Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 24, Number 9, 1 September 2007 — Fewer Hawaiians in Hawaiʻi? [ARTICLE]

Fewer Hawaiians in Hawaiʻi?

According to a new report

released by the U.S. Census Bureau in August, the nunrber of Hawai'i's Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander residents decreased by 8,664 over the last six years bringing the populahon of Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders (alone or in conrbination) to 21.4 percent of Hawai'i's total population, down fronr 23.4 percent in 2000. Sonre, scholars are disputing this data, however, because it conflicts with a Native Hawaiian populahon forecast published by Kamehameha Schools, whieh indicated the Native Hawaiian populahon is rising in both Hawai'i and the continental United States. Other population trends cited in the census report indicated that whites now account for 42.6 percent of the state's overall population, up fronr 40.3 percent in 2000. But this frnding is being disputed by researchers at the state Departnrentof Business, Eeonomie Developnrent and Tourisnr, who say the new census report does not seenr to account for a recent rise in immigration fronr Asia. A 2005 Census Bureau report on Hawai'i nret with sinrilar criticisnr, and the state has been working with the bureau to see if further refinenrent in research nrethodology is needed. The state is also conduct-

ing its own research on nrigration trends into Hawai'i. One trend in the new report not under dispute is a rise in the state's nredian age, whieh rose to 37.3 last year fronr 36.2 in 2000. During that sanre period, according to the census report, the state's overall populahon increased an estimated 6.1 percent, to 1.285 million.