2000 Seacology Prize Awarded to Maui Brother and Sister
On December 1, 2000 Doris Matsuda and her brother Edwin "Take" Matsuda of Hana, Maui, Hawaii received the 2000 Seacology Prize for their commitment and sacrifice associated with the restoration of the Pi'ilanihale heiau in Hana. The Prize is given annually to an indigenous islander for outstanding achievement in preserving the environment and culture of any of the world's 100,000-plus islands. The award is underwritten by Seacology president Ken Murdock in memory of his mother, Lalovi Fish Murdock.
The Seacology Prize ceremony was held at the National Tropical Botanical Garden on the Hawaiian island of Kauai, and was attended by the recipients, Seacology board members and staff, and family and friends of Doris Matsuda-Saromines and Take Matsuda. The recipients spoke briefly about their family's long-held determination to see the Pi'ilanihale heiau properly restored, and their gratitude that their wishes were brought to fruition. After being awarded the trophies and prize stipends of $2,500 each, Doris Matsuda-Saromines announced that she and her brother would donate the full amount of their award to the construction of a Polynesian cultural museum at Pi'ilanihale. Seacology¹s board of trustees voted to match those funds. The National Tropical Botanical Garden also pledged their support in the amount of $5,000, making a total of $15,000 raised for this project.
