Aloha `Aina and Malama `Aina Series, John Cross presenter
​The End of Sugar: Land and Water use then and now on the Hilo – Hamakua Coast
The Plantations from Hilo to Ninole

October 18, 2019

As our first presenter in our Aloha ‘Aina and Malama ‘Aina series, focusing on caring for the land, we are very fortunate today to have John Cross as our presenter. He will provide the foundation for understanding this land based on its history during the era of the sugar industry. John spent decades in the sugarcane industry starting at Puna Sugar Company, then Lihue Plantation, then to Mauna Kea Sugar where he stayed until the end of cane cultivation in 1994. After sugarcane he was retained by C. Brewer & Company to manage the real estate asset along the Hamakua Coast and in the Ka'u district. When C. Brewer & Company announced it would be liquidating all its operating companies and selling its land base, John was part of the sales team to transfer lands to others. After C. Brewer, John went to work for the Edmund C. Olson Trust as its land manager. In 2016 he left the full time employ of the Trust and is currently an independent land planning consultant. He continues to manage the Olson Trust Archives in Papaikou which contain all the land documents from C. Brewer & Company Ltd. from its inception in 1826 to its dissolution in 2008.
For the Hakalau Kuleana, our responsibility is to care for the land, the people, and the culture. We are guided by cultural values of YESTERDAY: Engage in collective effort. Look out for each other. Honor hard work. Show respect for those who came before us. Aloha and Mālama `Aina. In 2021, Akiko Masuda added two more values to the list: Consistently show up. Whatever has to be done, jump in and do it!