Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 7, Number 7, 1 July 1990 — Church resolution backs self-governance [ARTICLE]

Church resolution backs self-governance

The Hawaii Conference of the United Church of Christ, at its annual 'Aha Pae'aina conference June 15-18 in Honolulu, adopted a historic resolution recognizing the rights of Native Hawaiians for self-governance.

Council member, Rev. Kaleo Patterson ot Kapa'a, Kaua'i, noted that by this action the United Church of Christ emerges from its missionary background to take a stand supporting Hawaiian self-determination. The one-page resolution, Patterson said indicates the United Church of Christ is willing to become more involved with the issues of Hawaiian self-determination. The resolution recognizes the spread of democratic movements in Eastern Europe, the link between loss of sovereignty and

poor socio-economic wellbeing in a people, and notes the action of the Hawai'i Democratic Party convention in adopting a similar resolution. Last August, at a conference on the impact of tourism on Native Hawaiians, sponsored by the Hawai'i Conference of the United Church of Christ, the role of Hawaii's early missionary churches in contributing to the loss of Hawaiian sovereignty was discussed and an apology sought from the churches to the Hawaiian people.

A year later, said Patterson, adoption of the council's resolution is a significant step. He added that work has been done to sensitize churches in the United Church of Christ on the national and intemational level, through the National Council of Churches and the World Council of Churches.