Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 10, Number 5, 1 May 1993 — Hawaiian Genealogy Project forges ahead [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Hawaiian Genealogy Project forges ahead

by Jeff Clark Identification with one's ancestors is a vital part of any culture, and it is equally crucial to the Hawaiian. In ancient times genealogies were (and to some extent in modern days still are) recited in lengthy chants. "Who" one eame from constituted who one was. Beyond these cultural reasons for knowing one's genealogy, there are practical ones. To receive Hawaiian entitlements (including homestead land), Hawaiians need to verify their Hawaiian descent. OHA supported two bills that would have continued funding for the Hawai'i Genealogy Project by setting aside $416,184 to re-establish the Hawai'i population database, train one-stop genealogy center staff, and automate records. The bills failed to pass through the Legislature this session, but OHA culture officer Pikake Pelekai is dedicated to ensuring the projecf s success. She is exploring how best to spend money appropriated in 1991 and due to lapse next month. OHA administrator Richard Paglinawan said the bill would not solely benefīt Hawaiians. "Of ... benefit to the greater eommunity at large is the fact that available records of all ethnic groups will be accessible through this automated system," he said. "Presently, genealogy-related records are often deteriorated, frail and illegible. This act would help to preserve these vulnerable

and often aged records." Recognizing many Hawaiians' desire to know their family histories, three years ago the Legislature adopted Act 56, Session Laws of Hawai'i 1990, calling for a plan for a Hawaiian genealogy project. The act established a task force comprising representatives from the Department of Heahh, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, the State Archives, and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Through research and community meetings a master plan was developed. The plan identified as priorities the establishment of a central database of indexed genealogical information (entailing the automation of birth, marriage, adoption, divorce and death records), the establishment of one-stop genealogical service centers at state service agencies on all the major islands, and making "secondary sources" (including federal census files and records found in the libraries, the courts, Bishop Museum and private collections) more accessible. In 1991 the Legislature allotted approximately $100,000 for the project in OHA's budget for both 1991-92 and 1992-93. Since then, indices to vital statistics from the state archives and microfilmed records from 1834-1920 kept by the Department of Heakh (DOH) were duplicated. In addition, a directory of secondary record resources was compiled. The remaining funds need to be spent before they lapse June 30, according to Pelekai, who said

several options present themselves. Last year, OHA copied the index to the DOH's records of births, deaths and marriages from 1841-1924. Recently the DOH informally requested that OHA use $50,000 of the remaining

project money to input the indexes into a computer system, with Department of Corrections prisoners providing the manpower. Pelekai feels, however, that the money would be better spent establishing the one-stop genealogv centers.

That would mean making additional copies of the DOH index (whieh fills 15 boxes) and having

them available in OHA offices statewide, and training staff to operate the centers. Staff would help Hawaiians use the computer to see if the birth certificate they are seeking is on file; they would then still need to take the file number to DOH to get the certificate. Staff would also assist in figuring blood quantum. The culture division is also looking at ways lo duplicate 180 microfilm reels of records from 1909-1924 that were donated by the Mormon Church. The information on the reels would also be available at the one-stops. In addition, the DOH's copies of ledgers containing pre-1909 records need to be inventoried. "It's important for Hawaiians -

until they change the legislation saying you have to be 50 percent Hawaiian to qualify for homestead land - to be able to show blood quantum," said Pelekai. And it is especially important now because as we move toward sovereignty, "Hawaiians are

going to have to prove they are Hawaiian," she added. Current entitlements or programs for whieh Hawaiians need to verify either a percentage of, or some presenee of, Hawaiian blood include Hawaiian homesteads, Kamehameha

Schools admission, some federal heakh and education programs, and the OHA Native Hawaiian

Revolving Loan Fund. Only OHA (when expending "special funds," 5f ceded land monies) and the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands require Hawaiians to prove blood quantum, said Pelekai. She hopes to have a meeting with representatives of all the agencies that serve Hawaiians and reach a consensus on the additional palapala (documentation), besides birth certificates, that Hawaiians could use in verifying ancestry. An interagency meeting would also serve to foster an agreement on a universal verification mechanism. Pelekai would also like to bring together genealogists to standardize genealogical procedures and develop licensing criteria in hopes of establishing a genealogieal corporation.

Pīkake Pelekai