Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 26, Number 9, 1 September 2009 — No Hawaiian left behind [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

No Hawaiian left behind

Now is the time for all Hawaiians to firmly say "He Hawai'i Au" (I am Hawaiian) and pledge to leave none of our people behind. This as Congress onee again debates the Native Hawaiian Government Reorvani7ation Act better

known as the Akaka Bill. With a president who understands Hawai'i, and the Iustice Department signaling approval, the long-stalled measure appears finally poised for passage. But there are debates that could tie up the legislation. And they could onee again deny Hawaiians the tool they need to achieve self-sufficiency and eeonomie security. One of those debates involves the definition of Native Hawaiian. Under the ciurent version of the bill, Native Hawaiians are defined as those who ean prove lineage to someone in 1893, the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian kingdom, or to those ehgible for Hawaiian Homes in 1921 and their descendants. That could result in the reorganization of a government entity based on blood quantum, if the 1893 requirement is too complicated or impossible for Native Hawaiians to obtain proof. If that happens, the vast majority of the 400,000 Native Hawaiians now living in Hawai'i and the Mainland would struggle with a cumbersome verification system and likely end up being excluded from participating in the reorganization of their lost govermnent. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, whieh has long provided services to Hawaiians regardless of quantum, has taken the lead in saying that's wrong. The OHA board has proposed an amendment to the Akaka Bill that would also define Native Hawaiians as "the lineal descen-

dants of those aboriginal, indigenous native people who occupied and exercised sovereignty in the islands that comprise the State of Hawaii prior to 1778." It is an inclusive definition that leaves no Hawaiian left behind. Tbat's hecfliise a 1 1

Native Hawaiians are descendants of Hawaiians living in Hawai'i prior to Western eontact in 1778. That is the definition that has been used in most federal statutes affecting Native Hawaiians for more than 30 years. And including all Hawaiians is a goal followed by major Hawaiian institutions, such as the Kamehameha Schools, that provide services to Hawaiians. The roll should be as inelusive as possible to truly reflect all members of a distinct Native Hawaiian community and to achieve a reorganized Native Hawaiian governing entity that will be most successful. There are other issues impacting the bill's chances of passing Congress. Among them is the potential size of the governing entity. Some view the current Hawaiian population of 400,000 (in Hawai'i and the Mainland) as a reason to oppose passage. Sadly these are often the same critics who wrongly elaim the measure will allow secession from the U.S„ take land away from residents, and permit gambling. These critics are among the history rewriters who gloss over the fact that today's Hawaiian population parallels the pre-con-tact numbers. Estimates of the Hawaiian population in 1778 range from 110,000 to one million. By 1890, the numbers were down to 40,000, a people decimated by disease and denied the traditional use of their land, religion and language. Today Native Hawaiians

remain a people defining themselves. They are members of a distinct community who express Native Hawaiian poliīieal and cultural status, contribute to all Hawai'i, nurture their families and who lead, comprise and utilize Hawaiian institutions and organizations. They perpetuate Hawaiian language, arts, values, traditional practices and advocate to protect iwi, sacred, historic, familial sites. They are not limited to Native Hawaiians who ean prove lineage to a cer-

laiu uioou quantum. It is divisive to do so. And it would be a significant loss not to include all those Native Hawaiians in the roll to

reorganize the new governing entity. This is not a new debate. In 1920, Prince lonah Kūhiō Kalaniana'ole personally lobbied Congress to be more inelusive, not exclusive, when he served as a Delegate from the Territory of Hawai'i from 1903 to 1922. Prince Kūhiō sought rehabilitation of his Native Hawaiian people through passage and enactment of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act. He lobbied Congress to allow native people to define themselves by urging lawmakers to include the definition of Native Hawaiian as determined by the Territorial Legislature, "... any descendent of not less than one thirtysecond part of the bloods of the races inhabiting the Hawaiian Islands previous to 1778." The Akaka Bill's definition of Native Hawaiian should be amended and bring full circle the phrase He Hawai'i Au, "I am Hawaiian." That feeling, the spirit, the connection eonununicated by these words is deeply felt by Native Hawaiians. We are Native Hawaiian and we do not leave any of ourpeople behind. ■

MAI KA LUNA HO'OKELE ■ FRDM ĪHE ADM I NSTRATD R NŪHOU ■ NEWS

By Clyde Nāmu'ū ŪHA Admiūistratur

Prince Kuhio