Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 23, Number 1, 1 January 2006 — Mueh work awaits OHA, Hawaiian community in 2006 [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Mueh work awaits OHA, Hawaiian community in 2006

Haunani Apnlinna. MSW Chairpersūn TrustEE, At-large

Hau'oli Makahiki Hou iā 'oukou pākahi, e nā 'ōiwi 'ōlino, nā pulapula a Hualoa, mai Hawai'i a Ni'ihau, a puni ke ao mālamalama. On Dec. 7, 2005, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, in the "State of OHA and the Native Hawaiian Community" address at Kawaiaha'o, reflected on its work in 2005. The 25-minute speech and an attached written summary sheet detailing the 2005 initiatives are posted on the OHA website and included in this Ianuary 2006 issue. We now stand at the threshold of 2006, facing daunting challenges as well as promising opportunities. But we are prepared to step forward equipped with ancestral guidance to chart the future. 'A'ohe loa'a i ka noho wale. Nothing is gained in idleness, and indeed mueh more remains to be done. The challenges and opportunities of 2006 will require attention by Native Hawaiians and OHA to issues in federal, state and county governments; issues at community based levels - in Hawai'i and away from our shores - specific to Native Hawaiians as well as other indigenous people; and continued culturalspiritual, poliīieal, legal, social and eeonomie capacity building among Native Hawaiians in our journey toward selfdetermination and establishment of the Native Hawaiian Governing entity. At the federal level, OHA will eontinue to pursue passage of S. 147 and advocate for passage of federal legislation for implementation by the departments of Heakh and Human Services, Administration on Aging, Interior, Labor, Education, Energy, Veterans Affairs and others that support programs serving Native Hawaiians in health education, disease prevention and treatment, education, vocational and employment training, housing (owned and rented), eultural practices and protection of tradition, well-being of families and the elders, prevention and treatment of substance abuse, restoration and protection of the

environment (whieh includes oeean, land and natural resources), eeonomie development, technologies, Native Hawaiian owned businesses, Hawaiian homelands, and indigenous peoples, inclusive of Alaska native and American Indian legal and poliīieal rights. In federal courts, OHA will continue to defend Native Hawaiian interests in Amkaki v. Lingle and support Kamehameha in the Doe v. Kamehameha litigation. At the state level through negotiation and legislation OHA pursues payment of ceded land revenues, past due as well as going forward, to increase resources for bettering conditions of Native Hawaiians and the eventual transfer of assets to the Native Hawaiian governing entity. Statewide elections in Hawai'i IN 2006 are noteworthy: five trustees at OHA, the U.S. Congress (Senate/House), the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the state Senate, House and counties. In state court, OHA will defend against plaintiffs V. Day, I. Ho'ohuli, M. Ho'omananui, P. Kahawaiola'a and S. Kealoha Jr., who attempt to set shortsighted , dangerous legal precedent poised to harm Native Hawaiian programs. At the county level, on affordable housing, Kaua'i county has initiated talks on its use of ceded lands with OHA. Relating to affordable housing and water rights and restoration of streams, OHA will work with Maui county. Relative to 26,000 acres of Wao Kele o Puna forest lands and the plugging of the geothermal well, OHA will work with Hawai'i county and other partners. On O'ahu, OHA, the state and private entities are strategizing to protect Waimea Valley. Hawaiian governance will remain prominent in 2006 as will outreach to the remaining 350,000 Native Hawaiians nationwide, to promote their access to Kau Inoa and the process to organize the Native Hawaiian governing entity. Joint advocacy by American Indians, Alaska natives and Native Hawaiians will accelerate in 2006. The advancement of benefits and rights by national advocates, our indigenous people, will move forward significantly through collaboration in legal and political advocacy and shared effort in project initiatives. Native leaders and members of our communities, working and creating together, will make the difference. 14/48 ^

LEO 'ELELE • TRUSTEE MESSAGES