Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 10, Number 5, 1 May 1993 — Native Hawaiians, Ka Lāhui, DHHL [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Native Hawaiians, Ka Lāhui, DHHL

by Sam Kealoha Trustee, Moloka'i and Lāna'i I have been patiently sitting in the back at the room of the Legislature watching and listening to all the bills relating to Hawaiian sovereignty. One thing that stands out like a kiawe tree in the middle of a taro patch is that no one is clearly defining who the politicians are talking about. The state Legislature appoints themselves on behalf of the indigenous people of these islands, but at every opportunity

they muddy up the lo'i with undefined confusing terminology

like "part Hawaiians," "Hawaiians," "indigenous people" and "native Hawaiians." They seem to be taking us for fools. The term "native Hawaiian" means any descendants of not less than 50 Dercent blood of

the races inhabiting the Hawaiian islands prior to 1778. This is the only recognized state definition

with legal backing that falls under the Hawaiian Homes

Commission Act of 1920 and the section 5(f) provisions of the Hawai'i Admissions Act. I am happy to report Ka Lāhui Hawai'i rejects the state's position of continuing to keep native Hawaiians as "wards of the state."

Mililani Trask, kia'āina (governor) of the Hawaiian nation, points oyit that the state and other

groups, including OHA, are in no position to dictate to the indigenous people of these islands what the process to sovereignty should be. Another high priority issue is getting our people on homestead land before everybody of the blood passes away. For years the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands has been using the excuse that there is no money for infrastructure and that we must abide by city and county building and zoning codes. These roadblocks contradict federal intent and are created by the state. DHHL has

been abusing their discretionary decision-making powers by keeping the beneficiaries off their promised homeland. Representative Virginia Isbell has introduced resolution HR 12 and HCR 20 requesting the Legislature allow the beneficiaries to restructure their eommunities in accordance with traditional values. The 100th anniversary of the forced abdication of Queen Lili'uokalani focuses world attention on the continued plight of the indigenous people of these islands.