Protests target land development, GMO

By Sarah Zoellick

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Jan 17, 2013

~~<p>With swooping, rhythmic motions, hundreds of men, women, teenagers and preschoolers pounded taro into roughly 1,000 pounds of poi Wednesday at the state Capitol as part of a protest that drew hundreds of residents hoping to have their voices heard on the opening day of the legislative session.</p>
<p>They dipped their fingers in water and sprinkled moisture on the poi — balling it up and spreading it with the pounder; scraping it up and slapping it down — while activists spoke of Hawaiian sovereignty, Hawaiian-immersion charter school independence and financial support, the prevalence and possible danger of genetically modified organisms, the need for government transparency, and a repeal of the highly contested Public Land and Development Corp.</p>
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With swooping, rhythmic motions, hundreds of men, women, teenagers and preschoolers pounded taro into roughly 1,000 pounds of poi Wednesday at the state Capitol as part of a protest that drew hundreds of residents hoping to have their voices heard on the opening day of the legislative session.

They dipped their fingers in water and sprinkled moisture on the poi — balling it up and spreading it with the pounder; scraping it up and slapping it down — while activists spoke of Hawaiian sovereignty, Hawaiian-immersion charter school independence and financial support, the prevalence and possible danger of genetically modified organisms, the need for government transparency, and a repeal of the highly contested Public Land and Development Corp. Login for more...