Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 19, Number 9, 1 September 2002 — Unity symposiums [ARTICLE]

Unity symposiums

Mahalo to all who attended our first Native Hawaiian Leader's Symposium Sunday, August 11 at the Kaua'i Veteran's Center in Lihu'e. All participants recognized that the time has eome to unify as a people. We further recognized that Native Hawaiians already comprise a Nation united by a national eonsciousness and share a eommon ancestry, culture, traditions and language. We all agree that unity is fundamental and key to self-deter-mination as well as independence. Far too long Native Hawaiians have been labeled as conteutious and unable to work together. Our day together, culminating in a four point unity document, proved that label to be false, onee and for all. We will now expand our national unity, building on a foundation of our eommon ancestry, culture, traditions and language, as we continue working together into the future. Additional symposiums are planned for eaeh island starting with O'ahu inApril of nextyear. We wish to thank Terry and Joe Reyes of the Kaua'i Veteran's Center, Angie and Bruce Ho'opi'i for the beautiful flower arrangements and our moderator, Sabra Kauka, for a job very well done. Māhealani Kekahu Sylva Anahola OHA reserves the right to edit all letters for length, defamatory and libelous material, and other objection - able content, and reserves the right to print. All letters must be typed signed and not exceed 200 words. Send letters to Ka Wai Ola o OHA, 71 1 Kapi 'olani Blvd, Ste. 500, Honolulu, Hī 96813 or email to oha@aloha.net