Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 10, Number 2, 1 February 1993 — OHA Trustee Kamaliʻi calls for Hawaiians to reject divisiveness [ARTICLE]

OHA Trustee Kamaliʻi calls for Hawaiians to reject divisiveness

by Kina'u Boyd Kamali'i As a native Hawaiian, these days of reliving the Overthrow and its consequences have been very difficult and painful. The pain of the past and its continuing impact has brought tears. The beauty of Hawaiian strength and song has brought tears. And the growing understanding and support of nonHawaiians has brought tears. But the most profound, the deepest hurt I have felt this week is the "politics of hate" and of trying to turn Hawaiian against Hawaiian.

Of hoping to pit the Hawaiian against the non-Hawaiian. If we give in to hate, we will lose the one quality that guns or

poverty have never been able to steal from us: our value and values as Hawaiians. Some would have us deny or discard our feelings of aloha, our tradition of tolerance and nonviolence. I am proud to be a Hawaiian. I am also proud to be an American. I am proud and will praise the achievements of other native Hawaiians: of a U.S. senator, of a governor, and of all who wake to the pain of being Hawaiian and still believe in justice. Others have tried to shame Hawaiians. For a while they succeeded. I will not now succumb to another unjust eall to feel shame for succeeding, for trying, for believing.