Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 3, Number 10, 1 October 1986 — OHA Chairman Will Head Culture, Art Institute [ARTICLE]

OHA Chairman Will Head Culture, Art Institute

Washington, D.C. — House-Senate conferees on the Higher Education Act have agreed to authorize funds in the amount of $1 million for the establishment of a Native Hawaiian Institute of Culture and Art, as proposed by Senator Spark M. Matsunaga (D-Hawaii). The funds are included in legislation designed to preserve and develop native American art, Matsunaga said, noting that $4 million will go to the American Indian Institute of Art in New Mexico.

Matsunaga explained that while the Senate had passed similar legislation in conjunction with the Ameriean lndian Institute of Art in 1982. the House of Representatives failed to act on the measure. This year, the House added the American Indian project to the Higher Education Act reauthorization bill, but failed to include native Hawaiians. The Senate then adopted an amend-

ment whieh did include native Hawaiians in the term "Native Americans." The House-Senate Conference Committee on the Higher Education Act Amendments of 1986, of whieh Matsunaga was a member, then agreed to Matsunaga's proposal.

"The conferees agreed to establish a special grant for native Hawaiians to be used in Hawaii, and to rename the proposai. "The American Indian, Alaskan Native and Native Hawaiian Culture and Art Development Act,'" Matsunaga said. "Final agreement on the amendment was reached Sept. 12 as the conferees completed

work on the $10 billion education bill." "The new native Hawaiian program will be located at the Bishop Museum," Matsunaga explained, "with its Board of T rustees chaired by the chairman of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. The president of the Bishop Museum will serve as its vice chairman together with the president of the University of Hawaii who will also serve as a voting member of the Board. The Governor of Hawaii will appoint 10 additiona) members after eonsulting with native Hawaiian organizations," Matsunaga said.