Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 3, Number 2, 1 February 1986 — Australian Hostel Official Disturbed by U.S. Attitudes [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Australian Hostel Official Disturbed by U.S. Attitudes

Neville G. Perkins, general manager of Aboriginal Hostels Limited in Australia shared some of his recent experiences in the United States with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of T rustees during its January meeting. Aboriginal Hostels is an aboriginal-run company whieh provides low cost accommodation to aboriginals away from home, studying or working. They also are used by individuals undergoing rehabilitation and medical treatment and as emergency accommodation for single people, families, the aged and transients. The comf>any owns and operates in excess of 170 hostels in every Australian state and territory and operates with a budget of about $17 million Australian (U.S. $12 million). Perkins has been in the U.S. for the past four months observing American Indian policies in the states of Oregon, Idaho, Washington, New Mexico, Colorado and Arizona. He told OHA board members he has been studying the successes and failures of native American programs with the idea of utilizing those experiences in administration of aboriginal programs. Perkins said he was especially disturbed by two attitudes he found prevalent among some American Indians during his stay in this country.

The first is what he termed the "surprising opposition" by Indians to having federal funds allocated to native Hawaiians. That opposition apparently stems from a fear that money designated for lndians will be diminished if Hawaiians become eligible for increased federal programs. Perkins said, "We should be working together to help one another. We all have eommon problems as aboriginal peoples". Perkins' other eoneem is what he called, "the increasing gap between the rich and poor within groups of American Indians." Perkins said, "the Indians themselves must face up to the fact that serious problems exist because of the deep division between resource-rich aboriginal people and the have-nots". Perkins wamed that if these problems are not addressed, the result will be that many poorer tribes, their languages and cultures will die out. Perkins concluded his remarks to the board by saying that native Hawaiians are in need of greater support from other native Americans and by the federal government. He stressed the importance of an exchange of ideas and experiences among aboriginal peoples and pledged his support in the struggle for Hawaiian land rights and better living conditions.

Neville G. Perkins