Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 3, Number 1, 1 January 1986 — Determined, Persistent, Uncommon UH Law Students [ARTICLE]

Determined, Persistent, Uncommon UH Law Students

By Jalna Keala Government and Community Af(airs Officer An uneommon group of potential attorneys is spawning up at the University of Hawaii Richardson School of Law, and the intensity of their individual and cumulative persistence and cooperative spirit could very well affect the future of the Hawaiian people. The Native Rights class at the law school includes as subject matter: Hawaiian water rights; reparations; quiet title actions; adverse possession; religion; access rights; fishing and oeean rights; the land reform act and history of the land tenure system. Of the 27 students in this remarkable class, 22 of them are of Hawaiian ancestry, 12 of them women and 10 of them men. There is an essential Ohana quality of support whieh is unus ual in the competitive atmosphere of the law school. Two of the students are translators of Hawaiian documents, an achievement in itself, while two were pregnant going into the fall semester. One vowed not to miss more than one week of class and kept that promise when she gave birth without missing a single written paper. One student is a kumu hula and ex-police officer. One

father picked up his daughter daily after she finished school and took her to his afternoon classes with him. One went to Palau and worked there as a legislative researcher for whieh she received law school credit. One student struggles with the opposite pulls of his missionary and Hawaiian lineages, trying to understand one while living in the other; and hoping to use his knowledge of law to bring fairness to both. Two married women from the Big Island with young children and truly understanding, encouraging husbands are in their final year of school. Another is the pride and joy of a public housing project in Kalihi. And yet another founded and directs the law schoo) Christmas chorale. Most of these 22 Hawaiians are accomplished amateur musicians. Finally, one student is at home seriously ill with cancer and was detached from her life support systems long enough to take her exams verbally. A loving and supporting husband shares her dream to help her people. Inspirational? Decidedly so. And if the stubborn determination of these Hawaiians is an indicator, all Hawaiians have mueh of whieh to be proud at William S. Richardson Law School.