Farias, left, helps the Paglinawan-Pua family of Ka'ū to place their names at the Hawai'i Music Festival in Nā'ālehu, Ka'ū. From left, Rayannon Paglinawan, Jadelynn Paglinawan-Pua and Lucas Pua. - Photo: T. Ilihia Gionson

OHA grantee is helping to build a nation one registrant at a time

T. Ilihia Gionson / Ka Wai Ola

If you are one of the 19,000 Hawaiians with a Kau Inoa shirt on Hawai'i Island, there's a pretty good chance that you placed your name with Joe “Kaleo” Farias III. Since he began his quest to register Hawaiians last December, the O'ahu-born and Hilo-bred Farias has registered more than 10,000 Hawaiians, or over half of the island's Kau Inoa list.

Farias dutifully mans his Kau Inoa table with a passion for his people. “I'm not doing this for OHA, I'm not doing this for me, I'm not doing this for the kingdom, and I'm not doing this to be the president. I'm doing this for the people. I'm doing this because it's a call to our people to stand up, place your name, be proactive and come talk about where we want to go as a people,” Farias said.

Farias, center, poses with sisters Jaeneice and Joleen Cuison of Ka'ū. - Photo: T. Ilihia Gionson

Farias says that Kau Inoa isn't in opposition or in support of any one form of Hawaiian self-governance. “I had been looking at the different sovereignty movements and wondering what our people would want. I like the (Kau Inoa) idea that we can get everybody's name and later and hear everybody's mana'o. I don't like when a small group makes the decisions for everybody,” Farias said.

“I know that not everyone wants sovereignty. I know that not everyone wants to be a U.S. citizen. Let's see what everyone wants.”

Surely some doubt that Kau Inoa will help bring about a new Hawaiian nation, and the always-effervescent Farias agrees that the system is not perfect. “I do not argue when people disagree with me. I acknowledge that the system is not perfect. But we must look for some common ground where we can begin to organize,” Farias said.

When it comes to opponents, “We can basically let the numbers do the talking. Numbers are a big asset for Kau Inoa,” he said, with the registry standing 90,000 strong as of press time. “We can build as we get evidence of enough people wanting this (nation) to go forward.”

Farias said that sometimes even the critics end up placing their names. “This one guy looked like a bodyguard. He stood and watched and said some negative things, but then he listened as people talked and after a while he just (had a feel for) Kau Inoa,” Farias said.

“Often people become very passionate when you just give them a chance to sit down and talk – and this has the effect of attracting others.”

“We've never gotten all our people together before. (Discussions have) always happened in scattered groups,” Farias said. “We gotta do what the majority wants. We want everybody to have a voice and be heard.”

If you are interested in becoming a Kau Inoa grantee and helping Hawaiians to place their names, visit your nearest OHA CRC office or OHA's main office on O'ahu.