Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 7, Number 3, 1 March 1990 Edition 02 — 'We Are One People... Not a Divided People' [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

'We Are One People... Not a Divided People'

By Hoaliku Drake

"Mr. Govemor, Unele Tommy, Tmstees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, fellow Commissioners, Hawaiian Home CommissionerswhomI lovevery mueh, and the 'Ohana of Hawaiian communities who work very diligently for our people, to the Homesteaders who are our beneficiaries, I send my love to all of you.

"T oday is the dawn of a new decade for the Hawaiians. A historic occasion. It is pololei right that our Govemor and elected T rustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs have called us here to begin resolving longstanding concerns in the Hawaiian community. Their efforts and those of their staff need to be recognized.

We acknowledge the strength and the courage provided during these long negotiations by our Govemor and the OHA T rustees toward the settlement derived on behalf of our beneficiaries. "We are now on a voyage of a very skilled navigator and negotiator, our Govemor, at the helm of our ship. If we hoe and paddle together in the spirit of Lokahi, our vessel will always remain upright through any waters that we travel. Yes, we still have concems but, today we are "Na O'Iwi O Hawai'i nei," Bone of Bone, Flesh of Flesh, One Blood, Brothers and Sisters of Hawai'i nei, not native Hawaiian, or part Hawaiian, or even Hawaiian. We are one 'Ohana, E Kui No Lima. We put our hands together and grasp as One. We clasp ourhands. Weembrace. Our Mana flows one totheother. It transfers one to the other. Life to Life. We are one People. We are not a divided People. We are one People."

Hawaiian Homes Commission Chairperson Hoaliku Drake made an impassioned plea for Hawaiian unity during the February 8,1990 joint state-OHA announeemenl on native Hawaiian entitlements. Pictured with Mrs. Drake and Governor John Waihee are Board of Trustees chairman Thomas K. Kaulukukui, Sr., and trustees Louis Hao, Frenchy DeSoto and Manu Kahaiali'i.