Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 8, Number 6, 1 June 1991 — Hawaiian leaders: they pay a heavy price [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Hawaiian leaders: they pay a heavy price

by Moses Keale, Sr. Trustee, Kaua'i & Ni'ihau

Aloha kakou, "Where have all our great Hawaiian leaders gone?" In the old days we had Neal Blaisdell, Charles Kauhane, Mary Hart Robinson, Flora Hayes, Richard Lyman, Harry Field, Bina Mossman, David Trask Sr.,

and Jimmy Kealoha, just to name a few. What made these men and women legendary? What made these men and women leaders? Where are their counterparts today? To answer the first question . . . These men and women who provided so mueh of our modern political function have moved on to greater everlasting leadership. Their accomplishments are a part of our colorful history and their orations and values live with us today. What makes a person a leader? To me the fundamental ingredient of a leader is that he or she must possess a clear vision and the fortitude and commitment to persevere, against all odds, in seeing that vision become a reality. When 1 was a youngster attending school on Kaua'i, 1 remember the many campaigns and speeches of the "old timers." The wonderful and exciting political rallies and the countless welldressed Hawaiian politicians who spoke about their dreams and visions, among them people like William Ellis, Antone Kona Vidinha, and Francis Ching. They talked about our land, the people, the values, and the spirit of Hawai'i. They talked about what they had done and what they planned to do. In those days you met your leaders face to face. You asked them questions. You celebrated with them. You told them what was on your mind and they shared their thoughts with you. For the most part, it was an honest relationship. You looked them in the eye and they returned the same earnestness.

Well, times have changed. Life is more complicated. Our leaders communicate through the modern conveniences of the newspaper, televisions, video, and the public relations companies. The "one one one" contact is a dim memory. However, one thing has not changed. The qualities that made a leader long ago still remain the qualities that make a leader today. To be a leader you must have vision! To be a leader you must have the conviction to make your vision a reality! To be a leader you must fortify yourself agains the accusations, innuendos, and falsehoods that are thrown at you by jealous people with small visions and less than truthfu! intentions. To be a leader you must be able to listen to Ke Akua, your aumakuas and your kupunas. The Hawaiians are still blessed with a good group of Hawaiian poliheal leaders. In the State House of Representatives we have Annelle Amaral, Whitney Anderson, Peter Apo, Ezra Kanoho, Bertha Kawakami, Henry Peters and in the State Senate are Senators James Aki, Mike Crozier, Lehua Fernandez Sallings, Milton Holt, Malama Solomon, Eloise Yamashita Tungpalan, and Richard Wong. We have Governor John Waihee and Senator Daniel Akaka. Hawaiiansare well represented on the various county councils throughout the state. These men and women are Hawaiians of conviction. They persevere through the good times and the tough times. They are willing to take the unpopular stands and risk their careers for what is correct. They try their best to stand for you and all of Hawai'i so that you ean be proud that they are our Hawaiian leaders. So it is with me! I leam from their actions! I leam

from their stands! I have a very clear vision and I will stand behind that vision with all my convictions and actions. Under my leadership OHA has grown! Under my leadership we implemented the Native Hawaiian Revolving Loan Fund to help Hawaiian businessmen. Under my leadership we created the Aha Kupuna program to provide a plaee for our kupuna to gather and share the vital cultural values that are so important for us to transmit to our parents and children. Under my leadership we created the Aha Opio O OHA, a Hawaiian youth leadership program to assist young adults to identify who they are and how they function as examples and leaders for tomorrow. We have labored for 11 years in OHA! I have been a part of eaeh and every year of those 11 years. My vision for OHA is very clear. We must have eeonomie sovereignty. We must have an independent ineome stream that we control and we master. To that end I pledge my unswerving loyalty. I will eonhnue to explore every avenue that is available to me to encourage the private sector to become partners with OHA in developing the resources of OHA to its fullest. It is in the proper development and management of these resources that OHA will be able to deliver benefits directly to eaeh and every beneficiary, eaeh and every

Hawaiian. This is not an unusual course of action. Look at the City and County of Honolulu in its goal of building a mass transit system for the county. They are asking that private developers put up over $400 million dollars in private money to build a transit system. The state approaches private developers to enter into partnerships with state agencies to develop affordable housing. Our job is to explain to the private sector our needs and the items we ean offer in order to encourage them to provide their expertise and finances to help us develop our assets. 1 have the conviction of my vision. I will eonhnue to pursue every road, meet with all people, and assist every earnest person or group who wishes to develop a proposal to assist this office to develop an independent ineome stream whieh ean be used for the betterment of the conditions of the Hawaiian people. If you have any questions about my actions or my vision, please do not hesitate to contact me. As I have said in the past, I will say again and again, 1 am willing to speak to any group at any time. Please make the arrangments and I will be there. A i mana'o kekahi e lilo i po'okele i waena o oukou, e pono no e lilo ia i kauwa na oukou. Na ke Akua e malama a e alakai ia kakou apau.

^ (This eolumn is open to all OHA Trustees as a vehicle/or them to expresS their I S1"E™ M mana'o. Opinions expressed are those of the individual Trustees and do not necessarily represent the official position of the OHA Board of Trustees.)