Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 21, Number 10, 1 October 2004 — 2004 ELECTION Novermber 2, 2004 ʻŌlelo nā moho OHA- OHA Candidates Speak [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

2004 ELECTION Novermber 2, 2004 ʻŌlelo nā moho OHA- OHA Candidates Speak

The views and opinions expressed are the individual candidates' and

Iwant to speak to that whieh is within us all ... our 'āina, our birthright, our rights. This birthright means our sovereignty, and our responsibility. Mālama pono and mālama Hawai'i may not be slogans for us. For eaeh who would say ... "He Hawai'i Au" ... born of this 'āina, my kuleana, our kuleana. I make this commitment to you. My family is from Kona and Ka'ū, (and Kaua'i and O'ahu) and I carry on the work of my mākua and kūpuna. As they did, this is simply my pledge of life service to Hawai'i and our people. I do not view the other candidates as opponents. Rather, that we eaeh offer our experience(s) and skills to the community, and will eonlinue to do so after the vote. Mine include helping my family take care of our kuleana in Kona; involvement at the county level in the planning and designation of a "special district" for Kailua-Kona; Alu Like Adult Education; kōkua at Queen Lili'uokalani Children's Center; working at

the Legislature, both the House and Senate (to-date); and working for sovereignty ... education and outreach (Council of Hawaiian Organizations, Hui Na'auao, and 'Aha Hawai'i 'Ōiwi - The Native Hawaiian Convention, elected delegate from Kona). The Office of Hawaiian Affairs was created 20 plus years ago, to many expectations by all. The expectations will never lessen. We face adversaries everywhere. The "Office," and those we elect, must be our voice . . . to speak, and uphold our rights. They must take on the aggressors who eloak themselves in the Fourteenth Amendment, in order to obliterate the aboriginal/indigenous identity - OUR identity ! The office must be our Voice to those who are silent, and simply ignore our rights. Until we practice and exercise our sovereignty - to use, occupy, control, and have dominion over our 'āina, our kuleana - we must persevere. SOVEREIGNTY IS VITAL ! The office must facilitate outreach, and the initiative we

create to achieve sovereignty. Trustees and administration need to pledge security of funding, a mau loa, to continue all efforts of outreach and education, on all islands! Every Hawaiian is weleome and needed. If it were found that the Office of Hawaiian Affairs could do only one thing for us - I would select healthcare and health insurance for every Hawaiian. Beginning with our eldest, we must be healthy to see and take the path of our birthright. The workhorses are the island offices. The staff in Hilo and Kona need support, and I am sure the other island offices do also. We need to support our people who quietly labor - amidst the too many hurdles created to deny us - to live and survive in our Hawai'i. May we not be whole people in our own land? E HO'OLAKO !!! IMUA ! ■

My name is Lillian Linda Keaweehu Dela Cruz, and I live in Hilo on Hawaiian Home Lands farm lots. I was raised in Papakōlea, O'ahu, Hawaiian Home Lands, got married, and for several years, we lived in Kalihi. Then, we moved to Kāne'ohe, and in 1973, we moved to Hilo and have been here ever since. Why do you want to be an OHA trustee? As an OHA trustee, I ean continue the process of building a strong and healthy environment for the present and future generations of Hawai'i. What qualities woulā you bring to the position ? The qualities I present are from my education at McKinley High School, Windward Community College and UH Hilo. I was a self-employed musician and a singer of Hawaiian songs for 40 years and gained the title of "Hawai'i's Canary." I have received two Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards from the Hawai'i Academy of Recording Artists, the most recent of whieh was the lifetime achievement award in 2003. In Kāne'ohe, I owned, operated and taught the hula at "Linda's School of Hula." As a member of several organizations, I held

leadership positions that took me to the state Legislature to lobby for Hawaiian activities and agricultural issues. I also participated in demonstrations at the state Capitol, Hilo Airport, rallies and meetings. I have the experience of suing the DHHL in the Third Circuit as pro se, representing myself. I bring all these experiences and qualities to this position. What do you consider the most important issues confronting OHA and/or the Hawaiian people ? There are many important issues facing Hawaiians today: 1. Reconciliation between the Federal government and Hawaiians. 2. Senate Bill 344, also known as the Akaka Bill 3. Most important to me, education, health and welfare, job opportunities, land and home ownership, and the basic needs of the homeless. As an OHA trustee, how would you resolve these concerns? As trustee, I will use all my experiences and qualities to resolve these concerns. I will

work cooperatively with others to resolve these concerns. If you could only accomplish one goal as an OHA trustee, what woukl it be ? One race of people. My greatest goal for the last 20 years has been to make us one race of people. I lobbied at the state Legislature for this goal and received the Hawaiian Genealogy bank at OHA. We have been a divided nalion since Congress created the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, 1920, as amended. The 50 percent or more Hawaiian blood vs. the less than 50 percent Hawaiian blood quantum. While we were diligently fighting eaeh other, others have been very busy helping themselves to what is rightfully ours. Hawaiians are the richest people in this state, yet we are the poorest. Why? Here's the plan: All those that had an ancestor having had 50 percent or more Hawaiian blood prior to 1921, when the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act was made, are beneficiaries. All those born after 1921 need not use the 50 percent blood quantum to qualify for benefits. All you need is the ancestor. Do you agree? Mahalo a nui loa. Aloha. ■

No Photo Submitted

[?]