Kuleana Act of 1850 (Hawaii)
Kuleana is a Hawaiian word, defined in the Hawaii Electronic Library as a "Right, privilege, concern, responsibility, title, business, property, estate, portion, jurisdiction, authority, liability, interest, claim, ownership, tenure, affair, province; reason, cause, function, justification; small piece of property, as within an ahupuaʻa; blood relative through whom a relationship to less close relatives is traced, as to in-laws." [1]
The Kuleana Act of 1850
The Kuleana Act of 1850, proposed by the King in Privy Council passed by the Hawaii legislature created a system for private land ownership in seven parts.[2] Section 1 recognized ownership of government plots occupied and improved by families. Section 2 expanded title to other types of land. Section 3 defined land boundaries and the ability to exchange portions of land. Section 4 established a system for the Hawaiian government to distribute larger parcels of land. Section 5 established the largest size of family owned lots. Section 6 attempted to distinguish between cultivated and waste lands. Section 7 established access to roads, water sources, and other natural resources.
Recent Controversies
Facebook founder and billionaire Mark Zuckerberg came under scrutiny in 2017 when he attempted to integrate property titles established by the Kuleana Act into a 700-acre estate he intended to assemble in Hawaii using quiet title lawsuits to establish the ownership of ambiguously-titled parcels of land.[3]
References
- "Nā Puke Wehewehe ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi" [Hawaii Electronic Library]. Retrieved 2017-01-28.
- "The Kuleana Act of 1850". Hawaii State Archives, DLNR, 2–4. Hoakalei Cultural Foundation. Retrieved 2017-01-28.
The Kuleana Act remains the foundation of law pertaining to native tenant rights.
- Uria, Daniel (2017-01-28). "Mark Zuckerberg drops property lawsuits to force sale of Hawaiian lands". United Press International. United Press International. Retrieved 2017-01-28.