Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 16, Number 1, 1 January 1999 — Hā Hawaiʻi: For the record [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Hā Hawaiʻi: For the record

By Pua'ala McElhaney, President, H ō Hawai'i Hā Hawai'i is a 501 (e) (3) corporation registered in the State of Hawai'i. If it were a state agency, as some elaim, it could not be applying to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs for a grant. People ask the source of Hā Hawai'i's authority. The authority of any group begins with its membership. However, Hā Hawai'i does not require a person to be a member of the organization in order to participate in its initiatives. All other sovereignty organizations require membership in order to directly participate in their activities. Authority also comes from those who support Hā Hawai'i. Here are some of its supporters: Administration for Native Americans, Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, Council of Hawaiian Organizations. Hawai'i Community Foundation, Hui Kālai'āina, the Nation of Hawai'i,' the Nation of Kū. the Native Hawaiian Bar Association, the Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce. the Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation, Pā Ku'i a Holo. Pū'ā Foundation, the State

Council ot Hawanan Homestead Associations. These organizations represent thousands of Hawaiians. Can detractors have such total laek of trust in the judgment of the Hawaiian people to think that all of these groups, all of these people, as diverse as they are, are under state eontrol and not know it? There is nothing un-Hawaiian about holding an election. Hawaiians had a constitutional monarchy. They voted for their leaders. Even detractors of Hā Hawai'i have used the voting process to further their own initiatives. Elections constitute the primary method of making decisions in most sovereignty groups. ■