Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 28, Number 7, 1 July 2011 — Honoring King Kamehameha: Washington, D.CV to Hawail [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Honoring King Kamehameha: Washington, D.CV to Hawail

Eo ē nā 'ōiwi 'ōlino nā pulapula a Haloa mai Hawai'i a Ni'ihau puni ke ao mālamalama. On June 5 in Washington, D.C., and June 10 in Honolulu, advocates

for Native Hawaiians and Hawaiian culture gathered to honor and celebrate the birth and legacy of King Kamehameha. At the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center in Emaneipahon Hall the Hawai'i State Society of Washington, D.C., (Hui Moku 'Āina O Hawai'i Ma Wakinekona, D.C.) joined by Ke Ali'i Maka'āinana Hawaiian Civic Club, representatives of the State of Hawai'i

Congressional Delegation and Architect of the Capitol, AOHCC Mainland Council, Office of Hawaiian Affairs (Hawai'i and Washington, D.C.), UH, Kamehameha and Punahou alumni groups, a Samoan dance group, Hawai'i State 'Ukulele Hui, Aloha Boys,

Luluhiwalani Awai III, 26 Hālau/Hui of the Washington, D.C., Metro Area, Delegate to Congress from American Samoa Eni Faleomavaega and hundreds of area residents and visitors, completed the 42nd annual Kamehameha Lei Draping ceremonies. The annual Lei

Draping activity, for 42 years, requires an act of Congress. Specifically, a Resolution approved by the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives is required. While the 201 1 Resolution made its way through the Senate, with assistance from Senators Akaka and Inouye, it proved to be uncharacteristically difficult to achieve timely success in the U.S. House. Diligent and extraordinary follow-up led by Congresswoman Mazie Hirono and the offices of Congresswoman Hanabusa and Congressman Faleomavaega proved necessary. Contingency plans were pending had the resolution failed its deadline. With less than a week to go before the 42nd annual gathering, the House Resolution was approved. Additionally, a requirement was that a member of the delegation or the House needed to be in attendance. Due to prior

commitments in Hawai'i or intemationally, none of the members of the Hawai'i delegation could be physically present June 5 and turned to Delegate Faleomavaega to assist, to attend and to fulfill the

oversight requirement. I've attended Kamehameha Lei Draping since 2002, Faleomavaega has as well. He committed to be present to ensure Lei Draping for our King would go on. However, Eni's 2011 participation at the Lei Draping required exemplary personal effort on his part, for whieh I thank him. On June 3 the Congressman was in Hawai'i to speak at a graduation event, on June

4 he flew 10 hours to Washington, D.C., to protect the June 5 Lei draping event, and at 7 a.m. June 6 he flew back to Hawai'i and on to American Samoa. Frequent flyers know what great effort and energy such a schedule demands. On behalf of the 500 attendees at the

42nd annual King Kamehameha Lei Draping on June 5, mahalo a nui e Delegate Faleomavaega for assisting our Hawai'i delegation and all Native Hawaiians to ensure King Kamehameha was honored with dignity and pride. On June 10 with similar dignity and pride King Kamehameha was honored with Lei Di ;in-

ing at his statue, across from 'Iolani Palaee, fronting the Hawai'i State Supreme Court. Hundreds gathered in the aftemoon sun. 'Ahahui, Hawaiian Organizations and Trusts, riders for island pā'ū units, kama'āina andmalihini, kūpuna, mākua and keiki listened to the Royal Hawaiian Band. Hālau hula and haumana performed their tributes. Voices in chant and oli hlled the air. This Friday Lei Draping ceremony preceded the Saturday 95th annual Kamehameha Day Floral Parade. With equal pride and ceremony over the weekend, kama'āina and malihini gathered to drape lei for King Kamehameha in Hawi, Kohala and Hilo on Hawai'i Island. E mau ana ka ha 'aheo o nā Hawai 'i. E Ola, e ola ka inoa o Pai'ea. 31/48 (More on the Reapportionment Commission in August.) ■

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Eni Faleomavaega, American Samoa's Delegate to Congress. - Photo: Courtesy of Eini, D.C. 2011