“Notice they never call her ‘Ms. Smith,’” Carolyn said. “They gotta get her Hawaiian names in there every time. I bet she was born ‘Mary Devine,’ not ‘Mele Kawena.’”
Kawika shook his head and smiled appreciatively. “The ‘International District’ instead of ‘Chinatown,’” he said. “These guys are the first ones to get that right.”
“They couldn’t call you a racist in Chinatown. Not someone named Wong.”
“Didn’t slow folks down in Seattle,” Kawika said.
After decades of tireless work on behalf of disadvantaged Hawaiians, Peter Pukui, who is descended from ancient lines of Hawaiian royalty and priests, last year organized Hui Heiau Hawai‘i (HHH), a grassroots association devoted to preservation of sacred Hawaiian temples and other religious sites. HHH immediately gained immense popularity and support among Native Hawaiians of all islands.
“Carolyn actually is descended from Hawaiian royalty,” Kawika told Tanaka.
“Yeah,” Carolyn said dismissively. “Like one part in sixty-four, one part in a hundred twenty-eight or two fifty-six. Something like that. But descendants of royalty take this professional Hawaiian stuff seriously. They think they’re the ones who’ve lost the most.”
Fortunato illegally destroyed one of Hawai‘i’s most important cultural treasures, a heiau built by Kamehameha the Great in the path of a lava flow, where offerings were made to Pele, Goddess of Fire, to save ancient fishponds on which the common people depended for sustenance. Pele spared the ponds, which foreign developers have now expropriated to serve as quaint attractions for pampered rich tourists at an ultra-luxurious South Kohala resort.
“Fortunato’s proposed Kohala Kea Loa resort is a monstrosity,” S&R’s Mele Kawena Smith stated. “It desecrates Native lands and cultural resources. It violates the rights of ahupua’a tenants. The developers do not even have valid title to the land. If someone did resist Fortunato in self-defense of Native rights and culture, then that person deserves our understanding and sympathy, at the very least.”
“Self-defense?” Tanaka asked. “We meet with these people, they’re going to tell us someone killed Fortunato in self-defense?”
“I doubt it,” Carolyn said. “That’s for public consumption—alleged homicide, remember? They claim self-defense includes protecting Hawaiian culture against racism, colonialism—all that—and that it’s okay to ‘self-defend’ against the ‘dominant culture.’ But I don’t think any of them would actually kill someone. Anyway, don’t forget this other thing: ‘The developers do not even have valid title to the land.’ Is that something specific, you think? Or just the notion that no foreigners can legitimately hold title to land in Hawai‘i?”
Kawika shrugged. “Don’t know for sure,” he said. “But that Murphy couple I told you about last night? The ones from California? That’s why they’re suing KKL, we heard.” He didn’t say more or look at Tanaka. He didn’t want to invite mention of Patience Quinn right now.
“Carolyn, you can see Kawika’s right—we really do need you for this meeting,” Tanaka said.
“But I’m so close to these folks,” Carolyn complained, “even though I’m mad at them for this.” She waved the press release. “Otherwise, I’m pretty much one of them, really. I’d definitely be okay with Hawaiian sovereignty. It’s just too late.”
Tanaka’s assistant, interrupting, poked her head through the doorway. “They’re here,” she said.
“Show them in,” Tanaka told her cheerfully. “Tell ’em the Tanaka-Wong cabal will see them now.”
The S&R delegation consisted of five people. Awkward moments passed while extra chairs were brought in. No one shook hands. Then Tanaka began.
“I’m Captain Teruo Tanaka. This is Detective Kawika Wong. And this is Carolyn Ka‘aukai, an expert in Hawaiian history and culture who is assisting us in this investigation.”
Two S&R representatives nodded. Three did not. All appeared surprised by Carolyn’s presence.
“I agreed to meet for three reasons,” Tanaka continued. “First, you asked. That’s all you needed to do. Second, you’re going to apologize to Detective Wong. You don’t need to apologize to me. I’ve been treated worse by tougher folks than you.”
The S&R representatives glared.
“Third, our team has work to do. We’re conducting a murder investigation. We don’t judge the victim. We don’t judge the killer—we just catch him. We believe you have relevant information. We do not request—we require—that you provide that information. If you withhold evidence or conceal a fugitive, you will face harsh penalties. Trust me on that.”
Then Tanaka added more gently, “You wish to help Peter Pukui. So do we.”
Looks of disbelief—fading to cynicism—appeared on all five S&R faces.
“Mr. Pukui is not currently a suspect,” Tanaka explained. “He is a person of interest. You can help him by persuading him to come forward. If he’s innocent, we’ll establish that quickly. If he does not come forward, we will hunt him down. When we hunt people down, innocent or guilty, sometimes they get hurt. That is not something any of us wish for Mr. Pukui. Consider this carefully as you introduce yourselves and apologize to Detective Wong. Then we can begin.”
A tall and rather gaunt woman, wearing some sort of ocher cloth wrap, spoke first. “I am Mele Kawena Smith,” she said. “I’m S&R’s orator. This is our attorney, Mr. Ted Pohano. Ted will speak for us today. And these are three of our members who are here as observers. Keoni Ana, Mataio Kēkuanāo‘a, and Iona Pi‘ikoi.”
Carolyn looked startled. “I’m sorry,” she said. “What are those names again?”
“Keoni Ana, Mataio Kēkuanāo‘a, and Iona Pi‘ikoi.”
Carolyn wrote on a yellow pad, then showed it to Kawika and Tanaka, as if helping them understand the spelling. But what she’d written was “FAKE NAMES.”
Ted Pohano, the lawyer, looked prosperous and formal in glasses and a business suit. Nothing about his features suggested he was Hawaiian. He cleared his throat and smiled. “Detective Wong,” he began, “please accept our apology for anything in our press release that may offend you. And please do not take it personally. We meant nothing personal—the press release is purely political. We hope you
