Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 20, Number 7, 1 July 2003 — Words of kupuna are a challenge to Nā ʻŌiwi ʻŌlino to accomplish unity [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Words of kupuna are a challenge to Nā ʻŌiwi ʻŌlino to accomplish unity

Editor's note: This month, Trustee Haunani Apoliona presents her mana 'o as shared with the participants in last month's 'Aha 'Ōpio o OHA, an annual Hawaiian leadership conference for high school juniors. In ord.er to accommodate her remarks, Trustee Oz Stender has made his eolumn space available. Aloha nui kakou, e nā 'ōiwi 'ōlino. The sixteenth annual 'Aha 'Ōpio, Nā 'Ōiwi 'Ōlino o OHA, a week-long youth legislative/executive experience for Hawaiian 'opio from throughout the State has been completed. In addition to leaders selected from among the delegates, past and present, Governor Lingle, Trustee Waihe'e and myself were provided the opportunity to address the 2003 delegates. The following are excerpts from my remarks. E ō, e na 'ōiwi 'ōlino 'eā Na pulapula a Hāloa 'eā Mai Hawai'i a Ni'ihau 'eā Puni ke ao mālamalama 'eā Kū'ē au i ka hewa kū'ē Kū au i ka pono kū Kū'ē au i ka hewa kū'e

Ku au i ka pono ku He mele na 'ōiwi 'ōlino. Kū! Nā 'ōiwi 'ōlino calls upon us individually and collectively to work for the betterment of Hawaiians, to work for the empowerment of Hawaiians in self-deter-mination and towards successful Hawaiian governance. As descendants of our one eommon ancestor we are bound together, whether living in our homeland or elsewhere. As people seeking wisdom, whether kama'āina or malihini, compassionate and unified in support of Hawaiian advancement, we are unified in our efforts to accomplish good works. Embrace and live the spirit of nā 'ōiwi 'ōlino. Share and extend its message. Stand in unified effort. Aunty Malia Craver, of the Queen Lili'uokalani Children's Center who created the name Nā'Ōiwi 'Ōlino says, "on the name of the group.... I named the project nā 'ōiwi 'ōlinolino, and when you think of the word 'ōlino there's so many meanings — brilliance, glittering, gleaming, shine, and brilliant. It's a positive name — and you know with our Hawaiian

kupuna, a positive name means that it's your expectation that a person or a group of people will grow to do the things the name meant." She says, "It is my expectation of giving that name to the project, (it) was to have the children, the families — to be people with knowledge and wisdom in everything they do or in every aspect." "To be people with knowledge and wisdom in everything they do in every aspect," these words of Aunty Malia direct the course for our work for our lifetime. Your week together, at 'Aha 'Ōpio will eompel you to develop your knowledge and wisdom to create, to debate, to deliberate, and to decide on proposed "puhlie policy." Your work must be balanced by knowledge — the gathering, analyzing, and organizing of facts; AND the wisdom — applying compassion, principles, spiritual and cultural values, ethics, aloha, 'iike pono, 'ōlelo pono, ha'aha'a, ahonui, and vision to shape your collective deci-sion-making. As maturing leaders, just know that as you do your work here in these legislative chambers — there is similar puhlie policy debates

affecting Hawaiians happening 6,000 miles away in Washington, D.C., in the Congress of the United States relating to federal recognition for Hawaiian people. Also, there is in the federal Court of this district, housed at the Prince Kūhiō building, just blocks from here, litigation by 16 plaintiffs who seek to have the Federal courts declare Hawai'i statute and Constitution and Congressional laws, addressing Hawaiian needs, unconstitutional — and these 16 plaintiffs are litigating to terminate Hawaiian homesteads and ceded land revenue benefits due Hawaiians that they characterize as "race-based." The Hawaiian community is at a significant crossroads again. While leaders like me, OHA Trustees, Governor Lingle, Administrator Nāmu'o, and many, many, many countless others are on the front line of these issues balancing knowledge and wisdom in our daily deliberations and decision-making, it is you, our emerging generation of leaders, that must prepare well for your kuleana to create the future for our people and the wellbeing of our native nation. See APOLIONA on page 15

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Haunani Apoliona, MSW Trustee, At-large

APOUONAfrom page 14 In the not too distant future — before the end of this calendar year — Hawaiians in our homeland and elsewhere, will assemble, in person or by technology, to advance the formation of a Hawaiian governing entity. From a roll of adult Hawaiians affirmed and choosing to participate, Hawaiian leadership will be chosen to struggle, debate and draft governing documents for our Hawaiian government. These organic documents, will set the design and operation of a Hawaiian government — a Hawaiian nation — a native nation — that will be charged with administering assets (i.e., lands, revenues and programs) for the betterment of Hawaiians. These "draft documents" will need to be finally ratified by Hawaiians before any implementation of the Hawaiian governanee occurs. As maturing leaders, you must be involved. The future of Hawaiians and the future of Hawai'i will be the kuleana of your generation and the six generations following. Make it your kuleana to understand Puhlie Law 103-150 (the Apology Bill). Make it your kuleana to understand the 2000 Report ofthe Departrnent of Justice anā the Department of the Interior — " Mauka to Makai, Let the River ofJustice Flow Freely ." And make it your kuleana to understand S.344 and HR665. And make it your kuleana to get involved with the plan for facilitating Hawaiian governance — Ho'oulu Lāhui Aloha, "to raise a beloved nation." Prepare well, ensure that the cultural and spiritual values passed down to us by our ancestors guides all decision making. Embrace and live the spirit of nā 'ōiwi 'olino. Share and extend the message of Nā 'Ōiwi 'Ōlino. Individually and collectively, work for the betterment of Hawaiians, work for the empowerment of Hawaiians in self- determination and towards successful Hawaiian governance. Remember that we are descendants of one eommon ancestor and are bound together, whether living in our homeland or elsewhere. Be compassionate and unified in support of Hawaiian advancement, unified in our efforts to accomplish good works. Live the spirit of nā 'ōiwi 'ōlino; extend its message and stand together, all of us, in unified effort. Resist injustice, stand for what is just and fair. E ō, e nā 'ōiwi 'ōlino a ho'oulu lāhui aloha. 32/48 n