Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 27, Number 11, 1 November 2010 — Reflecting on OHA -- past and future [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Reflecting on OHA -- past and future

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As OHA marks 30 years, six former Board of Trustee Ghairs chose to share their mana'o on two questions:

/. What has been the highlight ofOHI 's 30yearsP 2. What wouldyou like to see OHA accomplish in the future, say the next 30 yearsP

A. Frenchy De Soto AHai'^e Served as Chair: 1980- '82, 1997-'98 1. IthinkthatOHAprovedthatHawaiians ean work together if they put their heart and soul in it, although a lot of people will tell you they can't. ... OHA's achievenrent was in their Kau Inoa because what

OHA did was go out and get people registered. Nobody cared before unless you were a Native - nreaning half - Hawaiian and could quahfy for a honrestead. Alu Like did a prograrrr that was successful in nrany ways, but Kau Inoa was a good beginning and an attenrpt to register Hawauans and that's irrrportant when nrany of thenr don't know their mo 'o kū'auhau (genealogy). 2. In the future I want to see OHA successfully conrplete the ceded lands settlenrent (for past-due revenues).

Joseph G. Kealoha Jr. Maui ServedasChair: 1982-'86 1. This is prenrature but the passage of the Akaka bill will undoubtedly be nry ehoiee. 2. Support an initiative for the elirrrination of the blood quanturrr regarding the Hawaiian Honres Conurrission Act, so

Native Hawaiians aren't categorized by the percentage of one's

own blood for entitlenrents. Support an educational enhancenrent initiative to increase the percentage of Native Hawaiians graduating fronr college and higher education.

Rockne C. Freitas \t-laigc Served as Chair: 1986 1. The nrost significant as far as I was concerned is that OHA now has a strong legislativepresence (state and federal) and I like your position on the Akaka bill. It takes courage to take a stand on things.

1 m an Akaka brli guy all the way. 1 aiso like the funding of Achieving the Drearrr with the Cormrrunity Colleges that will give a lot of hope to the farrrihes that didn't even think about going to college. 2. 1'm hopeful that OHA ean get together with the other Hawaiian tmsts to develop a conrprehensive plan to collectivefy address the needs of the Hawaiian people and elirrrinate the duplication. For instance, if Queen Lili'uokalani Children's Center ean take care of health, Kamehameha Schools ean take care of education. . . . I'd like to see everybody working together and not conrpeting for the dollars.

Rowena Akana \t-laigc Served as Chair: 1998- '99 1. Elected as a Trustee in 1990, 1 believe that receiving the 1 993 settlenrent of $ 1 29 nūllion fronr the State for past-due ceded land revenues and growing the Trust Fund to nearfy $400 nūllion by the year 2000,

has definitely been a highlight. The partial settlenrent allowed OHA to contribute nrore to our beneficiaries through nrajor grants in education, culture, advocacy and legal support to protect water and land iights. Being instrurrrental in changing county tax laws on eaeh island to allow Kuleana land owners to pay a snrall flat properfy tax has been nry nrost rewarding acconrphshnrent. 2. As for the future, our Trustees nrust be visionary enough to set the pararrreters of what our new governing entity nūght look like. We nrust provide our beneficiaries with ah the infomration they will need to help develop the governing docurrrents as weh as detemūne what kinds of powers it wiU have. There wiU be nrany parts to this process such as nrenrbership, districting, and mles for fuūrre candidates who wiU be elected to begin this very detaUed and cumbersonre task. An educated comnrunity will be able to make wise decisions. Mahalo for giving me the opportunity to serve you.

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years of Empowering Hawaiians, Strengthening Hawai'i

Clayton H.W. Hee O'ahu Served as Chair: 1991-'97, 2000, 2001-'02 1. One of the major accomphshments during my time as Chair include growing the portfolio from $ 1 9 million in 1 990 to $400 million in 2000. This financial J growth allowed OHA to provide more services to its beneficiaries. A second

accomplishment was OHA's critical role in establishing the Master of Arts degree in Hawaiian language with the University of Hawai'i Board of Regents as well as the Hawaiian Language College at UHHilo. Finally, the third major accomplishment was the purchase of Nāwahlokalani'ōpu'u School at Kea'au. This K-12 school was the first Hawaiian immersion campus. 2. OHA must be the leader in the reconciliation efforts with the United States government for the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian kingdom. In addition, OHA must lead the way toward the re-estab-lishment of the Hawaiian nation. Finally, OHA must prepare itself to assimilate into the new nation with its resources becoming the basis of the new Hawaiian nation.

S. Haunani Apoliona, MSW At-large Served as Chair: 2000- '01, 2002-present 1. Restarting in 2002, $9.5 million revenue payments increased to $15.1 annually, despite Governor Cayetano's 2001 termination of all ceded land payments,

resounds still. OHArevenues enahle successful work by and for Native Hawaiians. Hawaiian issues have gained prominence at loeal, national and intemational levels. OHA has earned increased respect and support in representing Native Hawaiians. Articulate Native Hawaiian voices converge to advance self-govemance in the context of achievable reahty and "collective" polMeal will of indigenous, native people of Hawai'i wherever they reside, enabled by accurate infonnation on issues and by inspiring efforts of current and promising leaders. 2. OHA's stated intent to serve in a transition role toward Native Hawaiian self-govemance must be achieved in the foreseeable future. Such transition actions will include: facilitating recognition and possible consolidation of current valid Native Hawaiian rolls/ registries existing at loeal, state and federal levels; Mtiating appropriate legislation to protect Native Hawaiian puhlie and private Tmsts; proposing enabling legislation, at State and Federal levels, to amend current statutes in order to advance recognition and establishment of a Native Hawaiian governing entity; facilitating the fonnation of a tradition-based Native Hawaiian governing system or entity; and mueh more. E holomua kākou. Two former OHA Chairpersons have passed away. Moses Keale Sr„ a Kaua 'i and Ni'ihau Trust.ee. served as Chair in 1 982. 1 986- '88 and 1 990'91. At.-large Tru.st.ee Thomas K. Kau.luku.kui Sr. held t.he posit.ion from 1 988- '90. We regret. not. being able t.o present. a responsefrom Lou.is Hao. who represent.ed Moloka 'i and Lāna 'i and served as Chairman in 1 988.

years of Empowering H^^ans, Strengthening Hawai'i