Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 32, Number 7, 1 July 2015 — Native Hawaiian community leaders to take helm of nation-building process [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Native Hawaiian community leaders to take helm of nation-building process

Aconsortium of Native Hawaiian leaders with deep roots in the community will facilitate a nation-building process to move Hawaiians a step closer to selfdetermination. The leaders have formed Na'i Aupuni, a Native Hawaiian organization, that has signed a grant agreement with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to facilitate nahon building.

Under the terms of the agreement, Na'i Aupuni will make its own autonomous decisions while OHA will fund the process. "This is an encouraging sign for our efforts to empower Native Hawaiians to determine their own future through a process that is open to all of them," said OHA Chairperson Robert K. Lindsey Jr. The nation-buildina effort was first announced

following a March 6, 20 14, vote of the Board of Tmstees. OHA then held a series of meetings with the leadership of various organizations founded by Hawaiian ali'i. The separate, independent entity, Na'i Aupuni, is a eonsortium of Native Hawaiian leaders who have stepped forward from among the ranks of these ali'i-founded organizations to facilitate Hawaiian nation building. Na'i Aupuni will oversee the solicitation of thirdparty expert organizations to administer a three-stage nation-building process: a Native Hawaiian election of delegates; a convening (" 'aha") of those delegates to draft a proposed governing document; and lastly, a ratification vote by whieh Native Hawaiians will collectively approve or disapprove of the

draft governing document. In addition, Na'i Aupuni will select an independent monitor to oversee the election and ratification. While Na'i Aupuni will facilitate the process, every major decision - who is elected, what the draft governing document will say and whether it is approved - will be determined by the Native Hawaiian people.

Na'i Aupuni's directors are unpaid volunteers. They will not run for office within the nation-building process. OHA does not have any decision-making authority in the nation-building process. The directors of Na'i Aupuni are: • Dr. James Kūhiō Asam, President • Pauline Nako'olani Namu'o, Vice President • Naomi Kealoha Ballesteros, Secretary/ Treasurer • Geraldine Abbey Miyamoto • Selena Lehua Schuelke Na'i Aupuni's website is: naiaupuni.org. ■

This is an encouraging sign for our efforts to empower Native Hawaiians to determine their own future through a process that is open to all of them." — OHA Chairperson Robert K. Lindsey Jr.

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Na'i Aupuni board of directors are, back row from left: Kealoha Ballesteros, Gerry Miyamoto and Lehua Schuelke. Seated, from left: J. Kūhiō Asam and Pauline Namu'o. - Courtesy photo