Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 19, Number 8, 1 August 2002 — Kamehameha controversy [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Kamehameha controversy

Excerpts from an editorial published in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, July 15, 2002

Media coverage has portrayed the aeeeptance of a non-Hawaiian student at Kamehameha's Maui campus as permissible by the will of Ke Ali'i Pauahi. In the context of the time in whieh the will was written, there was no need for Ke Ali'i Pauahi to

clarify and specify "Native Hawaiian" children when addressing her beneficiaries. Social norms of the late 1800s dictated clear meial and ethnic lines within our communities. There was no need to distinguish who Hawaiian children were in her will. "Hawaiian children" or

"children of Hawai'i" does not mean all children in Hawai'i. It means the

children of the indigenous people who she represented, those of her own blood. Princess Pauahi did not intend for the Kamehameha Schools tobe a means for eeonomie mobility for individuals or for the elite few chosen to attend the schools. She sought to cultivate leaders through education and create industrious young men and women who would serve and provide guidance and power for our Hawaiian people to rise socially, economically and politically.

Kamehameha is the vessel in whieh Hawaiians are provided the opportunity to gain skills to be competitive. Test scores should not be the total measure of a child's potential. Many average students become great leaders. If the Trustees and administration don't imder-

I stand this, then something is amiss . ■ This action goes far beyond the admisI sion of a non-Hawaiian student. We should I all be concerned about the ramifications I that this action will bring not only for the schools but for the Department of Hawaiian Homes Land, the Office of

Hawaiian Affairs, Alu Like, Queen Lili'uokalani Children's Center and

Trust, Queen Emma Foundation, and all programs intended to benefitthe Hawaiian people. We as Hawaiians ean choose to accept this "new mahele," or we ean take action to prevent the demise of our beloved Kamehameha Schools. Pōhai Grambusch Ryan ,KS '80 Board of Dire ctors, KS A lum ni A ssocia tion O'ahu Region

Leka Kālele

Pōhai Ryan