewees:
Kat Brady
Kalamaokaʻaina Niheu
Seiji Yamada
Joe Estores
Leandra Wai
Fred Dodge

photo credits:
Amber McClure
Terri Kekoʻolani
Melisa Casumbal
Grace Caligtan
Calvin C. Rilveria
Kyle Kajihiro
Summer Mullins
Darlene Rodrigues
Leticia Flores
Ikaika Hussey
Google.com

music credits:
"The Beast" by the Fugees
"The Land" by Kalalea Kauhane ft. Paula Fuga
"King, Queen & Standing Army" by Liko Martin
"Visualize (Whirled Peas)" by AmenRaw and ZenChambers

special mahalo nui loa to our support organizations:
Hawaiʻi Peace & Justice
Mana Maoli
Pua Mohala i ka Pō

English Transcription/Spanish Translation of video by Leticia Flores:

English

Español

International Women’s Network Against Militarism 8th Meeting, Puerto Rico Hawai’i Report: DMZ 808 NOW 2012 Describe Militarism in Hawaii Pervasive, invasive, wrong, violent, not friendly, not of Hawai’i (Kat Brady, Justice Advocate, Hawai’i) Militarism, what it has done for us is its forcibly removed us, historically from a lot of our lands. It has removed us from healthy lifestyles, healthy living. Its caused massive depression, global dependence upon this world where we’re forced to choose between being completely depressed and disenfranchised or selling ourselves out for money and tourism. Or agreeing to go and kill other people, other indigenous folks throughout the world. (Kalamaoka’aina Niheu, Kauka and Kalo Farmer, Waiahole, Hawai’i) Living in Central Oʻahu, I would say that the military presence there is a daily thing. Helicopters are flying overhead, thereʻs stryker vehicles plowing the roads. At night you can hear the munitions from the ranges near by. I think its ironic that we donʻt even recognize it anymore or pay attention to it. (Seiji Yamada, MD, Hawai¢i) Right now, under our noses there’s a massive build up that is happening on this island. Massive. (Uncle Joe, retired Army colonel, Hawai¢i) One personal observation i have of the military is the loss of housing here. The military is subsidized, so their rent is subsidized, and we don’t get that benefit. The housing market has shrunk because of the influx of the military, which has increased, we’ve had the biggest build up since WWII. With the transformation of the army and the stryker brigade coming here. (Kat Brady, Justice Advocate, Hawai’i) 1996 was when they finalized the evictions of Makua. My ohana, my personal ohana, me, my kids and my husband was here. I was here longer, he was in and out, but my children and i spent a lot of time here. It was the most scariest time of my life. I went through so much enforcement, they came overdosed with man power, legal power, army weapon power. Its scary, it looked like the military was involved in that, although they couldn’t show face, but they said they were housing. I started to get “what is going on?” I leave the place and the infantry is coming down and they all stop and they turn the guns on me. I was in the car and i was a basket case and this happened several times, so when we finally got in with the negotiations for suing for a lawsuit and the lawsuit was about getting information on this valley, i was on it. (Leandra Wai, Mākua, Hawai’i) 2010 AFSC Hawai’i: No Room at the Inn… (Houseless Nativity Display) Why is demilitarization important? We have too much war and not enough peace. We need to do more diplomacy, make more friends. We need to be less dominant. The U.S. has to slow down, we’re too much of an empire. When people speak about defending the United States, they don’t mean the integrital United States, Hawai’i or Alaska. They mean the farflung empire with 700 or so bases.  (Dr. Fred Dodge, Nanakuli, Hawai’i) Around the military bases, there are huge and tremendous amounts of strip clubs, prostitution industry, human trafficking that are affecting our young women. I would definitely say its an intelligent estimation the amount of STDs, the amount of unwanted pregnancies, the amount of abuse that around that community that has risen up around the industry of the military is huge. There hasn’t been any studies that adequately show what the effects of the STDs, unwanted pregnancies among our young women around these bases globally. We need to have that research, but nobody wants to fund them because they’d be going up against the military. Those are real things that we are struggling with on a daily basis. (Kalamaokaʻaina Niheu) I would like to see our people working in jobs that are more positive for our community. (Kat Brady) The military is… monstrous, gigantic, terrifying, but most importantly replaceable, defeatable and imaginable to rise up against. (Kalamaoka’aina Niheu) SINCE THE LAST IWNAM MEETING… MALAMA KA’ENA PASSIONISTAS! UNDRESSING GLOBALIZATION & MILITARISM

Red Internacional de Mujeres Contra Militarismo 8th sesión Reporte de Hawaii: DMZ 808 Ahora 2012 Describe el Militarismo en Hawai’i Omnipresente, invasivo, incorrecto, violento, antipático, no de Hawai’i (Kat Brady, Promotora de Justicia, Hawai’i) Lo que el militarismo ha hecho por nosotros ha sido arrebatarnos de muchas de nuestras tierras. Nos ha arrebatado nuestros estilos de vida saludables. Ha causado depresión en las masas, dependencia global a este mundo en el que estamos forzados a escoger entre estar totalmente deprimidos y privados de nuestro derecho o vendernos por dinero y turismo. O aceptar ir a matar gente y otros nativos alrededor del mundo. Yo diría que la presencia militar se encuentra presente a diario cuando se vive en el área central de la isla de O’ahu. Helicópteros en el cielo y Strykers en las carreteras. En las noches puedes escuchar las municiones desde los campos de tiro que se encuentran cerca. Pienso en cuan irónico es que no lo reconozcamos y que tan siquiera le prestemos atención. (Seji Yamada, MD, Hawai’i) Ahora mismo, debajo de  nuestras propias narizes, hay una acumulación masiva ocurriendo en esta isla. Masiva. (Uncle Joe, Coronel retirado del Army, Hawai’i) Una observación que tengo sobre la milicia es acerca de la pérdida de vivienda. La milicia es subsidiada, así que su renta es subvencionado, y nosotros no tenemos ese beneficio. El mercado de vivienda ha disminuido por el flujo militar, que ha aumentado, hemos tenido la acumulación más grande desde WWII. Con la transformación del ejército y la brigada de Strykers que ha vendido. (Kat Brady, Promotora de Justicia, Hawai’i) Fué en 1996 cuando finalizaron las evicciones de Makua. Mi familia, mi familia cercana, mis niños y mi marido estaban aquí. Yo estuve aquí por más tiempo, el iba y venía, pero mis hijos y yo pasamos muchísimo tiempo aquí. Fue el tiempo más aterrorizante de mi vida. Pase por tanto, vinieron con una sobredosis de poder de macho, poder legar, armas de poder. Espantoso, pareciera como si la milicia estuviera involucrada en ello, auque no podian mostar la cara. Comenze a pensar “que esta pasando?”. Dejo el lugar y la infantería viene y comienza a apuntar armas hacia mí. Estaba en el vehículo  y me estaba volviendo loca y esto ocurrió en varias ocaciones.y cuando finalmente llegamos a las negociaciones para demander, yo fui parte de ello. (Leandra Wai, Mākua, Hawai’i) 2010 AFSC Hawai’i: No Room at the Inn… (Houseless Nativity Display) Por qué la desmilitarización es importante? Tenemos demasiada guerra y no suficiente paz. Necesitamos ser más diplomaticos, hacer mas amigos. Necesitamos ser menos dominante. Estados Unidos necesita calmarse, somos demasiado imperialista. Cuando la gente habla sobre defender a los Estados Unidos, no se refieren a Estados Unidos, Hawai’i y Alaska. Se refieren al extenso imperio de unas 700 bases o más. (Dr. Fred Dodge, Nanakuli, Hawai’i) Alrededor de las bases militares puedes encontrar tremendas cantidades de cabarets, prostitución, y tráfico de humanos que están afectando a nuestras jovenes. Puedo decir que es inteligente decir que la cantidad de enfermedades de transmisión sexual, la cantidad de embarazos no deseados, la cantidad de violencia doméstica alrededor de esas comunidades que se han levantado de esas industrias cerca de la milicia, es inmenso. No se han formulado ningunos estudios que demuestren adecuadamente los efectos de las enfermedades de transmisión sexual, y embarazos no deseados en nuestras jovenes globalmente. Necesitamos investigar, pero nadie quiere dar fondos para estos porque van en contra del militarismo. Estas son las cosas con la que lidiamos a diario. (Kalamaoka’aina Niheu) Quisiera ver a nuestra gente trabajando en empleos que fuesen mas positivos para nuestra comunidad. (Kat Brady) El militarismo es… Monstroso, gigantesco, espantoso, pero más importante reemplazable, lo podemos vencer y levantarnos ante él. (Kalamaoka’aina Niheu) DESDE LA ULTIMA REUNION IWNAM… MALAMA KA’ENA PASSIONISTAS! DESNUDANDO LA GLOBALIZACION Y EL MILITARISMO