Lei hulu, symbols of the office of Trustee, were presented to re-elected trustees during the inviestiture ceremony. - Photo: Blaine Fergerstrom

A call for unity
Speech hits the right tone amid
challenging times, attendees say

By Liza Simon / Ka Wai Ola

A call for Native Hawaiian unity was the central message in the sixth State of OHA address at Central Union Church, where many agreed that existing ideological rifts should be mended in order to achieve progress in the Hawaiian community.

Many said that the speech by Office of Hawaiian Affairs Chairperson Haunani Apoliona struck an inspirational note in calling for more collaborative action by Native Hawaiian groups – particularly in light of recent court challenges that have the potential to diminish Native Hawaiian rights.

Especially pleasing to many was Apoliona's emphasis on the outcome of the November election, which thrust into the presidency Hawai'i-born Barack Obama, who has voiced his support for federal recognition of Native Hawaiians.

After the address, Maenette Benham, the new dean of University of Hawai'i at Mānoa's Hawai'inuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge, said she appreciated the Chair's mention of the impending Supreme Court review over ceded lands claims. “The Department for Hawaiian Studies has been doing quite a bit of work around the ceded lands issue, so any effort to educate people about this encourages us to continue our work in this area,” said Benham.

Former Hawaiian newspaper editor Jackie Burke said that while she opposes OHA's support of the Akaka Bill for “not adequately including peripheral voices in the sovereignty movement,” she agreed that the time has come to find consensus on native rights. “I liked what was said today about the need for more Native Hawaiian community structure and the importance it has in defending ceded lands,” said Burke.

Elected officials also attended the ceremony, including Kaua'i's new Mayor Bernard Carvalho, who said Apoliona's address mirrored much of the media attention Hawai'i has received lately as the birthplace of the president-elect. “The speech captured the movement and energy of strong leadership emerging from Hawai'i and the inspirational effect this can have nationwide,” said Carvalho, who was also noted the Chair's reference to OHA's pledge of financial support to the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. “Affordable housing is such an issue for us on Kaua'i and any new partnership like this truly supports the people,” he said.

For UH President David McClain, Apoliona's speech offered a sense of hope amid challenging times. “We can only accomplish our mission of pushing the frontiers of knowledge for Hawai'i's people if Native Hawaiian values animate our actions,” said McClain. “Thanks to the good economy in previous years, we have been able to double the amount of scholarship money available for Native Hawaiians. We have come a ways, but as (the OHA Chair) said, we need to continue along this path and do more.”

During her speech, Apoliona highlighted some of OHA's major accomplishments in 2008:

• OHA successfully advocated for the passage of a property tax exemption for kuleana landholders on O'ahu, Hawai'i Island and Kaua'i, and will continue to do the same on behalf of Maui kuleana landholders.

• OHA's Board approved an “unprecedented” annual grant to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to support homestead development and improvements.

• OHA helped to draft the management plan for Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.

OHA collaborated with the federal government and First Hawaiian Bank to successfully restructure the Mālama Loan program to benefit Native Hawaiians.

• OHA partnered with UH in receiving approval from Department of Defense to create Hawai'i's first PTAC, or Procurement Technical Assistance Center, which helps small businesses obtain contracts at all levels of government.

Apoliona said the major challenges for OHA and all Native Hawaiians include the collapse of worldwide financial markets, which led to a marked decrease this year in the value of the OHA investment portfolio. She listed deceptive media attacks on OHA trustees and administration and the Legislature's failure to pass a proposed ceded lands revenue settlement as being among the major difficulties that continue to confront the agency's mission.

Despite the obstacles, however, Apoliona told the audience that a window of opportunity has opened for Native Hawaiians. She said, “If we want a transformation in self-determination and self-governance, Native Hawaiians must be the ones to make it happen and then lead it. No one will do it for us.”