Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 17, Number 1, 1 January 2000 — Recondlidtion with respect: John Berry's messages [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Recondlidtion with respect: John Berry's messages

ALOHA MAI kākou e nā 'ōiwi o Hawai'i. For my 35th trustee eolumn in a series of 46, 1 have eombined my space with that of Trustee Frenchy DeSoto and Trustee Colette Machado in order to share the statements made by Assistant Secretary of the Department of the Interior John Berry and Mark Van Norman, Director of Tribal Justice of the Department of Justice, on the opening of their week-long visit to Hawai'i to speak with Native Hawaiians about the issue of reconciliation. At Mauna ' Ala Saturday, Dec. 4, Mr. Berry and Mr. Van Nonnan visited Mauna 'Ala to pay respect and tribute to Queen Lili 'uokalani. The ceremony was conducted according to cultural protocol with the assistance ofHōkūlani Holt-Padilla. Descending into the crypt and standing before the resting plaee of Queen

Lili'uokalani, Mr. Berry and Norman said the following: "With profound respect to the memory of Queen Lili'uokalani; "With sincere apology for the role of the United States and its ministers in the dissolution of her throne without the consent of the majority of the people of Hawai'i;

"With genuine sorrow for the indignities that this great woman endured with grace, and; "With gratitude for her love of peaee and her many contributions to this great land, its people, and all of the people of the United States; "We plaee this ho'okupu on behalf of the President and the people of the United States, to honor her memory and spirit, and pay tribute to Hawai'i's last sovereign, Queen Lili'uokalani." At the Queen's statue Later in the afternoon, Mr. Berry and Mn Van Norman, our Hawai'i congressional delegation and those in attendance gathered at Queen Lili 'uokalani 's statue at the capitol and placed leifor the Queen. They shared the following sentiment: "In humble commemoration of a great leader, who courageously gave up her crown in

exchange for the life of her people and the peaee of her country and whose trust in the etemal power of Justice and the honor of the United States should not be proven wrong, I offer my profound sorrow. Kaumaha o ka na'au. Aloha and Mahalo." At the Coronation Pavilion Following the protocol at the Queen 's statue, Mn Berry and Mr. Van Norman joined Senator Daniel lnouye, Senator Daniel Akaka, Representative Patsy Mink, Representative Neil Abercrombie, Lieutenant Governor Mazie Hiwno, Kahu Kekapa Lee, Hōkūlani Holt-Padilla, Kamana 'opono Crabbe and others at the Coronation Pavilion on the grounds of 'Iolani Palaee. Following 'oli and pule wehe, Sen. Akaka spokefirst and the makani blew as if our ancestors and our Queen were aeknowledging their presence and the humhle significance ofthe gathering. The makani blew and a

light rain fell for briefmoments as eaeh speaker followed Sen. Akaka to comment: Sen Inouye, Rep. Abercrombie, Rep. Mink, and Lt. Gov. Hirono. Then Mr. Berry stood before the Hawaiians gathered and said: "Today the proud people native to Hawai'i and the government of the United States begin a journey, and we begin it together. It is fitting that these reconciliation meetings are to take plaee in the time of the makahiki, when differences and traditions are set aside. "E waikāhi i ka pono i mānalo. (It is well to be united in thought that all may have peaee.) "E uhi ana ka wā i hala i nā mea i hala. (Passing time obscures the past.) "But what is past is not forgotten. The pain of the past hves on and justice delayed is justice denied. See APOLIONA, DESOTO AND MACHADO on page 7

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