Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 19, Number 9, 1 September 2002 — KÜʻË Maui kupuna group protests latest legal attacks on Native Hawaiians [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

KÜʻË Maui kupuna group protests latest legal attacks on Native Hawaiians

By Naomi Sodetani Grasping the cords dangling along the flagpole fronting the federal building in Wailuku, two elderly kupuna pulled up the Hawaiian flag until it reached the pole's pinnaele, where it waved aloft undetected by security guards throughout the day. The small act of quiet defiance, whieh took plaee at noon on Aug. 12 without fanfare and few onlookem, was powerfully clear. 104 years ago, the flag of the Hawaiian nation was replaced with the American flag when Hawaici became aU.S. territory. Clarence Kamai explained the moment's symbolism and hope thus: "This is the beginning of something to be fulfilled, the righteousness that is required of America." The flag-raising 'ceremony' took plaee during a rally organized by the Na Kupuna o Maui community group against the most recent legal attack on key Hawaiian organizations. Protest organizers said the rally was

organized to draw attention to the the most recent legal attack on Hawaiian entitlements, the Arakaki et al v. Cayetano et al taxpayer lawsuit.

In the suit now pending a decision in federal court, the plaintiffs, identifying themselves as state taxpayers and beneficiaries of a public land trust, seek to essentially dismantle the Office of Hawaiian Affaim and Department of Hawaiian Home Lands by halting the flow of publie revenues and land resources to the agencies and stopping their

provision of benefits to only persons of Hawaiian ancestry. "What we're doing is trying to raise awareness in our eommunity, in Mlaui and the world, to know we're being attacked by these people and that's not fair," sai d Patty N ishiyama, the group's - key organizer. "We're protesting the Arakaki lawsuit and showing our support for OHA and DHHL," Nishiyama said. "We get so mad with OHA sometim.es, but we're here toback them up, because they've done a lot to protect our culture and our rights. When they attack a Hawaiian organization, it's we who feel the blows." 'The spotted owl is more protected than the Hawaiian and that's not right," said Kohala resident Kim Smith, a non-Hawaiian who flew in to join the protest. "Justice denied is injustice for all. They're trying to divide people, when what's good for Hawaiians is good for Hawai"i, that's how I feel " Such sentiments were echoed in See KŪ'Ē on page 14

" What we re doing is trying to raise a ware ness in our community in Maui and the world, to know we're being attacked by these peo ple and that's not fair, " ~A- Kupuna Patty Nishiyama

Photo: Naomi Sodetani The upside-down Hawaiian flag is a symbol of distress, and effectivel}'' expressed the collective mana'o of kupuna and other supporters on Maui who protested the Arakaki lawsuit whieh seeks to eliminate the Offi.ce of Hawaiian Affairs, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and other programs that support Native Hawaiians.

KŪ'Ē from page 1 a constant stream of honking and shaka signs flashed by motorists passing sign-holders. The atmosphere was spirited and festive, as musicians played in shifts to offer bracing support for the protesters, while supporters kept the kupuna going with donated waterand food.. A gray-haired kupuna waved at cars and passersby gripping a sign declaring "Hawaiian Rights Not 4 Sale." "I'm just a Hawaiian standing up for our rights, trying to wake people up," said Yolanda Dizon of Lahaina. "We're all out here, fighting for future generations." NaKupuna oMaui has conducted over a dozen protests since the early 1 990s and organized three statewide aha or conferences whieh have brought kupuna from all the islands together to strategize "how to bring the Hawaiian people, all the Hawaiian organizations, everybody, together," Nishiyama said. The kupuna group grew from

efforts of Native Hawaiian leader Pu'uhonua "Bumpy" Kanahele to organize elders into a guiding body of authority for the Hawaiian sovereignty movement. The group's first protests condemned the state's attem.pt to sell ceded lands for C. Brewer's Leali'i subdivision as well as the state's non-payment of ceded land revenues. Last August, the kupuna also amassed 1,000 Hawaiians at the Kahului airport to protest lawsuits lodged by Patrick Barrett and gubernatorial candidate John Carroll citing services provided by OHA to Native Hawaiian beneficiaries as unconstitutional and racially-discriminatory. Like the annexation, current legal challenges and government breaches of their public trust obligation threaten the future of the Hawaiian people, Nishiyama said. "We're at a crossroads now. If we don't take a stand and eome together as one, our mo'opunawill have no lands, no rights tomorrow," the kupuna said. ■