Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 5, Number 5, 1 May 1988 — After Ho ʻolako — What Then? [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

After Ho ʻolako — What Then?

By Thomas K. Kaulukukui Sr.

T rustee-at-Large

It isn't very often I eome up with a eolumn but the buming question posed above prompts me to respond to it. I have been asked many times about The Year of the Hawaiian since it was proclaimed officially closed with the staging of Ho'olokahi Hawaiian Unity Day on

Jan. 23. 1 have given this matter some thought and agree with the many people who sent letters and made phone calls to us that we continue some of the programs and activities in this year of 1988 and even beyond. We believe Ho'olako ean be an "arm" of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. One must realize that many of the problems of our Hawaiian people were not fully addressed during The Year of the Hawaiian. These problems belong under the OHA programs of Reparations, Education and Health. OHA already has given serious considerations to these programs and is continuing to do so. Before continuing, 1 want to officially at this time announee I am seeking reelection as an At-Large Trustee in the Nov. 8 General Election. God

willing, I want to continue as your Trustee. We believe Ho'olako opened the way and made many people in the state and elsewhere more aware of the po'e Hawaii. We also believe our Hawaiians and Hawaiians-at-heart are coming to the front proudly. This was brought out to us very clearly in two kupuna conferences Friday, Mar. 18, at the Empress Restaurant, and again the following day, Mar. 19, at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. Both conferences were well attended. At the Mar. 18 conference, we sat next to a table where three women looked like they would be more at home at a Los Angeles tea than at a Hawaiian conference. Little did we know we would be in for a pleasant surprise when it was announced two of the three women were recognized for their contribution to the kupuna Hawaiian studies program. We listened as they sang the Hawaiian sonas lustilv.

Then on Saturday, Mar. 19, we heard the pule to bless the food given in flawless Hawaiian by a kupuna with blonde hair who looked like she just got off the plane fromsomewhere on the mainland. I was envious because she sounded more Hawaiian in her tone and pronunciation of the words than I could have done. It was the first time a kupuna conference, with emphasis on Na Mea Hawaii, was ever held at the Royal Hawaiian, a presence most befitting Hawaii's living treasures. That alone was an accomplishment and we'd like to believe it never would have been possible had it not been for Ho'olako.

The success of this tremendous weekend was due in the main to the work of OHA's trio of kupuna coordinators Betty Kawohiokalani Ellis Jenkins, Maile Lum Ho Vargo and Ululani Kanakaole Garmon. I have observed them throughout Ho'olako and they are terrific. Still in keeping with the impact Ho'olako has made, I am happy to announee several invitations to participate in a number of activities. Because of the tremendous success of the promotion by Ala Moana's Sears Roebuck and Company during Aloha Week 1987, we have been asked to participate onee more in 1988. The organizing committee for the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Chinese arrival in Hawaii wants Ho'olako's participation. The Okinawans have plans for some kind of celebration in 1990 and have asked Ho'olako for kokua and input.

Donations from Amfac ine., Folynesian Cultural Center and Sears Ala Moana have been received by Ho'olako. The money has been deposited in a Ho'olako scholarship fund, details of whieh will be announced in a subsequent issue of this newspaper. Ho'olako and Ho'olokahi are programs for Hawaiians whieh need to be continued and perpetuated. One of our organizing committee members perhaps put it in a better perspective with this statement: "1987 was a reawakening — Ho'ala hou." After Ho'olako — What Then? Now that we are awake it should be — Imua!