Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 18, Number 5, 1 May 2001 — Alliances with Native Americans a golden opportunity for the Hawaiian nation [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Alliances with Native Americans a golden opportunity for the Hawaiian nation

Rowena Akana Trustee, At-large

Networking with our Native American cousins is a touchstone in our path to self-determination and self-gover-nanee. Even though the Pacific Oeean separates our homes, the struggle to achieve what is just and right for our Hawaiian people and the Native American people is a eommon thread that binds us together. There is mueh that ean be learned from Native Americans. Although we do not share identical histories, both the Hawaiian culture and the Native American culture share commonalties with respect to how the state and federal governments have treated our peoples in the past. In March, I traveled to Denver to attend the Governor's Interstate Indian Council (GIIC). This Council is 40 years old and its main purpose is to facilitate better eommunieaūon between a network of tribes across the contiguous United States and Alaska. Membership in this Council spans across 49 states. These people are either federally

appointed as Indian Affairs Commissioners or they are members of various tribes around the country who do not have an active Indian Affairs Commission in their states. At this mid-year meeting, topics discussed varied from federal and state legislation impacting Native Americans, to the possible disposal of the BIA (Bureau of Indian Affairs). One issue that was vigorously discussed was the NAGPRA (Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act) law and how the interpretation of this law varies from state to state, based on opinions of the respective state's attorney general and/or general counsel or state archaeologists. At last year's annual conference, whieh was also held in Denver, the GIIC voted unanimously in favor of a resolution to support the federal recognition of Hawaiians (i.e. the Akaka Bill). In addition to this, the GIIC also adopted three separate resolutions that were amended to include "Native Hawaiians" as an

indigenous group and as part of the groups being identified in the language of these resolutions. I am happy to report that the GIIC's commitment to continue to support Hawaiian recognition is firm. The pledge also continues from delegates representing Denver, Louisiana, Florida, Kansas, Oklahoma, Washington State, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, and Nebraska. At this critical stage where Hawaiians have been steamrolled by the Rice case, and with the Barrett case looming on the horizon, it is very important to raise awareness of the core issues facing Hawaiians. It is important to have "feelers" not only in our island community, but also farther than our islands' shores. The time is now to garner much-needed support through networking and educating. Having a Council such as the GIIC behind Hawaiian issues sends a strong message to the United States Congress. By making these strategic alliances early on, we ean

become a force to be reckoned with. Our voices will be heard in the halls of Congress, and backed by Native American tribes across the United States. By working together and sharing information and ideas, Hawaiians ean learn from the triumphs and tribulations of other indigenous peoples, such as Native Americans. We ean avoid the pitfalls that have plagued other indigenous groups by listening to what has worked and what has not worked for their people. In doing so, we will strengthen ourselves to move forward. Hearing new points of view will help us in guiding our path to selfdetermination. Forming alliances and partnering with Native American tribes across the United States will bridge the waters of the Pacific Oeean that now separates us. This is a golden opportunity to infuse our new nation with innovative ideas that will help us accomplish the goal of self-determination. ■

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