Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 8, Number 11, 1 November 1991 — Sovereignty workshops receive funding [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Sovereignty workshops receive funding

by Christina Zarobe Associate Editor

As the 100-year anniversary of the overthrow of the Hawaiian nation in 1993 approaches, the federal government has given $364,000 to a eoalihon of Hawaiian groups for sovereignty education. Hui Na'auao, a collection of 35 Hawaiian organizations including a representative from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, received the funds from the Administration for Native Americans last month.

Word from Washington eame after the group submitted a proposal in May, according to Elizabeth Martin, president of Hui Na'auao. The appropriation is the first installment in the group's three-year sovereignty education project, she said. "We were real happy because we have been trying to get funds for a long time. But we really felt positive about it this time," Martin said, adding that Hui Na'auao will submit another request with the Administration for Native Americans (ANA) to fund the second year of the project sometime in 1992. continued page 12

Sovereignty studies receive funding

/rom page 1 The Hawaiian organizations, ranging from the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs to Ka Pakaukau, began meeting in February. The diverse groups eame together to develop the Hui Na'auao Sovereignty and Self Determination "Community Education Project. To fund the planned workshops and assemblies, the group is requesting $342,000 in 1992-93 and $285,000 in 1993-94. The sessions will explore the cultural, spiritual, historical, legal and equitable basis for the Na Kanaka Maoli, Hawaiian right to sovereignty and self-determination.

The aim of the hui project is to empower Hawaiians through education to know their rights and be able to make decisions based on knowledge of their rights and entitlements," explained Martin. She described the project as a three-part educational "approach." The first will be Ho'ala, the awakening , where different groups will receive a basic understanding of their rights through workshops and small sessions. The second stage, Ho'ala Ho'okahua, to lay a foundation, will involve examining the issue and alternative through an open discussion. "It looks at the structure of self-governance, more technical," Martin said.

The third part of the project will be Ho'olokahi, to bring unity. The president described this portion as a "consensus-building approach." "(Hawaiians will) join in island-wide assemblies and righting the historical record of nationhood and moving toward an acceptable process to

achieve self-govemance and self determination," she said. The 100-year anniversary of the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian kingdom in 1993 is the deadline for the consensus building. The hui will issue a final declarative report setting out a Kanaka Maoli perspective and alternative strategies for self-determination and governance. The grant enables Hui Na'auao to fund the establishment of councils on eaeh island and one on the mainland. The organization will recruit kupuna and kumu who will train instructors to conduct workshops on the sovereignty issue.

Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) Trustee Rowena Akana represents OHA in the hui. OHA has also recently formed a committee on sovereignty to take up the issue whieh is chaired by Akana.

Hawaii Congressman Neil Abercrombie said in a prepared statement on the grant, "This project will help us fashion a definition of exactly what sovereignty what sovereignty means. That task belongs by right to those whose nation was unjustly overthrown a century ago.

Hui Na auao s work brings us a step closer to the day when we ean move forward on the

sovereignty issue based on the clearly expressed desires of the Hawaiian people themselves." Adamant in the importance she believes education ean have in the future of the Hawaiian people, Elizabeth Martin said timing is equally as vital. "I think it's real important for Hawaiians to be empowered through education. That is how you empower your people," she said. "So many things are getting pushed through so it's important that people understand what's being presented to them."

She also believes that with the approaching 100year anniversary, Hawaiians are reminded of the issues of sovereignty and self-determination from a historical and current perspective. "I think there is a momentum building up because of that. The timing is right. This is another step closer to defining how the Hawaiians feel about sovereignty and self-determination." While the federal funding delights eager members of the hui, Martin noted that the unity among members is especially encouraging. Despite the diverse organizations with their varying agendas belonging to Hui Na'auao, the president said, in terms of the hui objectives, they stand united.

"Unity is very important. And the groups involved are all unified in empowerment through education." Martin paused a moment and pointed to the hui's name as proof of sorts — Na'auao whieh means wisdom and enlightenment.

Neil Abercrombie