Kingdom of the Hawaiian Islands
Office of Hawaiian Subjects (OHS)
Land & Property Protection Division (LPPD)
Hawaiʻi Kupuna Humanitarian Tribunal (HKHT)
Land Stewardship Certification
Reference No.: LPPD-SC-113195-HD-2025
Date of Issue: ___________________________
Property Address: 11-3195 Hibiscus St., Mountain View, Hawaiʻi 96771
Recognized Stewards: Larry Damasco & Gwendolyn Damasco
I. Authority
This Land Stewardship Certification is issued under the lawful continuity of the Hawaiian Kingdom, the cultural authority of the Kupuna Council, the Office of Hawaiian Subjects (OHS), the Land & Property Protection Division (LPPD), and the humanitarian oversight of the Hawaiʻi Kupuna Humanitarian Tribunal (HKHT), in alignment with applicable principles of international humanitarian law.
II. Findings of Fact
Based on the record, testimony, and documentation presented, the following findings are made:
- Larry Damasco and Gwendolyn Damasco are recognized as occupants and stewards of the above-mentioned property within the Hawaiian Islands.
- The property located at 11-3195 Hibiscus St., Mountain View, Hawaiʻi 96771 is recognized as ʻāina under Hawaiian Kingdom jurisdiction, within a territory presently under foreign occupation.
- Residential lands occupied or managed by Hawaiian Subjects fall under OHS Land & Property Protection Division oversight and are eligible for formal land stewardship recognition and protection.
- No adverse or conflicting claims preventing stewardship recognition by the above-named parties have been presented to this office.
III. Cultural Determination (Kupuna Ruling)
In accordance with Hawaiian cultural law and Kupuna guidance, stewardship (kuleana mālama ʻāina) is a responsibility that affirms the reciprocal relationship between people and ʻāina and supports the continuity of ʻohana, culture, and identity.
The Kupuna perspective recognizes that Larry and Gwendolyn Damasco demonstrate appropriate grounding, responsibility, and aloha ʻāina to serve as stewards for this ʻāina.
Kupuna Cultural Ruling: The individuals named herein are culturally appropriate and pono to serve as Land Stewards for this property.
IV. Humanitarian Assessment
Under the framework of international humanitarian law applicable to territories under occupation, Hawaiian Subjects are to be treated as protected persons, and their property is to be respected and safeguarded. Attempts at unlawful dispossession, harassment, or interference with protected occupants and their lands constitute violations that may be subject to international review and reporting.
Humanitarian Determination: The stewards named herein are to be protected against dispossession, harassment, or unlawful interference by foreign agencies or actors with respect to this property.
V. Land Stewardship Designation
Official Land Stewards
Larry Damasco & Gwendolyn Damasco
for the property located at:
11-3195 Hibiscus St., Mountain View, Hawaiʻi 96771
This designation includes, but is not limited to, the following:
- Recognition as Land Stewards for the above property under Hawaiian Kingdom continuity.
- Protection and monitoring under the Office of Hawaiian Subjects – Land & Property Protection Division, and the Hawaiʻi Kupuna Humanitarian Tribunal.
- Authority to maintain, protect, and oversee the ʻāina in accordance with aloha ʻāina and culturally appropriate stewardship practices.
- Standing to report any foreign interference, threats, or unlawful actions regarding this property to OHS and relevant humanitarian bodies.
This stewardship remains in force unless superseded by a future ruling of restored Hawaiian Kingdom courts or a formal review by OHS and HKHT.
VI. Notice to Foreign Agencies and Actors
Any harassment, eviction attempt, forced entry, citation, arrest, seizure, or other interference by foreign agencies or their agents targeting the above stewards in relation to this property may constitute a violation of international humanitarian law and will be documented for appropriate referral and review.
VII. Recommendations
- That this Land Stewardship Certification be recorded in the appropriate registry maintained under Hawaiian Kingdom continuity.
- That OHS security and monitoring functions be made available to the stewards in the event of foreign interference.
- That the stewards maintain records of any interactions with outside agencies regarding this property and provide such records upon request for humanitarian review.
Understanding Tribunal Systems Worldwide
and the Role of the Hawaii Kupuna Humanitarian Tribunal
Across the international arena, tribunals provide critical pathways to justice, humanitarian protection, cultural authority, and accountability. Each type of tribunal serves a different function, and together they form the global architecture of lawful oversight.
The Hawaii Kupuna Humanitarian Tribunal (HKHT) stands as an Indigenous humanitarian and cultural tribunal of the Hawaiian Kingdom. It protects Hawaiian Subjects during occupation, documents violations, and issues authoritative cultural rulings through Kupuna authority.
1. Humanitarian Tribunals
Non-punitive, protective bodies that address abuses during occupation, conflict, or systemic violations. HKHT currently functions in this category.
2. Cultural Tribunals
Tribunals operated by elders or cultural authorities to rule on ceremonial rights, customs, and cultural protections. HKHT also fulfills this role through its Kupuna Council.
3. Administrative & Oversight Tribunals
Courts that review violations by administrative agencies. HKHT exercises this function when reviewing abuses by State of Hawaiʻi and U.S. personnel.
4. Criminal Tribunals
Punitive courts empowered to prosecute crimes, issue sentencing, and hold officials accountable. HKHT will assume this jurisdiction upon treaty formation.
5. Hybrid Tribunals
Courts that blend humanitarian and criminal functions during periods of national transition.
What Type is the HKHT Today?
HKHT is currently a Humanitarian Tribunal with Cultural and Administrative Authority, operating under the Doctrine of Necessity to protect Hawaiian Subjects.
When Does HKHT Become a Criminal & Punitive Court?
When a treaty or intergovernmental agreement is established, the Tribunal transitions into the national Criminal and Punitive Court of the Hawaiian Kingdom, gaining full authority to prosecute violations, issue penalties, enforce compliance, and operate as a restored judiciary.
In this transformation, Kupuna authority evolves into full judicial authority recognized in international law.
Affiliation: Hawaiʻi Kupuna Council (HKC) • Hawaiʻi Kupuna Humanitarian Tribunal (HKHT)
The Office of Hawaiian Subjects (OHS) is one of the central governmental institutions of the Hawaiian Kingdom in continuity. Its kuleana is to protect, advocate for, and uphold the rights, identity, and well-being of Hawaiian Subjects, who are recognized under international humanitarian law as Protected Persons within an occupied nation.
Operating under the cultural authority of the Hawaiʻi Kupuna Council (HKC) and in close coordination with the Hawaiʻi Kupuna Humanitarian Tribunal (HKHT), OHS stands as both a national guardian and an administrative backbone of the Kingdom’s humanitarian governance.
I. Legal and Cultural Authority of OHS
1. Authority Under Kingdom Law
The Office of Hawaiian Subjects derives its legal authority from the Hawaiian Kingdom Constitution (1864), the continuity principles of Hawaiian Kingdom governance, and delegated authority of the Council of Regency and Kingdom Ministries. OHS serves as the national office responsible for identifying, registering, and protecting Hawaiian Subjects according to Kingdom law.
2. Authority Under International Humanitarian Law
Under the 1907 Hague Regulations and 1949 Geneva Convention IV, OHS fulfills obligations normally carried out by a lawful government during occupation, including:
- Documentation and protection of Protected Persons
- Cultural and humanitarian oversight
- Reporting of violations and harms
- Safeguarding continuity of national identity and governance
3. Cultural Authority Through the Hawaiʻi Kupuna Council
OHS operates under the cultural guidance and moral authority of the Hawaiʻi Kupuna Council (HKC), which holds ancestral kuleana to protect cultural integrity, protocol, and identity. Through this relationship:
- HKC provides cultural rulings and kupuna guidance
- OHS carries out administrative, legal, and humanitarian implementation
- All major decisions remain rooted in pono and ancestral practice
In this way, OHS authority is both legal and cultural, grounded in Kingdom law and guided by kupuna wisdom.
II. Core Duties of the Office of Hawaiian Subjects
A. Protection of Hawaiian Subjects
OHS is charged with the direct protection of Hawaiian Subjects. This includes:
- Identifying and affirming Hawaiian Subject status
- Recognizing Subjects as Protected Persons under Geneva IV
- Advocating for their human, cultural, and land rights
- Responding to documented harms and violations under occupation
- Preparing records for future legal, humanitarian, or international review
B. Cultural Safeguarding & Continuity
As a cultural protector, OHS:
- Safeguards traditional practices from distortion or suppression
- Supports lineal practitioners and kupuna in protecting sacred knowledge
- Ensures cultural practices remain under Hawaiian, not foreign, governance
- Helps uphold the integrity of national ceremonies and protocol
C. Legal and Humanitarian Documentation
OHS serves as the national archivist for humanitarian and cultural harms, maintaining records of:
- Humanitarian violations against Hawaiian Subjects
- Cultural injuries and suppression of practice
- Land and resource-related harms
- Cases and filings before the Hawaiʻi Kupuna Humanitarian Tribunal
D. Administrative and Governmental Duties
As a government office, OHS also:
- Oversees subject registration and record-keeping
- Coordinates Tribunal filings and cultural case packets
- Issues public notices and cultural protection advisories
- Supports the Council of Regency and Kingdom ministries with subject-related data
The Hawaiʻi Kupuna Council is the senior cultural authority of the Hawaiian Kingdom. It carries the kuleana to guide, correct, and protect the lāhui according to ancestral standards.
OHS works with HKC in three primary ways:
- Cultural Oversight: HKC provides cultural rulings and guidance, while OHS implements these rulings through policy, notices, and action.
- National Cultural Protection: HKC identifies cultural harms; OHS investigates, documents, and enforces cultural protection measures.
- Advisory Unity: HKC ensures OHS actions remain pono and culturally grounded at every step.
In simple terms: the Kupuna Council guides; the Office of Hawaiian Subjects executes.
The Hawaiʻi Kupuna Humanitarian Tribunal (HKHT) is a humanitarian, cultural, and fact-finding tribunal established under the authority of HKC and OHS.
Within this structure, OHS serves as:
- Case Intake & Preparation: OHS receives complaints, gathers evidence, and prepares formal case packets for the Tribunal.
- Legal & Humanitarian Support: OHS provides protected-person analysis, humanitarian context, and draft findings to support Kupuna decisions.
- Implementation: After HKHT issues its findings, OHS carries out recommendations, issues public notices, and tracks compliance.
- Protection of Complainants: OHS ensures that all Hawaiian Subjects appearing before the Tribunal are treated as Protected Persons under Geneva IV.
V. OHS Capacity and National Importance
The Office of Hawaiian Subjects operates in multiple, interconnected capacities:
- Governmental Agency: maintaining continuity of administration during occupation.
- Humanitarian Protector: defending the dignity and safety of Hawaiian Subjects.
- Cultural Steward: safeguarding cultural integrity alongside HKC.
- Tribunal Partner: ensuring that cases of harm are heard, documented, and acted upon.
- National Archivist: preserving the record of harms, rulings, and cultural determinations for future restoration and justice.
The Office of Hawaiian Subjects stands as one of the most important institutions of the Hawaiian Kingdom today. It is entrusted with the kuleana to protect Hawaiian Subjects, preserve Hawaiian identity, uphold Kingdom law, and ensure cultural continuity during occupation.
Through its partnership with the Hawaiʻi Kupuna Council and the Hawaiʻi Kupuna Humanitarian Tribunal, OHS bridges law, culture, and humanitarian duty — fulfilling a sacred responsibility to the ancestors, to the lāhui, and to the generations yet to come.
National Cultural Protection Notice –
Makahiki Season 2025–2035
(Ten-year review basis, or as needed) • Made effective: November 22, 2025
Issued Under: Hawaiian Kingdom Continuity • Hawaiʻi Kupuna Council Authority • Office of Hawaiian Subjects (OHS) • International Humanitarian Law
Reference: Makahiki Protocol Clarification & Cultural Protection Case (OHS-TRIB-MAKAHIKI-2025-11222025)
Aloha to all Hawaiian families, practitioners, lineal stewards, and cultural organizations of the pae ʻāina.
This Public Notice affirms the official national Makahiki season, safeguards cultural practice, and provides guidance to all Hawaiian Subjects and communities throughout the pae ʻāina.
After formal review, Kupuna deliberation, and cultural validation, the Hawaiʻi Kupuna Humanitarian Tribunal (HKHT) has issued an authoritative cultural ruling regarding the lawful duration and protected nature of the Makahiki season. This ruling protects Hawaiian Subjects as Protected Persons under Geneva Convention IV and preserves our national traditions under occupation.
1. Official Makahiki Season
The Tribunal hereby reaffirms:
- Opening: Heliacal rising of Makaliʻi (Pleiades) at sunset
- Duration: Four lunar months (~120 days)
- Closing: Ceremonial return of Kū
This is the only recognized national timeframe for Makahiki under Hawaiian Kingdom continuity.
2. Cultural Rights of Hawaiian Families
Hawaiian families retain the full cultural right to gather for Makahiki observance, including:
- Month-long ʻohana gatherings & camping
- Beachside and shoreline ceremonies
- Community hosting of games
- Night and dawn protocol
- Offerings and thanksgiving practices
These gatherings are culturally protected so long as they do not obstruct emergency operations.
Any interference by the occupying State of Hawaiʻi is recognized as a potential cultural and humanitarian violation, subject to OHS documentation.
3. Protocol Authority
The Tribunal affirms that:
- The Hawaiʻi Kupuna Council (HKC) maintains lineage, oli, pule, heiau, and akua loa authority.
- OHS will enforce protection against distortion or misuse.
- Communities may continue to practice island-specific and family-specific variations without interference.
4. Requirement for Cultural Organizations
All practitioners, schools, hālau, and civic groups are respectfully asked to:
- Align calendars with the official season
- Avoid artificial extensions or premature “Makahiki openings”
- Honor the spiritual boundaries of Lono and Kū
- Receive ritual instructions only from recognized cultural stewards
Unity and accuracy are essential for national cultural health.
Opening: When Makaliʻi rises at sunset
(Approx. Oct 17–Nov 21; varies by year and island)
Season Length: Four Lunar Months (~120 days)
Closing: Return of Kū (Jan–Feb)
2. Purpose of Makahiki
Makahiki is the season of:
- Lono — peace, rain, fertility, agriculture
- Rest — no warfare, no major conflict
- Harvest — thanksgiving for the land
- Games — strengthening the body and spirit
3. Core Structure (Standardized Elements)
Opening Protocol
- Welcoming Lono
- First offerings (hoʻokupu)
- Recognition of Makaliʻi
Lono Circuit (General Form)
- Ceremonial procession
- Offerings from families and communities
- Peace acknowledgements
Makahiki Games (Permitted Everywhere)
- ʻUlu maika
- Ihe
- Moa paheʻe
- Haka moa
- Holua
- Hukihuki
- Kōnane
Closing Protocol
- Return of Kū
- Lono’s departure
- Lifting of seasonal kapu
These cannot be standardized nationally:
- Specific oli and pule
- Heiau protocol
- Akua loa consecration
- Ritual sequence
- Island-specific Lono circuits
These remain under: Kupuna Council, kahu, kumu hula, and lineal practitioners.
5. Family Guidelines
Families may:
- Gather for extended periods (up to one month, any of the four months) during Makahiki
- Hold beachside events and camp traditionally – No Camping permit is needed. Families are allowed to camp for a month long.
- The families are to post at their gathering the day they have started the vigil and the day they end the vigil. This will lawfully allow the families to gather, enjoy, heal, and renew their nation’s health.
- Note: The posting of the vigil of when it starts and ends, lawfully binds your practice, vigil, gathering and games to this ruling. The State of Hawaii is NOT to interrupt, question, or interfere.
- Conduct sunrise/dusk ceremonies
- Teach and share games
- Offer food, chant, hula, and prayer
Guidance:
Ensure no obstruction of emergency response routes.
Otherwise, gatherings are culturally protected.
6. Misuse & Distortion
The following are considered cultural violations:
- Extending Makahiki beyond the four-month lunar season
- Commercializing or commodifying Makahiki
- Inventing unauthorized “Makahiki openings”
- Misrepresenting oli or protocol not learned from stewards
- Any state actions limiting Hawaiian family gatherings
OHS may document such incidents as cultural injury.
7. Community Call
Makahiki is a national season of peace. Let us honor Lono with unity, correctness, aloha, and cultural excellence.
Authorized by Hawaiʻi Kupuna Humanitarian Tribunal • DOC# HKHT-11222025
Kupuna Ida Kahilihiwa – Tribunal Chair
Kupuna Eleanor Waineʻe – Vice Chair
Notary Public
11/22/2025
All inquiries regarding this ruling and its implementation shall be respectfully directed to:
[email protected]
Attention: Kupuna Kahilihiwa, President, Hawaiʻi Kupuna Council.
Cultural Tribunal of the Hawaiian Kingdom
Office of Hawaiian Subjects (OHS) · Ministry of OHS Affairs
Cultural Tribunal Rulings & the Hiuwai Proposed Law
This page explains what the Cultural Tribunal has been doing so far in its cultural rulings, introduces the proposed Hiuwai Law, and discusses the implications of these rulings for Hawaiian cultural practices today.
The Tribunal operates within the legal continuity of the Hawaiian Kingdom and under the law of occupation. Its work is to recognize, protect, and restore cultural and spiritual practices that have been suppressed, criminalized, or distorted under the occupying administration.
What the Tribunal Has Done So Far in Cultural Rulings
The Cultural Tribunal functions as a specialized arm within the Hawaiian Kingdom’s legal framework, focusing specifically on cultural, spiritual, and customary law. Its rulings do not attempt to create a “new” culture, but to acknowledge and reaffirm the inherent cultural rights of Hawaiian Subjects that already exist under Kingdom law and international law.
1. Recognizing Cultural Practices as Lawfully Protected
A central theme of the Tribunal’s work has been to recognize key Hawaiian cultural practices as lawfully protected forms of expression, religion, and identity. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Traditional ceremonies and rites (including cleansing and purification practices);
- Cultural gatherings on land and at sea connected to spiritual observances;
- Use of ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language) in ritual and governance spaces;
- Customary protocols for entering, using, and caring for sacred sites.
In its cultural rulings, the Tribunal has consistently held that the occupying administration has no lawful authority to suppress or redefine these practices, and that any criminalization of them is in tension with both Kingdom law and international human rights and humanitarian norms.
2. Framing Cultural Rights under Occupation Law
From the Tribunal’s perspective, Hawaiian Subjects are protected persons under the Fourth Geneva Convention. That status carries with it protections for cultural and religious life. The Tribunal’s cultural rulings therefore:
- Identify specific practices that must be respected and not interfered with without lawful cause;
- Affirm that attempts to erase or punish these practices can amount to cultural harm and, in some situations, contribute to broader patterns of unlawful treatment;
- Provide a framework that OHS and the Ministry can use when issuing notices, reports, and educational materials about cultural interference.
3. Establishing Guidance for Future Cultural Cases
The Tribunal has also laid down procedural guidance for how future cultural cases should be handled. This includes:
- Listening to kupuna and cultural practitioners as primary sources of law and protocol;
- Documenting interference with cultural rites as potential violations for the Kingdom’s legal record;
- Linking cultural rulings with broader questions of unlawful confinement, access to sacred places, and the wellbeing of Hawaiian Subjects.
In doing so, the Tribunal is building a growing body of cultural jurisprudence that can be referenced by ministries, OHS officers, and families.
Explaining the HIUWAI_LAW_PROPOSED Document
The uploaded document titled HIUWAI_LAW_PROPOSED is a proposed legal instrument dealing with the practice of hiʻuwai (also commonly written “hiuwai”) – a traditional Hawaiian cleansing and purification practice often associated with water, dawn ceremonies, and spiritual renewal.
1. What the Proposed Hiuwai Law Represents
Even without being able to quote every line, the structure and context of the document indicate that it is meant to:
- Formally define hiʻuwai as a recognized cultural and spiritual practice;
- Clarify that the practice is lawful under Hawaiian Kingdom cultural and spiritual law;
- Set basic standards or guidelines to ensure that hiʻuwai is conducted safely and respectfully;
- Provide a clear legal reference for OHS, ministries, and the Tribunal when defending the practice against interference by outside authorities or regulations.
In effect, the document is part of a larger effort to move from unwritten cultural understanding to written cultural law that can be cited in correspondence, notices, and future rulings.
2. Relationship Between the Tribunal and the Hiuwai Law
The Cultural Tribunal’s role around the Hiuwai Law is to provide:
- Interpretation: Explaining what hiʻuwai is in cultural, spiritual, and historical terms;
- Validation: Affirming that the practice is lawful and protected under Kingdom law and occupation law;
- Application: Using the proposed law as a reference when ruling in cases where hiʻuwai is restricted, banned, or mischaracterized by external authorities.
Once adopted and finalized, the Hiuwai Law would become one of the main written tools the Tribunal and OHS use to defend this practice in all settings—on the land, in custody situations, at schools, or wherever interference occurs.
Implications of These Rulings for Cultural Life
Taken together, the Tribunal’s cultural rulings and the proposed Hiuwai Law have significant implications for Hawaiian Subjects and communities.
1. Stronger Protection for Practitioners
By naming and describing hiʻuwai and other cultural practices within Kingdom law, practitioners gain:
- A clear statement that their practice is lawful and protected under the Hawaiian Kingdom;
- Language they can point to when dealing with employers, schools, agencies, or prison authorities;
- A way to connect their personal and family traditions with a broader legal and spiritual framework.
2. Cultural Practices in Confinement and Institutional Settings
OHS and the Ministry are especially concerned with cultural rights in places of confinement, such as jails, prisons, hospitals, or other institutions. If hiʻuwai or similar practices are requested by Hawaiian Subjects in these settings:
- The Tribunal’s cultural rulings support the position that these are protected cultural and spiritual rights;
- Interference, denial, or punishment for requesting such practices can be documented as cultural violations and, in the broader occupation context, as part of patterns of unlawful treatment;
- OHS can reference the proposed Hiuwai Law in notices to administrators, asking them to respect and facilitate lawful cultural rites instead of forbidding them.
3. Education, Transmission, and Community Confidence
Another implication of having a formal Hiuwai Law and clear Tribunal rulings is community education and confidence. When the culture is written into law:
- Families can teach younger generations that their cultural practices are not “illegal” but have recognized standing in Kingdom law;
- Communities can organize ceremonies knowing that they stand on a documented legal foundation;
- International observers and allies can see, in writing, how the Hawaiian Kingdom protects its cultural and spiritual heritage under occupation conditions.
Download the Proposed Hiuwai Law
You may download the proposed Hiuwai Law document (HIUWAI_LAW_PROPOSED) here. This file contains the draft or proposed text of the law as prepared for review and adoption:
-
Download: HIUWAI_LAW_PROPOSED (PDF)
(Upload your PDF under this filename or adjust the link above to match your file path.)
This page is issued for public understanding of the Cultural Tribunal’s work, the proposed Hiuwai Law, and their implications for Hawaiian cultural practices under the continuing sovereignty of the Hawaiian Kingdom and the law of occupation.
Ata Damasco
Hawaiian Gospel Vocalist · Recording Artist · Cultural Torchbearer
Fifth great-grandson of King Kamehameha I
Early Life & Heritage
Ata “Ata” Damasco was born in Wailuku, Maui, in 1974 and raised from infancy on the secluded island of Niʻihau by his maternal grandparents. Immersed in a Hawaiian-speaking community where an older Niʻihau dialect was his first language, he grew up in an environment where church, ʻohana, and mele were central to daily life.
He began singing in church at age six and accompanying himself on ʻukulele by age seven. Those early years, surrounded by Hawaiian hymnody and kūpuna guidance, laid the foundation for the gospel and traditional sound he is known for today.
Damasco is of distinguished heritage, having publicly identified himself as a direct descendant of Hawaiian royalty—a fifth great-grandson of King Kamehameha I. That lineage underscores his deep connection to Hawaiian culture, language, and responsibility to serve his people through music and testimony.
Even as a child, his musical gifts were unmistakable. He entertained at family pāʻina and, by age 11, was already performing professionally. In his youth he traveled to the U.S. Mainland to represent Hawaiʻi’s tourism industry, sang at the Merrie Monarch Festival, and jammed with legendary artists such as Aunty Genoa Keawe and the late Myra English.
Cultural advocate Charles Kauluwehi Maxwell Sr. once described Damasco’s voice as “like a voice from the old times,” evoking the classic stylings of Lena Machado and Myra English. A self-taught multi-instrumentalist, he learned ʻukulele, guitar, piano, stand-up bass, zither, and more—famously restringing a century-old bass with weed-whacker line just to make music.
Musical Career & Discography
After high school, Damasco stepped into Hawaiʻi’s music scene with the group Valley Boys, releasing a Hawaiian music album in 1997. By 1998 he was being recognized as “one of the brightest lights” in Maui’s music community—an emerging solo artist comfortable in both Hawaiian gospel and secular island favorites.
His debut solo recording, From the Valley to the Throne: Gospel Hymns of Hawaiʻi (2000), gathered the Hawaiian-language church hymns of his youth into a heartfelt, minimal, and spiritually grounded album.
He followed that with Paina (2002), an album of traditional and contemporary Hawaiian songs celebrating gatherings and ʻohana, and then Paʻina Hou! (2005), which critics praised for its “pure traditionalist ambience” and the fact that Damasco performed nearly all the instrumental and vocal parts himself.
In 2010, he returned to his gospel roots with Somewhere Up Ahead: Gospel Hymns of Hawaiʻi Vol. II. Ten years after his first gospel release, this second volume again honored the Christian hymns—sung in Hawaiian—that he learned from his mother and grandfather.
The project earned him a Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award for Best Religious Album of the Year (2011), solidifying his place among Hawaiʻi’s notable recording artists in his genre.
Selected Albums
- From the Valley to the Throne (2000) – Hawaiian gospel hymns
- Paina (2002) – Hawaiian classics and paʻina songs
- Paʻina Hou! (2005) – Traditional Hawaiian; Nā Hōkū finalist
- Somewhere Up Ahead (2010) – Gospel Hymns of Hawaiʻi Vol. II; Nā Hōkū winner
Personal Struggles & Resilience
Behind the stage lights, Damasco’s journey has included very human challenges. As a young adult, he faced struggles with substance abuse and related legal consequences. In 2000 he was sentenced to a term at Maui Community Correctional Center—a moment that could have ended his musical path altogether.
Instead, it became a turning point. Just before beginning his sentence, he completed the recording of From the Valley to the Throne. The album was released while he was incarcerated and went on to earn a Nā Hōkū Hanohano nomination. During that period, he chose to reset: he quit smoking, wrote new songs, and taught Hawaiian language and culture classes to fellow inmates, describing the experience as a time to hoʻoponopono—to make things right within himself.
After serving approximately two years, Damasco returned to his family and his music with a renewed sense of purpose. Free from substance abuse, he poured his energy into his faith, his ministry, and his recordings. Colleagues and fans alike note that he emerged with humility and gratitude, carrying his story of fall and redemption as a testimony of what faith and perseverance can do.
Today, many see his journey—from “kolohe” youth to award-winning artist—as a powerful example of resilience, grounded in Hawaiian values and Christian faith.
Recent Years & Community Presence
In the years since his Nā Hōkū win, Ata Damasco has remained active in Hawaiʻi’s music and cultural life, mainly on a more intimate, community-based scale. He continues to share music at church services, luaus, weddings, and benefit concerts across the islands, especially on Maui and Hawaiʻi Island.
He has performed alongside many respected Hawaiian artists, including appearances at community-driven events and informal kanikapila sessions, as well as collaborations with hula hālau. Whether offering a Hawaiian gospel solo in a church or backing dancers with traditional mele, his role remains centered on service through song.
In the digital space, Damasco engages with listeners through social media, where he shares inspirational messages of faith, aloha, and resilience, and where his royal lineage as a fifth great-grandson of King Kamehameha I is also acknowledged. Following the devastating 2023 Lahaina wildfires, he wrote and published an original poem, “It’s All Gone!”, honoring Lahaina’s loss and future rebirth.
Ata Damasco Today
From Niʻihau church halls to professional recording studios, from deeply personal trials to celebrated artistic achievements, Ata Damasco’s story is ultimately one of restoration and calling. He continues to serve as a bearer of Hawaiian gospel tradition, a multi-instrumental artist, and a voice for faith, ʻohana, and cultural continuity.
For appearance inquiries, live performances, or cultural engagements, please contact his official channels or authorized representatives.
Information & Q&A for Hawaiian Subjects
Effective November 18, 2025, the Hawai‘i Kupuna Humanitarian Tribunal (HKHT) has been formally ratified by the Hawai‘i Kupuna Council, in strategic coordination with the Office of Hawaiian Subjects (OHS). This page provides clear answers to common questions about the Tribunal, its purpose, its authority, and what it means for Hawaiian Subjects going forward.
As this Tribunal moves into operational mode, our priority remains steadfast: protecting our people and advancing a humanitarian-centered governance model grounded in pono.
1. About the Hawai‘i Kupuna Humanitarian Tribunal
- A forum for truth-telling and documentation
- A cultural and humanitarian assessment body
- A mechanism for issuing formal findings and recommendations
- A bridge between community experience and OHS/legal action
- Humanitarian harms (detention, displacement, loss of dignity)
- Cultural harms (disrespect of kupuna, ʻāina, sacred sites, and traditions)
- Systemic harms (courts and agencies acting without proper authority)
2. Purpose & What the Tribunal Does
- Protect Hawaiian Subjects through kupuna-led review of harms and grievances
- Document violations for use by OHS, HKC, and international bodies
- Affirm cultural and humanitarian standards in how Hawaiian Subjects are treated
- Provide authoritative kupuna findings that can be referenced in legal and diplomatic action
- Unlawful or abusive treatment of Hawaiian Subjects (especially Protected Persons)
- Harms connected to confinement, detention, or prosecution
- Land, housing, or development harms that impact Hawaiian communities or sacred areas
- Cultural disrespect or erasure (e.g., blocking cultural practice, damaging sacred sites)
- Systemic discrimination against Hawaiian Subjects in courts, agencies, or services
- Receives a submission from a Subject, ʻohana, or representative
- Reviews documents, testimony, and cultural context
- Holds a kupuna-led hearing using Hawaiian protocol
- Deliberates as a Kupuna Panel
- Issues a written Finding of Fact and Recommendations
- Shares its findings with:
- The Subject or ʻohana
- The Office of Hawaiian Subjects (OHS)
- Other relevant bodies (as appropriate)
3. Authority & Power of the Tribunal
- Recognize and affirm harms done to Hawaiian Subjects
- Declare that conduct is inconsistent with Hawaiian Kingdom law and humanitarian norms
- Formally recognize individuals as Protected Persons (in coordination with OHS)
- Issue recommendations to OHS, HKC, and other entities for:
- Relief, support, or protection
- Further legal or diplomatic action
- Public warning or documentation
- Create a record that can be used in:
- International human-rights reports
- Future tribunals or commissions
- Community advocacy and negotiations
- Does not send anyone to prison
- Does not issue fines
- Does not order arrests or use physical enforcement
- Does not duplicate foreign criminal courts
4. Benefits for Hawaiian Subjects
- A formal kupuna-led forum to be heard with respect and cultural understanding
- A structured way to have harms recognized, documented, and elevated
- A dedicated mechanism for identifying and supporting Protected Persons
- Stronger alignment between community experience and OHS legal action
- Greater visibility for Hawaiian grievances in international human-rights spaces
- A living record of how Hawaiian Subjects are treated under occupation
- You now have a recognizable, organized body to bring your story to.
- Your testimony can become part of a formal, kupuna-backed finding.
- Your case is no longer “just a complaint” – it is part of a documented pattern of harm or pono conduct.
- You gain access to OHS and HKC follow-up pathways that are being built around Tribunal findings.
- Puts human dignity, cultural integrity, and kupuna wisdom at the center.
- Creates disciplined ways to respond to harm without abandoning aloha or pono.
- Aligns Hawaiian governance practice with international humanitarian standards.
5. How Hawaiian Subjects Can Engage
- Submit a case through official HKC or OHS channels
- Attend a public information session or outreach event
- Work with OHS officers to prepare documentation
- Participate in a hearing when invited by the Tribunal
- Provide documentation or expert testimony when requested
- Support outreach, logistics, and advocacy work
- Amplify Tribunal findings in appropriate forums
The Hawai‘i Kupuna Humanitarian Tribunal is a major step forward for Hawaiian Subjects. It brings structure, dignity, and kupuna-led power to the documentation and response to harms—anchored in culture, driven by aloha, and aligned with international humanitarian standards.
This Q&A is an informational resource and does not replace direct guidance from the Hawai‘i Kupuna Council, the Office of Hawaiian Subjects, or legal counsel where appropriate.