KA LEO KAIĀULU - LETTERS

Ka Leo Kaiāulu

OHA reserves the right to edit all letters for length, defamatory and libelous material, and other objectionable content, and reserves the right not to print any submission. All letters must be typed, signed and not exceed 200 words. Letters cannot be published unless they include a telephone contact for verification. Send letters to Ka Wai Ola, 711 Kapi'olani Blvd., Ste. 500, Honolulu, HI 96813, or email kwo@oha.org.

Apoliona's column

OHA Chairperson Haunani Apoliona did a good job in referencing the opposition of the settlement in her May column. However, the dynamics of the opposition is not clearly defined when naming the individuals. The incomplete list omits Robin Danner of the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, who also objected, besides other groups. Opposition is lumped together regardless of their stance.

Hawai'i nationals object to the wording and intentions of the Akaka Bill with OHA's intervening actions; the suppressive blocking of their voices urging the U.S. belligerent de-occupation from Hawai'i; shunning international issues, embracing the U.S. tribal system; the conflict of interests; the sponsorship in creating a tribal governing entity usurping the jurisdiction of the legitimate existing Hawaiian Kingdom; ignoring non-Hawaiian multiethnic Hawai'i nationals; OHA doesn't represent us but the community-at-large who has elected them.

Antagonists cite racism and the constitutionality of OHA, Kau Inoa, Akaka Bill and trust obligations. Feeling threatened, they resent indigenous Hawaiians as having an officially recognized nation-state, want OHA disbanded, and obligatory responsibilities, liabilities and trusts eliminated. They insist on U.S. citizens' status quo in Hawai'i and it being part of the USA. They profile all native Hawaiians as being on welfare, lazy, terrorists and racists wanting special privileges; yet they want to preserve privileges and advantages they're accustomed to on the U.S. continent. They use reverse-racism and revisionist history, openly declaring war against Hawaiians while seeking support from business clubs. The most vocal being Ken Conklin, Senator Slom, Malia Zimmerman, William Burgess, Thurston Twigg-Smith, Earl Arakaki.

OHA ignores Hawai'i nationals, connecting them with the Federalist Society, making it appear that all native Hawaiians are pro-Akaka Bill. Unresolved issues related to the so-called “ceded” lands known as the Public Land Trust is an international issue, not a USA domestic/internal issue. The courts looked at our legitimate complaints, then responded that this issue needs resolving.

In statements regarding the then-proposed ceded land settlement, OHA Land Management Director Jonathan Scheuer connected the dots: OHA would have to initiate or sponsor a native governing entity using the Kau Inoa registry to advance the Akaka Bill. That was its strategy from the beginning – herding Hawaiians under the ruse of a tribe, creating a “Reorganized Hawaiian Government” that would be recognized as the legitimate representative to secure land claims, negotiating with themselves in stealing from Hawai'i Nationals, and maintaining the status quo we now experience. History does repeat itself!

Has OHA done any good for the native Hawaiians? Yes, they have in some cases, but that's for another discussion.

Tane Inciong
Pearl City, O'ahu

Moloka'i reality check

I agree with Trustee Colette Machado's May column, “Moloka'i's real loss.” It is time to commit to honest and realistic assessments on Moloka'i, but first we must be truthful about how and what has taken place that brought us to where we now stand.

Moloka'i Ranch's failure to be truthful and disclose its full intentions is what took an initially promising project and turned it into loathing chaos. It began by the ranch failing to disclose its intentions to develop Lā'au and ended with the revelation of plans for another six hotels. At each new point of discovery the confidence of the people of Moloka'i diminished.

Furthermore, Moloka'i Ranch failed to provide a reasonable economic model. Following more than a decade of economic failures in its tourist operations, the only solution that the ranch provided was to use land sales at Lā'au to subsidize these losses. It would have been just a matter of time before the profits from these sales would have dried up, leaving the people of Moloka'i in the very same position they are now.

Steve Morgan
Kaluako'i, Moloka'i

The three “anities”

I would like to offer my thoughts on the subject of 'Iolani Palace being a wahi pana. Wahi pana, I feel, are sacred places. But being a minimally educated kanaka, I would not know or claim to understand if a building can qualify.

That being said, 'Iolani Palace to me should be more of a functioning palace rather than a museum-like dead entity. Mahealani Kahau's presence there is utilizing that function through her understanding of the truth that the Hawaiian Kingdom exists. By her and her 'ohana being there, it is an affirmation of that. (Editor's note: Kahau heads the independence group Hawaiian Kingdom Government, which resumed its seat of government on the palace grounds since April 30.)

Looking at the royal societies standing tall and proud on the palace grounds in response to Mahealani's actions, I am reminded of the Berlin Wall. Is it there to keep what's inside intact or to keep out the common riffraff?

Me, I been inside the 'Iolani Palace uninvited and free and I tell you this, them limestones was singing to me James Brown – “get on uppa, get on up.”

Our palace knew we came in for bring life not fertilize morbidity. For myself I cannot claim to carry the na'au of a nation or the kanaka culture within me as the only truth. For as the wall of royalty stands and proclaims its truth, there must be two truths or one of us is lying.

I applaud Mahealani and her 'ohana for standing up even whilst knowing that they could possibly face prosecution and ridicule. While America remains our No. 1 detriment, we are also guilty by our association with the three “anities”: vanity, insanity and Christianity.

Keli'i W. Ioane Jr.
Hilo, Hawai'i Island

Vote Obama

With Hawai'i's own Barack Obama fast becoming the Democratic Party's and America's choice for president, this would surely help with the passage of the Akaka Bill. Obama, who supported and endorsed the re-election of U.S. Sen. Dan Akaka, has also openly backed the passage of this bill, as has his Democratic challenger Sen. Hillary Clinton.

If Obama is elected president, Hawai'i will surely benefit, he has 'ohana here and has embraced Hawai'i as his own ... and we embrace him as a keiki o ka 'āina. It is unreal to think that the next American president may possibly be black and from Hawai'i, the youngest state in the union.

Steven T. Kalani Burke Sr.
Pearl City, O'ahu

Wal-Mart debacle

It's been several years now since the Wal-Mart store at Ke'eaumoku Street opened for business. When this project first started, 61 iwi kūpuna (ancestral Hawaiian bones) were discovered, disturbed, removed, studied and have still NOT been reburied. Currently, the state of Hawai'i, the archaeological contractor hired for the project and their physical anthropologists are locked in a legal battle over allegations of mistreatment and violations of state law in the handling of the iwi kūpuna. We requested the attorneys in the dispute to allow the iwi to be reburied now, but citing them as “evidence,” our request was denied.

Let us not forget that Wal-Mart spokesperson Cynthia Lin repeatedly stated that the company was being “culturally sensitive.” Yet, for the past few years the iwi have been kept in a container under an access ramp that vehicles drive over on a daily basis.

We say shame on Wal-Mart, shame on their consultants and shame on the state for allowing the project an exemption for inventory survey of the makai portion of the property where the iwi were originally buried. As recognized cultural descendants, we offer our prayers and apologies to our ancestors for this continual indignant treatment.

Edward Halealoha Ayau,
Townsend 'Ohana
Paulette Ka'anohi Kaleikini, Keaweamahi 'Ohana
Hilo, Hawai'i

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