Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 5, Number 5, 1 May 1988 — from the Chairman's Desk [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

from the Chairman's Desk

By Moses K. Keale Sr., OHA Chairman Trustee, Ni'ihau and Kaua'i N<V.*.** -* S ' S + ISHCAP Update

The federally funded Native Hawaiian Culture and Arts Program (NHCAP) was established last year under Title XV of the U. S. Higher Education Act to perpetuate and preserve the traditional culture and arts of our people. lt is the Hawaiian counterpart to the Institute of American lndian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development whieh is in Santa Fe, N. M. Funds for program planning were made available in September, 1987, from the Department of the Interior through a cooperative agreement between the National Park Service and Bishop Museum, the program's host institution where the office is physically located at Bishop Hall. Governor John Waihee appointed the majority of the members of the NHCAP board of trustees with the exception of its chairman. By law, that position goes to the chairman of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Trustees are: Agnes K. Cope, Randie Fong, John Dominis Holt, Herb Kawainui Kane, William Kikuehi, Marie McDonald, Abraham Pi'ianai'a, Oswald K. Stender and Myron and Nainoa Thompson.

Additionally, three others serve by legislation as ex-officio members. They are Dr. Albert J. Simone, president of the University of Hawai'i, board member; Dr. Donald W. Duckworth, president of Bishop Museum, vice chairman; and, as mentioned above, I serve as chairman, a dual role with major responsibilities to the Hawaiian people. Recruiting for an office staff was completed in October and those manning the office are Helen Imai, accounting clerk; Sharlette Poe, secretary; and Mari Slack, administrative assistant. An office on the ground floor of Bishop Hall, whieh was blessed Nov. 20, 1987, by the Rev. Abraham Akaka, was refurbished and made ready for the program's use. This is where the board of trustees now convene. The past several months have been spent working from the guidelines of our Title XV mandate to eome to a consensus on the program's mission statement, and subsequently to develop goals and objectives to carry out its purpose. This has been an intense period of work, meeting every 10 to 14 days so as to deliver a printed report on the program to the U. S. Congress by February 1, 1988. We hired Dr. Dave Warren, a member of Santa Clara Pueblo, who has worked with the Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development for the past 20years,to consult with us during this period. The report, whieh explained our intent, mission, goals and objectives, was completed and printed in late January. It was then distributed to the appropriate members of Congress, the OHA and Museum boards, and to directors of loeal organizations and agencies involved in traditional Hawaiian culture and arts. Our NHCAP board of trustees is strongly eommitted to and has given its unanimous approval to our mission statement:

"The Native Hawaiian Culture and Arts Program is dedicated to preserving, revitalizing, perpetuating and developing Native Hawaiian culture, arts and artisans through encouraging and supporting excellence in Hawaiian traditions, for greater personal and public pride, understanding, appreciation and enjoyment." I would like to take this opportunity to describe the thinking behind the mission. We are all aware of the history of the past 200 years in Hawaii, and the damage that has been done to our people's physical, spiritual and cultural well-being. There is mueh of value in our traditional culture, that is endangered or gone out of every day practice. There is mueh that still may be revived, that we want to bring back into our lives. We are determined that this program should go beyond merely increasing "understanding and

appreciation" of Hawaiian heritage; we want selected artistic and cultural traditions to be brought back into every day use. We recognize that to be revived these traditions must be practiced with excellence. Then, and only then, will they be a tribute to our ancestors, a source of pride for ourselves, and a way for our youth to grow as community members and as individuals learning traditional skills, knowledge and values. We recognize that many of our people have already dedicated themselves to the perpetuation of our Hawaiian heritage, through striving for excellenee in the practice of various arts and skills. Our principal task as a board for the next six months is the development of a long range plan for reviving and supporting selected endangered traditions. As part of this planning process, we will be going out into the community to ask the advice of kupuna who are knowledgeable in areas of endangered traditional culture. We will a!so be consulting with organizations who are already involved in this work. As trustees, we feel a great responsibility to all of you for ensuring that this program lives up to its potential for bringing more of our culture back into practice and into our every day lives. It will take thoughtful and careful planning, coordination with ongoing efforts, and hard work and commitment from everyone involved, and especially from those of us serving on the board. In several months, when we are further along in the planning process, I will write again to keep you up to date. In the meantime, copies of our report are available for reading at the NHCAPoffice. You are weleome to eall our staff at 848-4111 or drop by. An appointment is recommended to catch them at a good time.