Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 30, Number 6, 1 June 2013 — Discussing Hawaiian self-governance [ARTICLE]

Discussing Hawaiian self-governance

OHA convenes second summit

ByTreenaShapiro

Arecent summit gave Native Hawaiian leaders a ehanee to further discuss thoughts about what Hawaiian self-governance might look like at the state, federal and international levels. Held last month at the University of Hawai'i Kamakakūokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies, the second Kāmau a Ea governance summit engaged dozens of participants in building on the work of an earlier November summit. Organized and hosted by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Kāmau a Ea brought together leaders from independence initiatives, government agencies such as the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, and other stakeholders pursuing Hawaiian selfgovernance.

Office of Hawaiian Affairs CEO Kamana 'opono Crabbe told those in attendance, "I applaud eaeh and every one of you for continuing to carry

the Hame of the ka lama kukui, of our desire to seek self-determination and to reclaim inherent sovereignty." As some attendees noted, this isn't the first sustained effort to establish a framework for selfgovemance. However, many expressed hope that the outcomes of the summit and the momentum created by the state recognition of Native Hawaiians through Act 195 would finally lead to the establishment of a Native Hawaiian government. During the two-day summit, attendees broke out into groups to discuss Hawaiian self-governance at the state, federal and international levels. Jon Osorio, who participated in the intemational breakout group, said there's mueh to be drawn from the diverse experience of Hawaiians. "The

fact is that the lāhui, the Hawaiian national body does have a diverse experience with this history," he said in an 'Ōiwi TV report. "These are things that . . . need to be talked about, but they also need to be brought out to the lāhui and say, 'Look, if you're confused about these issues, if you find these things difficult to understand, understand that we're all dealing with these kinds of things." OHA Chief Advocate Breann Nu'uhiwa said she sees progress in the discussions on self-gov-emanee. "I think what struck me most was really that people have eome to a point where it's no longer about whose idea is more correct," she said on 'Ōiwi TV. "It's really a question of, Can we work together? Is there value to draw from all of these different initiatives?" In the state-centered discussion, participants raised some ongoing concerns about puhlie perception, such as worries that the process is too driven by the state and that the governance effort could fall short, like its predecessors. They also talked about rallying support for Native Hawaiian recognition, perhaps through more education SEE SUMMIT ON PAGE 25

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Kāmau a Ea

For videos and more information about the series of summits, visit oha.org/kamau. A third and final summit is being planned for September.

8UMMIĪ Continued from page 8 and outreach to explain what the community is trying to achieve. They also brought up some new concerns, such as the fate of a federal Native Hawaiian recognition bill after the retirement of U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Akaka and the death of U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye, both staunch supporters of the legislation popularly called the Akaka bill. Federal recognition would allow Native Hawaiians to

form their own government under federal purview and help protect Hawaiian institutions and programs from being challenged as race-based. Formal acceptance as an independent nation would provide a wide range of opportunities for reshaping Hawai'i, including nation-to-nation relations with other countries. Although Native Hawaiians have not sought to be identified as a tribe under federal law, one participant referred to the Seminole tribe in Florida as an example of how a state and an American Indian tribal government cooperate. The Seminoles have their own lands and generate revenue through casinos. While separate government entities, the Seminoles still use state schools and hospitals, and Florida poliee enforce state and tribal laws. In Hawai'i, as the state-sponsored Native Hawaiian Roll Commission continues its mission to register 200,000 Hawaiians eligible to participate in organization of a governing entity, many are starting to consider what's next because the process is open-ended. It could lead to the newly established Hawaiian nation taking any form - a state recognized entity, a federally recognized entity or an independent internationally recognized entity. While a group weighed the pros and cons of including non-Native Hawaiian supporters in the effort, former Gov. John Waihe'e, chairman of the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission, noted: "We should reach out to non-Hawaiians. We're sharing the same space," he added. "You need as mueh people supporting what you want to do as possible." Explaining that OHA's role in the summit and the overall pursuit of self-governance is to convene stakeholders and give them an opportunity to participate in planning, Crabbe, OHA's CEO, said: "We're going to talk. We're going to share, put everything on the table until things are resolved. Sometimes that's a very difficult process but it's a necessary process, at least to begin the discussion and understand eaeh other." Treena Shapi.ro i.s aformer reporterfor the Honolulu StarBulletin and Honolulu Advertiser.

People have eome to apoint where it's no longer about whose idea is more correct. It's really a question of: Can we work together? Is there value to draw from all of these different initiatives?" — OHA Chief Advocate Breann Nu'uhiwa

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