To James Kealii Pihana the act of severing the spear of the Kamehameha statue in Wailoa State Park in Hilo this weekend was more than upsetting. It was an act of war.
“It’s really a major, major, major desecration to our culture and to our high chief,” said Pihana, who identifies himself as a descendant of Kamehameha I. “You’re calling the people out to challenge. You’re calling me out to war.”
So the 72-year-old Hilo resident, wearing a red malo and holding a spear, stood guard Monday in front of the statue.
The Hawaii County Police Department is asking for the public’s help in finding the person who cut the spear, which was last seen intact Saturday. Someone reported it missing at 2:48 p.m. Sunday.
Police said the spear is bronze, 1.25 inches in diameter, with some rust and a gold-colored tip.
Police Sgt. BJ Duarte said Monday, “It’s the first time anything has happened to the statue,” as far as he can recall, and police had not received any tips from the public as of Monday afternoon.
Pihana, who said he is a high commander and chief of the Royal Order of Kamehameha I, said the person who did this was not some homeless person who wanted to recycle the metal for cash.
“A red ti leaf stalk was on top where he cut the spear off (in the pipe that was part of the spear),” Pihana said. “That’s an insult. He’s calling me and people like me out to battle.”
He said to cut the spear would require a diamond-tipped hacksaw, and a ladder at least 10 feet tall. He said the spear was made not of bronze, but of iron, which he said is not recyclable for cash.
Pihana said he has no mercy for the perpetrator.
“If he comes forward and confesses, I’m gonna kill him,” he said. “We been pushed around and pushed around, but to go and desecrate this statue, bruddah, you better get on a plane quick.”
Pihana said police officers arrived Monday afternoon because of his presence but kept their distance and left.
He said “police need to dust down the statue” for fingerprints.
The 14-foot-high statue was sculpted at a foundry in Vicenza, Italy, in 1963. It was originally commissioned by the Princeville Corp. for its resort on Kauai, but residents objected to it because the island was never conquered by Kamehameha.
Princeville Corp. ultimately donated it to Hawaii island through the Kamehameha Schools Alumni Association. It was dedicated in June 1997.
Police ask anyone with information about this incident, the identity of the suspects or the whereabouts of the stolen item to call the police nonemergency line at 935-3311 or Officer Matthew Lewis at 961-2213.
Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call CrimeStoppers at 961-8300.
