Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 19, Number 7, 1 July 2002 — OHA Hawaiian Registry up and running [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

OHA Hawaiian Registry up and running

Aloha nui loa, Pehea 'oe? (How are you?) ī wanted to let you know that the OHA Hawaiian Registry was finally started on March 23, during the Prince Kūhiō Day Celebrations, They were held on O'ahu at Kapi'olani Park, and on the Big īsland at Hilo Pana'ewa Park, īt was a great success and a very appropriate day sm.ee it commemorates our Prince Kūhiō Kalaniana'ole who began the blood quantum that has separated our people for more than 80 years, Prince Kūhiō was forced to adhere to the 50 percent Hawaiian blood quantum (instead of the 1/32 percent blood quantum) in order to qualify for homesteads under the

Hawaiian Homes Commission ACT, 1920, as amended, The purpose for the Hawaiian Registry is to identify all of the Hawaiians who are descendants from the first peoples to inhabit the Hawaiian islands, īt is thosedescendants who have a legacy to be proud of, We know what the trust is: ceded lands, We know who the trustees are: the State of Hawai'i and the U,S, federal government, Now it is time to find the beneficiaries of this unique trust, Aloha nō, What now? First, ī need to apologize for taking so long to begin the Hawaiian Registry, processing the applications and sending your iden-

tification cards out, īt seems when you do things — for the betterment of conditions of the native Hawaiians and Hawaiians as written in the laws of today — so many com.plain.ts are received, even from Hawaiians, Well, what you going do? Finally, we have people hoping to take away our rights and entitlements, How ean others be so emel and extremely jealous of the little we have left? Yesl We Hawaiians are in court ( Amkaki v,s. Cayetano). Trustees of OHA, Commissioners of the Hawaiian Homes Commission, and īntervenors, State Council of Hawaiian Homestead Association (SCHHA) are fighting

for our very existen.ee, WE are finally not the in.terven.ors, This time, WE Trustees of OHA, Comm.ission.ers of the Hawaiian Homes Commission and YOU - the beneficiaries; are the defendants in this court case, We keep talking about the past, By now, everybody should know about the overthrow of the Hawaiian Monarchial government, When are we going to address the future? Do we want a Hawaiian nation; or is it time to blend in with the rest of the community? After all, we have been absorbed by every nationality that eame to these islands, Aloha, a hui hou, ■

Ho'omau via nā kōlamu kahuwaiwai ma ka 'ao'ao 'umi — Trustee Columns continue on page 10

Linda Dela Cruz

V7ce Chair, Trustee,, Hawai'i