Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 25, Number 1, 1 January 2008 — 'Seize the moment' [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

'Seize the moment'

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Jj)/ri(/uc/uw (~?fīoha mai kākou e nā 'ōiwi 'ōlino mai Hawai'i a Ni'ihau a puni ke ao māla- ^/ | nialania. Aloha e nā kūpuna, nā mākua, nā 'ōpio, nā keiki a me nā kamaiki e 'ākoakoa mai nei, ma kēia hale pule la 'ahia 'o St. Andrew 's Cathedral, a maloko i ko kākou mau hale 'ohana a puni ke ao mālamalama. Alolia e nā kama'āina a me nā maliliini kekahi. Alolia nō kākou a pau loa. Aloha. S_2xeetings to our esteemed fellow Native Hawaiians from Hawai'i to Ni'ihau and around this brilliant world. Aloha to the elders, adults, youth, children, and toddlers who have assembled here at this sacred church, St. Andrew's Cathedral, in your family homes, and around this brilliant world. Greetings to longtime residents and newcomers alike. Greetings to us all. Aloha. © I elcome t0 the fifth annual gathering relating to the State of OHA and l Ē M / the Hawaiian conununity. We are very honored to share this time with W M / you here in the Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew, as well as with those V W who are joining us throughout our state, the nation and the world. We are pleased to share our message from this prominent sanctuary and pu'uhonua in Hawaiian history with ties to King Kamehameha IV (Alexander Liholiho 'lolani) and Queen Enima in 1862, who coimnissioned the building and construction of this Cathedral of Saint Andrew (St. Andrew's Cathedral) nearly 150 years ago. © l

c %e (^ia/us The year 2007 marks OHA's 27th anniversary since the swearing in of its first board of trustees. These near 30 years have presented crossroads to paths unchartered as well as rough roads, seemingly endless, full of obstacles and challenges. We pause today to reflect on possibilities just three years away from the close of this decade.

The very bedrock of Native Hawaiian self-detennination, quasi independence, was shaken by the U.S. Supreme Court ruling against OHA declaring the "OHA eleehon of Hawaiians by Hawaiians" as unconstitutional. That happened at the end of 2000. Since that time, emboldened opponents of Native Hawaiians eonhnue to wield the hammer of the Federal Courts to shut us down onee and for all; but, so

HA'I 'ŌLELO • STATE 0F OHA

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far without success. Native Hawaiians and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs have stood steadfast well into this decade of change and we will eontinue to stand steadfast "mau a mau." We have reached out to those of eommon mission and values. We have reached out to those who stand with us on eommon ground. Native and non-Native, kama'āina and malihini alike have worked together for Native Hawaiians and for Hawai'i during this tumultuous decade of change, and we will eonhnue to do so "mau a mau." Particularly over the past six years, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, trustees and staff together have diligently and intentionally worked to reach new levels of professionalism with our partners and our conununity. Trustees and staff together have worked to hone our discipline, our polkieal will and our focus, working from the facts and doing our homework in as objective a manner as possible. OHA's experienced administrator Clyde Nāmu'o, in his tenure, has nurtured stability and performance by the working hands of an Office that some, in years past, predicted was on the brink of "implosion." Since 2000, Native Hawaiians have faced some of our most difficult legal and polkieal challenges. We have won some court cases while other cases eonhnue. We know those who question our right to exist as a unique, aboriginal, indigenous, native people will continue to file lawsuits against OHA and other Hawaiian entities. Poliheal risks still exist as well. With that as our context, I would like to highlight a few of OHA's challenges and accomplishments this past year, then focus on where we could direct our energies as Native Hawaiian people. I would like to share three premises, 'ekolu mana'o ha'i, 'ekolu mana'o nui, with you today. I. Mana'o nui 'ekahi. The flrst premise is that: Just by the nature of who we are as Native Hawaiians, we ean make Hawaii and the world a better plaee. What do I mean by "the nature of who we are"? Throughout the world there is great eoncern about survival of the planet, global wanning, the enviromnent, and our quality of life. Native Hawaiians, just by virtue of stepping forward, ean help with those concerns. Our island lifestyle and respect for limited natural resources has been the legacy of

our ancestors, generation to generation. We are experts in caring for the environment. Mālama 'āina goes to the core of who we are as a people. Our cultural practices and our values are all about caring for the 'āina, loving our motherland, not just to use, but to conserve and replenish. These traditions and values coincide with the global desire to protect the environment to secure and sustain a certain quality of life for future generations. At OHA, opportunity has emerged for us to play a direct role in caring for Hawai'i's natural resources by holding title to key properties in the Hawaiian culture spectrum, to mālama 'āina, Wao Kele o Puna on Hawai'i Island and Waimea Valley on O'ahu. Concurrently, we have joined the County of Maui, conununity advocate groups and Hawaiian beneficiaries in a contested water case being heard before a hearings office of the State Water Commission for eventual review by the State Water Coimnission, a case that may not be resolved until well into 2008 and likely will be challenged in State Circuit Court and the Hawai'i Supreme Court. This is an eeonomie and polhieal milestone, a historic moment for determining who controls the puhlie trust asset we know as water: is it a puhlie entity or a private corporation? Indeed, as an island native and non-native connnunity, we are on the cusp of significant resource management and stewardship

questions and policy implications. Native Hawaiians by virtue of the traditions and values of our ancestors are in a position to demonstrate how caring for the environment is done. If there is the will and discipline, we are also in a position to lead on these issues for the good of Native Hawaiians and Hawai'i. There exists a global yearning for better relationships, spirituality, and the essence of inner mana. This is a basic need of hmnan beings yet it is difficult to find on a broad level in any nation or culture. Our ancestors were experts in relationships with the universe. They knew how to halanee man, nature, and god. They understood that hannony and halanee meant survival and well-being. True to our nature, Native Hawaiians strive to live with deep regard and reverence to this concept, lōkahi, through whieh we seek to keep these major life forces in halanee. What we bring from our euhme as Native Hawaiians, as native people, is what the world and what this nation sorely need. As Native Hawaiians, we hold this gift. Iust by "the natme of who we are," holding close to om euhmal values, we ean help to make Hawai'i, the nation and the world a better plaee. II. Mana'o nui 'elua. The seeond premise I would like to leave you with today is that: We Native Hawaiians are on the threshold of critical decisions.

What kind of decisions am I speaking of? A. Probably the most critical decision we face, is organizing our Native Hawaiian government, our 21st century polhieal system. The Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act (Akaka Bill) passed out of the U.S. House of Representatives in October of this year and will be heard in the U.S. Senate. Allies and supporters, Native people and non-Native people who support justice and fairness, are working diligently to inform and enlighten Republican Senators to support the hill and urge President Bush to sign h. But even as we awah passage of the Akaka Bill, we are moving forward toward building our nation, continuing whh Kau Inoa registrations nearing 80,000 and sketching prelhninary plans for a nation-building eonvention in 2008. Our formal Native nation, will enhanee the opportunity to manage our assets and make decisions as a group, using this self-detennined process to include Native Hawaiians, wherever they may reside. B. Another threshold for decision is the looming possibility of a State Constitutional Convention in 2010. Certain sectors in the connnunity are promoting the issue and fanning the fire for a State convention. How might a State Constitutional Convention affect Native Hawaiians? Will h be helpful or not? If a State Constitutional Convention is held, Native Hawaiians must be in the mix. We must determine now, how we will get involved so the Native Hawaiian voice is heard regarding what happens to our homeland, to our native people and our natmal, puhlie, social and eeonomie resources for the good of all of Hawai'i. We ean run as State Con Con delegates. We ean support Native Hawaiians who will run as State Con Con delegates. We ean be instrumental in raising issues and providing solutions that don't scare others away. We ean help to garner support for issues by organizing om conununities and even organizing om families. And, we must vote. The 1978 State Constitutional Convention produced some great advancements for Native Hawaiians, such as, 'ōlelo Hawai'i as the official second language of the State of Hawai'i; the constitutional mandate for upholding traditional and customary native gathering practices; the constitutional manSee STATE 0F ŪHA on page 08

HA'I 'ŌLELO • STATE 0F OHA

Nō Puū No'eou Director Dovid Sing joins the hundreds in attendance at St. Andrew's Cathedral. - Photo: Sterling Wong

SĪAĪE 0F OHA Cūntinued fram page 07 date instituting Hawaiian studies in public education; and the establishment of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. A 2010 State Con Con, if there is one, could build upon that beginning, OR, it could reverse progress and eliminate these past Constitutional advancements. I believe the group that continues to sue and litigate against Native Hawaiians in the Federal Court will be mounting a strategy to accomplish elimination of these constitutional mandates that I mentioned. C. Another threshold for critical deci-sion-making is one that will make or break the ultimate survival of our Native nation, and the success or failure of our self-deter-minahon efforts — What will be the fibers that run through our decision-making as we fonn a nation? What aspects of our history and culture will we draw upon to make decisions to benefit all of Hawai'i nei? Will we bring the best from our past into the future? Will we have the courage and the will to guide our decisions for nation, policy and motherland, that elevate our cultural values, our spiritual values, balance of god, man, and nature — lōkahi — and weave them throughout — for the well-being of Native Hawaiians and for the well-being of Hawai'i and all who live here. III. Mana'o nui 'ekolu. The third and ilnal premise I would like to leave you with today is that: We must seize the moment anā stop grumbling. 'A'apo mai i ka 'ike, 'a'apo mai i ka maopopo pono, 'a'apo mai i ka lei o ka lanakila. Mai namunamu, he mea ho'opaumanawa kēlā. E kūkulu a'e kākou no ke ea o ka 'āina me ke aloha a me ke aho nui. The polūieal climate and the social and eeonomie demands unfolding before us, light a pathway of opportunity for the Native Hawaiian community. But the experience will only be an opportunity if we are prepared and ready. We must reflect seriously and conunit in a measured timeframe to do all that we, individually and collectively, ean do to stay infonned. We must do our homework because before too long, we will be in the fonnative

stages of re-establishing a Native naūon of our choosing. We will need spiritually mature, culturally grounded, reasonable and results-ori-ented Native Hawaiian thinkers and leaders — driven by service — not self-service — for the Hawaiian connnunity; and, we will need wise and compassionate leaders in the greater connnunity at large. Certain sectors of our community have done a phenomenal job of displaying leadership and pushing for achievement against all odds. One example is in Hawaiian education. On their own, without a nation, and with nūnimal funding, the Native Hawaiian education connnunity has established: • Hawaiian language pre-schools • Hawaiian language innnersion schools for K-12 • Audio and video libraries of kūpuna who are native speakers • Hawaiian language radio programs and newspaper columns • A Hawaiian language lexicon connnitte • A Center for Hawaiian Studies wūhin the University of Hawai'i • B.A., Master's, and Ph.D. degrees in Hawaiian language and culture • Its own indigenous college at UH Hilo; • After-school science and culture-based programs • Hawaiian teacher training programs • Hawaiian language websites • Culturally-appropriate college preparatory programs, LSAT preparation programs, alternative high school programs • And Hawaiian culture-based charter schools; that are all exhibiting a track record of success. The opportunities are there as evidenced by those in Native Hawaiian education. If we want to be leaders in Hawai'i, we must broaden that span of social and eeonomie ināuenee by increasing participants and initiatives. As Native Hawaiians we hold an important key to Hawai'i's future. We must recognize it, believe it, handle it with respect and exercise humility while working in a unified effort. The key is a gift at the core of what we value as a people embodied in our kuleana that has been passed to us from generations before us. This gift will not flourish by force or demand, but rather will grow and mature by living and being the nature of who we are. We ean eall on these values and traditions for balance and well-being, not only for Native Hawaiians but for all. But we must

lead, on an individual basis, then on a eollective basis, until it affects all of Hawai'i, the emerging critical mass driven by this certain spirit of our ancestors and culture. We ean begin by having respectful interaeūon and exchange, instead of standing on the outside and saying, "How eome?" Or, "Who said?" We must take responsibility for ourselves. We gotta "get a grip" and "leave a legacy," as Aunūe Mālia Craver would say. What is needed is thoughtful, focused, disciplined, compassionate and humble eollective effort. Our success means the rest of Hawai'i benefits. If Hawaiians are doing better, there is a positive impact on everyone. Life will be better for all of us. It is with that intent OHA has supported through grants and other actions the numerous outcomes listed in the eight-page supplement of 2007 OHA actions attached to this message. We proudly announee that OHA increased its annual budget to $42 million, with 70 percent of expenditures going directly to program services. In 2007, the OHA Board of Trustees completed four rounds of grant approvals along with board initiatives to include the muhimillion dollar appropriations to support community empowerment. The following are but a few of the hundreds of outcomes cited in the written supplement provided to you with these remarks. OHA: • Awarded nearly $4 million to 78 projects providing services and programs that impact the Hawaiian conununity and funded 14 Trustee initiatives totaling more than $6 million for projects addressing needs on all islands. • Launched the Mālama Loan Program in a restructured Native Hawaiian Revolving Loan Fund of $29 million to assist Native Hawaiian businesses, education and home improvements. • Provided grants of $100,000 eaeh to Family Promise of Hawaii, Institute for Iluman Serviees, Catholie Soeial Serviees, and Alu Like's Ho'āla Hou division to address ouūeaeh to homeless families, emergency homeless shelters, homeless transitional project, and incarcerated Hawaiian youth and adult services. • Provided $500,000 in funding to several connnunity heakh groups to meet heahh needs in the Hawaiian connnunity. • Approved $1.5 million to Hawai'i Habitat for Humanity for a five-year project to assist Hawaiian families statewide in a first-time homeownership program with up to $20,000 in matching funds for eaeh home loan.

• Awarded over $300,000 in scholarships and program assistance to preschoolers attending Wai'anae Coast Early Childhood Center and the Tūtū and Me program on Moloka'i. • Provided the final third year of funding for Native Hawaiian Charter Schools in the amount of $2.2 million (a total of $6.6 million). • Provided $903,000 in scholarships to Native Hawaiians pursuing a college degree, and granted $500,000 to College Connections Hawai'i for 500 students in their Native Hawaiian Scholars program. • Awarded a two-year $500,000 grant for rehabilitiation and renovation of Kalaniana'ole Hall, on Moloka'i homestead land in Kalama'ula. • Awarded a two-year $750,000 grant to support Ho'okulāiwi: 'Aha Ho'ona'auao 'Ōiwi Center for Native Hawaiian and Indigenous Education, based at UH Mānoa and Leeward O'ahu, Nānākuli. • Awarded $500,000 to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to support the Home Ownership Assistanee Program (HOAP). With OHA's assets, present and future, and what OHA has been able to help catalyze for the Hawaiian conununity in recent years, the moment is now. We need to seize this opportunity. No one ean do it for us. We need to do it ourselves. Pau grumble. It is time for realism and maturity. It is a matter of stewardship and kuleana, to seize this moment and not squander it, for it will not eome again. As I close let me say, these mana'o nui leave many things to think about it. But we ean no longer just think about them. We must eonnnk and we must act. On behalf of the Board of Trustees, Administrator Nāmu'o and all our OHA staff from Hawai'i to Washington D.C., we say mahalo, thank you for working with us throughout the year and for having faith that those of us who are lucky enough to work at OHA in service to our community and Hawai'i will eonūnue our diligence and coimnitment to our mission, our responsibility, our kuleana, to better the conditions of Native Hawaiians. From the third verse of Hawai'i Pono'ī. Let us bear the message for our song not yet complete. "Hawai'i pono'I, e ka Lāhui ē, 'o kau hana nui, e ui ē." Those true to Hawai'i, the Hawaiian people, your great duty is to prevail. Mahalo and aloha. □

HA'I 'ŌLELO • STATE 0F OHA