Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 5, Number 11, 1 November 1988 — Referendum on OHA trust benefits Puts Question to Hawaiian Voters [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Referendum on OHA trust benefits Puts Question to Hawaiian Voters

Editor's Note: On May 21, 1988 the Board of Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, meeting in Hilo, Hawai'i, adopted a resolution calling for a uote by qualified Hawaiian uoters on the question of whether there should be a single class of Natiue Hawaiian beneficiaries for the OHA trust. Ballots on this issue haue been mailed to all Hawaiians who registered to uote in the Nouember 8th OHA election. The following article represents the mana'o of the OHA Board and explains why it decided to plaee the question before the Hawaiian eommunity. Why Do We Need A Referendum? The Board of Trustees for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) believes that the Hawaiian people should — for the first time in this century — be the ones to decide: "Who is Native Hawaiian?" In the past, Hawaiians have been denied the basic American right of self-determination. More important, because non-Hawaiians have been making the decision, traditiona! Hawaiian valuesof identity and affectk>n have been broken. That's why the Board of Trustees is conducting this referendum — a vote by all qualified OHA voters. By answering "YES" or "NO" to the question of a single Native Hawaiian beneficiary class definition, Hawaiians will truly begin to exercise the rights of a united people.

What is The "Single Beneficiary Class" Definition? When OHA was created, two classes of Hawaiians were named: • those Hawaiians who are 50 percent or more native blood; and • those Hawaiians who are less than half native blood. Only those who are 50 percent or more Hawaiian blood ean now enjoy OHA trust revenues from certain public lands. Funds to serve "other" Hawaiians must eome from the State Legislature. Today, over 60 percent of our total Hawaiian population is less than half native blood. In another 15 years, more than 70 percent of our population will be excluded from current trust benefits. Being "Native Hawaiian" is defined in the referendum question as having Hawaiian ancestors or family in eommon. One of the best cultural expressions of this thought is the term "Na 'Oiwi" — literally, people of the same bone. Thus, our unity and identity as a people is traceable to being "descendants" of Hawaiian ancestors. Our kupuna, further, shared two other important experiences: 1. They were the "indigenous," or original people to live in the Hawaiian Islands; and 2. They were the only people living in the Islands until the arrival of Captain Cook in 1778. To clearly describe all Native Hawaiians, then, we are defined as the children of Hawaii's first

and — for 2,000 years — only people. That description is a "single beneficiary class definition." Why Do We Have T wo Definitions F or Native Hawmian? The original source of the "50 percent or more" definition is the Hawaiian Homes Act of 1920. As the Act was being considered in Congress, every Hawaiian testifying— including Territorial Senator John Wise and Delegate Prince Jonah Kuhio — spoke against any "blood quantum" definition. But the "divide and conquer" motives of Island sugar planters prevailed. Having first separated Hawaiians from the land, they then separated us from eaeh other. Beginning in 1974 — when Native Hawaiians were first included in CETA (Comprehensive Employment Training Act) programs administered by Alu Like, ine. — Congress adopted a second Native Hawaiian definition — the same one whieh is used in the referendum. Will This Referendum Affect The Hawaiian Homes Definition? No. The Hawaiian Homes definition ean only be changed by an act of Congress. This referendum for a single beneficiary class definition to include all Native Hawaiians only affects the OHA trust. Even within this definition, the OHA Board of Trustees has formally adopted policies to give "preference" to Hawaiians see Referendum, page 3

Who is a Native Hawaiian?

Referendum, continued from page 1 of 50 percent or more native blood if there is a demonstrated need. This referendum — regardJess of the outcome — will not automatically amend the OHA beneficiary definition. Based on the results, though, State laws defining OHA beneficiaries could be changed. How do I Vote? Voting is easy: 1. Plaee the ballot face up on a firm surface, like a

table. Put the point of a peneil or pen on the little circle next to the answer you want to vote for. Lift up slowly on the ballot and puneh out the circle. Be sure to vote on both questions. 2. Plaee the ballot in the pre-addressed return envelope that eame with your voting packet. You do not need to put a stamp on the envelope, just drop it in the mail. NOTE: Do not take the ballot to the voting polls with you. They will not accept or collect the ballot. It must be mailed.

3. To make sure your ballot is counted, be sure to mail your ballot early so it will be postmarked before Midnight, November 8. To be safe, you should mail it by the morning of November 8, or it's likely your ballot might not be counted. Check your loeal mailbox or post office piekup times to be sure it will be picked up in enough time to be postmarked by Midnight. Ballots will be collected and held by the Post Office until they are picked up on November 14th. This is to allow enough time for all ballots to eome in. Ballots will be counted on November 15 and announcement of the results made through loeal news media.

Dark portions of eaeh eolumn show declining numbers of 50 percent or more Hawaiians, while there is an increase in numbers of part-Hawaiians with less than 50 percent native blood.

Source: Kingdom of Hawai'i and U.S. Census reports through 1960; State Department o/ Healih Surveillance Figures