Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 8, Number 12, 1 December 1991 — Civic clubs urge right to sue legislation [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Civic clubs urge right to sue legislation

by Ann L. Moore Delegates and members of the 42 clubs of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs gathered Nov. 6-10 at Waikoloa on the island of Hawai'i for their 32nd annual convention. The convention motto this year was "E Ala Mai Na 'Oiwi Hawai'i" (Awaken, Sons and Daughters of Hawai'i). Nearly 600 delegates, members and guests assembled Friday morning as the general session convened. HCC Chaplain Moses K. Keale Sr., who is also a trustee of the Office of .Hawaiian Affairs for Kaua'i and Ni'ihau, gave the invocation. The colors were presented and the entire body joined in the singing of Hawai'i Pono'i and the Star Spangled Banner. The meeting was called to order by President Jalna Keala. Lorraine R. Inouye, mayor of Hawai'i County, welcomed the civic clubs. Sen. Malama SoIomon read a formal resolution by the 16th Legislature of the State of Hawai'i honoring Elaine Flores of Waimea on the island of Hawai'i for her lifetime achievement. Flores, a member of the Waimea Civic Club, joined the club in 1957 and has served as its president from 1977 to the present. She is a member and has served as president of the Ka'ahumanu Society, and is a former member of the Hawai'i Islands Burial Council, and a former state director for the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs. Hoaliku Drake, director of the Hawaiian Home Lands Commission, read a message of weleome from Gov. John Waihe'e and took the opportunity to announee that $18 million in revenue bonds have bren offered on the bond market in New York for infrastructure on Hawaiian Home Lands. She noted that "a malihini eame and then wrote a negative sto- y" in the Wall Street Journal about the homesteads. Drake said, "She never shared the strength of the people or the things that are right with us" in the article. "If we all stand together nobody ean eome and say Hawaiians can't plan and implement their lives and affairs." lt was announced that the six mainland civic clubs would celebrate the Year of Indigenous People at the clubs' 1993 convcntion in Las Vegas and as part of the recognition of all indigenous peoples, will invite the U.S. senators from states whieh have indigenous populations. Additionally, the United Nati"ns will be invited to send representation. The Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs will convene in 1992 on Kaua'i. President Keala announced that a five yearplan will be presented on Jan. 11 at the Dole Cannery Iwilei Ballroom. A correction was made to a mainland club name listed in the program as being from Orange County, Calif. The club's proper name is Ahahui O Liliu'okalani of Southern California. Keala announced that this year only nine resolutions were presented on time for consideration by the membership and that 14 late resolutions were not accepted. The late resolutions contained proposals to support: donation of state DOT land of the Pelekane lands at Kawaihae Harbor to the National Park Service; several resolutions for Hawaiian language studies or immersion programs at all educational levels; urging Sen. Daniel Inouye to pursue enactment of federal law to re-establish the federal relationship with Native Hawaiian government and calling on all Hawaiians to support the effort; opposing all legislation that would erode the powers of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs; urging a commemorative postage stamp honoring Queen Liliu'okalani; congratulations for Cheryl Lau, Nevada secretary of state; recognition of the establishment of an Hawaiian Cultural Center in California; congratulations to Hui Na'auao; mahalo for Lydia Namahana Maioho's guardianship of Mauna 'Ala, the royal

tombs. The last resolution on "improving the dental health of young Native Hawaiians" was disqualified as incomplete, lacking a paragraph setting out the resolution. After a noon recess, workshops on the nine resolutions, the smallest number of resolutions ever received for consideration, were held by committees and recommendations and amendments considered. At the Saturday general session, delegates voted to amend Article X, Section 7 concerning late resolutions. Under the newly adopted rule, late resolutions must be distributed no later than 48 hours before the convention is convened. However, instead of a vote of two-thirds of the registered d< legates for consideraJion, a simple majority will suffice. On the nine reso!utions considered, registered delegates voted as follows. Resolution 1 — urging support for the Hui Imi Task Force for Hawaiian Services Report (Volume I "A Collective Search" and Volume II "Toward Collective Action") and its recommendation was adopted.

Resolution 2 — opposing the forced taking of Hawaiian lands to create a national park was adopted unchanged. Resolution 3 — urging the legislature of the state of Hawai'i to supplement funding for post-high school programs benefitting Hawaiians enrolled in ihe University of Hawai'i systems was filed as requiring more work. Resolution 4 — urging the Hawai'i Congressional delegation and the U.S. Congress to pursue enactment of federal legislation to clarify the trust relationship hetween the federal government and Native Hawaiians and confer upon Native Hawaiians the right to sue the federal

government for breaches thereof. Adopted with an amendment to include recognition of the sovereignty of the Hawaiian people. Resolution 5 — urging Hawaiian Civic Club involvement in Senator Inouye's discussion draft on the right to sue for breaches of the Hawaiian Home Lands trust. Adopted with amendment providing for all civic clubs to develop a concensus document reflecting the deliberations of eaeh club. Resolution 6 — urging recognition of Grover Cleveland (former U.S. President who recommended restoration of the monarchy following the overthrow of Queen Liliu'okalani) was adopted with amendment deleting suggestion of naming state library for him and erecting a statue to him. Resolution 7 — congratulating Kaua'i Living Treasure, Gabriel I, was adopted. Resolution 8 — remembering Fred B. Conant Jr. for is contributions to the AOHCC. Adopted ( with amendment including recognition of Lydia Namahana Maioho for her guardianship of Maun.'Ala and of Cheryl Lau, secretary of state of Nevada. Resolution 9 — improving the quality of life for Native Hawaiians resolving the AOHCC make health promotion and disease prevention a major issuc for eaeh club in 1992. Adopted with an amendment adding provisions for dental disease and aleohol and drug abuse.

Jalna Keala welcomes guest speaker Sen. Daniel lnouve at civic club convention.

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