Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 17, Number 12, 1 December 2000 — Hawaiian Civic Clubs under new leadership [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Hawaiian Civic Clubs under new leadership

Long-time club member anei leader Charles "Kale Loke" Rose elected president at convention in Hilo, Nov. 1 1 .

By Manu Boyd AT ITS 41 st convention at the Hawai'i Naniloa Hotel last month, more than 500 members of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs made some big<iecisions, including the selection of its executive board for the next two years. The civic club movement, established by Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalaniana'ole in 1918. currently counts 48 clubs in Hawai'i

and on the continent. with a total membership of 2.500. Charles "Kale Loke" Rose, long-time member of the Kailua, Honolulu and Laupāhoehoe Hawaiian Civic Clubs. was voted into a twoyear term as association president, succeeding Arthur Hoke of the Hawaiian Civic Club of Hilo, who has presided since 1996. "I remember when the association had 5,000 members. Our conventions were big, and the 'mele' was really the highlight with as many as 15 clubs singing," Rose said, speaking of the 'Aha Mele, a inter-club Hawaiian choral singing competition. "The annual convention is a forum for us all to gather together, to discuss issues of mntual enneem It is alsn a time to narticinate in

whatever you're interested in. If you want to sing, then sing. If you golf or bowl, we have those activities. It's become where the plenary sessions and resolution-craft-ing is the focus of the convention, but not everyone is interested in that," he said. But resolutions adopted by the association in the past have packed a powerful puneh, including the initiative

that would eome to be known as the Pacific Access Shoreline Hawai'i (PASH) decision in 1995 affirming native gathering rights. Resolutions represent a wide range of community concerns from commendations of outstanding individuals to measures urging the legislature to take specific action, such as calling for construction of and program support for Ka Haka 'Ula o Ke'elikōlani, the Hawaiian language college at U.H. Hilo. Federal recognition, the preservation of Kūkaniloko and other cultural sites, health concerns,

educational opportunities and pubhc decorum were among topics discussed. In preparation for the annual convention, clubs draft resolutions in late-summer that will be discussed in sub-ject-matter committees, amended, and considered for adoption by voting delegates. The number of club delegates at the convention is based on a per capita formula

of current club membership in good standing. Clubs range in size from several hundred to about a dozen. "It is my belief that regardless of the size of the club, our work should be done from the bottom up, not from the association down. We are an association of entities that eaeh have their own leaders, talent, interests and concerns. Some clubs, like Kona, Wahiawā and Kailua, are strong supporters of historic site preservation. Others do well in governmental alfairs. Queen Emma has for years been known for Hawaiian arts and crafts.

Whatever your interest, there is a club for you, he explained, speaking to his goal in expanding membership.

Īhe civic club movement was established to foster leadership among Hawaiians, and to increase civic participation. At the the time of its founding, 25 years after the overthrow and just a year after the passing of Queen Lili'uokalani, the socio-political elimate for Hawaiians was less-than-equal with that of the growing non-native community. Prince Kūhiō sought to empower Hawaiians by instilling a sense of identity in a changing world. Two years later, as a delegate to Congress, Prince Kūhiō, a non-voting congression-

al representative, championed the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, designed to rehabilitate displaced Hawaiians with homestead plots. Of Prince Kūhiō's legacy, Rose concluded, "The civic clubs and the homesteaders associations are cornerstones of the modern Hawaiian community. What the prince left behind is for the good of all Hawaiians." ■

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Charles Rose. president, Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs

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