Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 19, Number 11, 1 November 2002 — Hawaiians speak out [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Hawaiians speak out

By Naomi Sodetani

KWO recently went out into the Hawaiian community and conducted on-the-spot interviews that are showcased in TV and radio ads promoting the Nov. 1 OHA Gubernatorial Forum and live broadcast on KFVE-TV. Our journey took plaee over the course of one day. We talked stoiy with Hawaiians spending a typical Saturday relaxing with their friends and 'ohana at some of their favorite spots: a surfing hangout inWaikiki at sunrise, a bustling farmer's market where shoppers grabbed a huli huli ehieken or Hawaiian plate luneh, Makahiki games at the Queen Lili "Uokalani Children's Center in Punalu'u, paniolo festivities at Kualoa, and tailgate parties atAloha Stadium. When asked, "What would you ask the governor if you had the ehanee?" they all had plenty to say. And candidates Mazie Hirono and Linda Lingle will, in fact, hear and respond to their questions at the forum.

Everyone we spoke with voiced deeply felt concerns about a wide array of issues including ceded lands, social issues, education and self-determination. Here are their e loqu en t wor ds : il'm a full-blooded Hawaiian," said David Ka'aekuahiwi of Wai'anae. "There's a lot of things that the Hawaiians were promised a long time ago and nothing's been done about it." Moana Balaz wanted to know what the new governor "would do to enforce and protect Native Hawaiian entitlements." "What are some of their steps See HAW\IIANS on page 12

David Ka'aekuahiwi of Wāi ' anae

HAW4IIANS from page 1 they are looking at to achieve federal recognition for the Hawaiian people?" Keali'i'olu'olu Gora, lieutenant governor of Ka Lāhui Hawaici, asked.

"Seems like every time there is a new governor in office, they're taking trust lands and giving it away," said "Unele Brown" Abordo. "The State of Hawai'i don't pay their bills to the Hawaiian people, but they expect to get paid." "The telescopes on Mlauna kea, we get nothing for that. Those are ceded lands, they belong to the Hawaiians," said lua 'ōlohe (master) "Mloke" Kalauokalani. "But the 20 percent by law that the state is supposed to pay OHA, there seems to be a problem. Why?"

"We the boatars, the paddlers, the surfers, we are contending with not only the state, but with hotels as well for space," said activist Noa Napoleon. "I would like to see real land reform." Kari Kalima conveyed an emotional plea, urging the creation of "programs for those who abuse drugs, instead of locking them up in jail.

How ean we rehabilitate our people and get them out in the work force, so that they ean become productive citizens along with the rest of us, so they ean help the future?" "A lot of the Hawaiians are incarcerated or are homeless," said John Tsukiyama

of Keaukaha who is terminally ill with cancer and himself homeless. "People out here are dying, people out at IHS, living out on the streets. What are you going to do about this problem?" Lua practitioner Umi Kai wanted to see problems facing Hawaiian home lands fixed. "What are they going to do about it, and how will they make changes and make it effective?" he asked. Soft-spoken Hālau Kū Mlana student Pomaika"i Freed said,

"Charter schools have been an improvement in my life. But they are underfunded and we can't do stuff that public schools ean do. I want to know what we ean do about that." Virginia Pinto of Kaimuki' lamented, "We are losing too many of our students going off to MIainland opportunities. MIany leave because they

have to, not because they want to. Their hearts are hare in Hawai'i." "I am tired of hearing the same thing, 'When they get into office, cnanny nanny booboo,'" said MIoses Kalauokalani. "Nothing is done." Aliot Mloepono pointedly summed up the sentiments of the day: "Whoever going be the next governor, do something. Talk is eheap." Cast an informed vote. Watch OHA's Gubernatorial Forum live on KFVE Fri., Nov. 1, at 7 p.m. The program re-airs Nov. 3 at 3 p.m. ■

'How woulā you go about creating pro - grams for those who abuse drugs, instead of locking them up in jail? — Kari Kalima

Kari Kalima and child, L'iloa.