The Capt. Cook monument was erected by his countrymen as a memorial near the spot of his death on [February 14, 1779]. It attracts hundreds of tourists daily who access the monument by ocean via tour boat or kayak. Historic [Ka’awaloa trail] is the only way to reach the flats from the top of the cliff by land and is advertised as a popular tourist hiking destination on many printed and digital platforms. The Capt. Cook monument sits at the base of [Pali Kapu O Keōua] the sacred burial site of my royal Hawaiian ancestors, which has been desecrated and plundered by thieves for ancient antiquities over decades, through the easy access of the highly unregulated and irresponsibly exploited [Ka’awaloa trail]. There are ZERO public facilities to accommodate the constant tourist traffic that frequent the monument or their trash. Leaving a deficatingly negative impact on the surrounding environment and significant historical Hawaiian cultural and burial sites. To the Hawaiian people the monument represents a symbol of colonialism and dispossession. It memorializes a stained chapter of history that romanticizes the expansions of European empires and exploitations of Hawaii’s natural resources, culture and it’s people. Captain James Cook himself was personally responsible for atrocities committed against peoples all across Polynesia. His arrival to Hawai’i set in motion the events leading to the deaths of thousands of Hawaiians, the desecration of countless Kanu and the demise of the Hawaiian Kingdom. I am in favor of public monuments that laud great accomplishments and honor people who deserve our admiration and set a good example for the community to follow. But the monument in Kealakekua Bay, a symbol of James Cook’s legacy in Hawai’i, does not warrant admiration nor merit celebration.