Poke Nūhou - Newsbriefs

By Ka Wai Ola Loa Staff

A sword once owned by King David Kalākaua is now on display at the palace after being donated by Princess Abigail Kawānanakoa. Photos courtesy of The Friends of 'Iolani Palace

Kalākaua's sword donated to palace

A ceremonial sword once belonging to Kalākaua has been donated to 'Iolani Palace by Princess Abigail Kawānanakoa, the palace said in a release. The king would wear the sword for state occasions, as it was an important feature of his court uniform. The king's monogram is engraved on the straight steel blade and worked into the design of the hand guard. Two royal crowns in high relief are featured on the decorative plaques that hold the two brass suspension rings of the silver sheath. Visitors may see the sword in the palace gallery, where it was recently installed along with two other swords once belonging to the king. "Without the generosity and thoughtfulness of Princess Abigail, artifacts such as this ceremonial sword would ever become a part of the palace's collection for all to see and enjoy," said curator Stuart Ching.

A sword once owned by King David Kalākaua is now on display at the palace after being donated by Princess Abigail Kawānanakoa. Photos courtesy of The Friends of 'Iolani Palace

A sword once owned by King David Kalākaua is now on display at the palace after being donated by Princess Abigail Kawānanakoa. Photos courtesy of The Friends of 'Iolani Palace

Park appointed Hawaiian Homes director

On August 12, Kaulana Park became the new director of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and chairman of the Hawaiian Homes Commission. Park, DHHL deputy director since February 2008, succeeds Micah Kāne, who will become a trustee for Kamehameha Schools.

Kaulana Park takes the helm of DHHL, succeeding Micah Kāne, who will become a trustee for Kamehameha Schools.

Park has been with DHHL since 2003. Previous to that, he served as manager of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs' Native Hawaiian Revolving Loan Fund. He has also been a manager with Bank of America, assistant branch manager with First Hawaiian Bank, and business banking officer for Wells Fargo Bank. He is a graduate of Kamehameha Schools and Stanford University.

"It is an honor for me to be in this position," Park said. "We have done a lot of great things since I have been here and we will continue our efforts to be an asset to native Hawaiians and the state."

Waikīkī Civic Club marks anniversary

The Waikīkī Hawaiian Civic Club celebrated the 45th anniversary of its charter with a July 25 luncheon at Treetops in Mānoa. The club awarded scholarships to Brycen Nakashima, Monica Wai'au, Blake Wong, Cheyane Haunani Kamai, Lisa Letoto-Ohata and Kody Limasa-Viena, said Aunty Nona Kamai, alaka'i of the civic club. Two students will attend University of Hawai'i at Hilo, three will attend UH Mānoa, and one will attend Honolulu Community College. The luncheon included presentations of anniversary certificates by state Sen. Brickwood Galuteria and House Speaker Calvin Say, entertainment by Aunty Nickie Hines, Sonja Friedland and Leila Markham, and comedy by Frank De Lima, who "provided many laughs with his special humor," Kamai noted in a letter to KWO.

UH Hilo's Kīpuka awarded grant to expand

The University of Hawai'i at Hilo received over $1.7 million from the federal Department of Education, part of a $6.4 million grant to Hawai'i colleges from the Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions program. The program helps schools enhance the quality of academic programs while improving institutional management and maintaining sound fiscal policies.

UH Hilo's share will be used to expand the Kīpuka Native Hawaiian Student Center by 1,000 square feet, enabling the center to develop and improve Native Hawaiian academic curriculum and establish a multi-cultural development program for faculty and staff. The project will also install more solar panels to generate 30 kilowatts to supplement the 10 kilowatts produced by existing solar paneling.

"The center has become an important gathering place for students and faculty," said Gail Makuakāne-Lundin, project director for the expansion. "That role takes on added importance as our Native Hawaiian student population has grown to comprise more than 21 percent of our total student body."

Mary Beth Santos has been appointed Office Manager of Hui No Ke Ola Pono, Inc.

Hui No Ke Ola Pono promotion

Mary Beth Santos has been appointed Office Manager of Hui No Ke Ola Pono, Inc., the Native Hawaiian Health Care System serving Native Hawaiians on Maui. Santos will work closely with the administrative team to coordinate and oversee all aspects of the day-to-day operations of the agency. Most recently, Santos worked as the Human Resources Clerk for HNKOP and has 10 years of experience working as an Administrative Assistant. Hui No Ke Ola Pono is a private, non-profit, community-based health enhancement and disease prevention health care center. It is one of the five Native Hawaiian Health Care Systems created under the Native Hawaiian Health Care Act of 1988 and reauthorized under the Native Hawaiian Health Care Improvement Act of 1992. It provides health care for the community of Maui in a culturally caring, sensitive and appropriate manner and works within the standard of conduct that reflects Hawaiian values. For more information, visit huinomaui.org.

OHA Kaua'i office moving Sept. 1

The OHA office on Kaua'i will be in a new home on September 1. The office, home to community resource coordinator Kaliko Santos and clerk Noalani Oba, is a place for folks to register for OHA's Hawaiian Registry, to help build a nation with Kau Inoa, to make payments on OHA loans, to find out how OHA programs can make a difference, or to just come by and talk story. The office will remain in Līhu'e, moving just a short distance from the Līhu'e Town Center at 3-3100 Kūhiō Highway to the Līhu'e Plantation Building behind First Hawaiian Bank at 2970 Kele Street, #113. The telephone number, (808) 241-3390, will not change after the move.

Proposed Pacific Islander healthcare cuts spur protest

Micronesians who reside in Hawai'i are concerned about Governor Linda Lingle's plan to cut them out of the state's Quest Medicaid program. State officials say the move can save the state $15 million annually to be placed back into the budget for prescription drug coverage for Medicaid clients. However, members of the community group Micronesians United earlier this month protested the move with a rally at the State Capitol. They say the cuts would violate the Compact of Free Association, under which U.S. economic assistance goes to residents of three Micronesian sovereign nations, including the Federated State of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands and Palau in exchange for U.S. military use of the island nations – including some missile testing.

Under the compact, the Micronesians are legal residents in Hawai'i, but are not automatically citizens. As noncitizens, their Hawai'i Medicaid costs are reimbursed by the federal government but at a rate nearly ninety percent lower than that which applies to U.S. citizens.

If the cuts are implemented as announced after September 1, affected Micronesians would be switched to Basic Health Hawai'i. Micronesians in opposition say the plan would leave them without enough money to cover the cost of treatment for diabetes and other chronic diseases requiring regular management.

According to a 2003 U.S. census study, about 8,000 Micronesian migrants live in Hawai'i. The largest group is the Marshallese, many of whom suffer from diseases associated with radiation from U.S. nuclear weapons testing conducted from the mid-1940's through the mid-1950's.

Research by Dr. Neal Palafox at the John A. Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawai'i shows that the overall population of Micronesian migrants in Hawai'i suffer health disparities similar to those of Native Hawaiians, including a higher than average incidence of type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases that the research says is associated with a transition from dependence on subsistence living to a Western lifestyle. Like Native Hawaiians, Micronesians are also disproportionately represented in the state's Quest program for low-income individuals.

Because federally designated migrant status enables Micronesians unlimited stay in any state including Hawai'i, the logical choice for the indigenous peoples of the Western Pacific Islands, critics have said that the federal government should foot more of bill for the Micronesian healthcare costs, so that the state can cover its obligation to its own citizen-residents.

U.S. Congressman Neil Abercrombie is addressing this concern in proposing an amendment to the House version of healthcare reform legislation, under which federal matching funds would help the State Department of Human Services pay for Micronesian medical coverage.

DLNR modifies after-hours answering service

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources has started using an automated phone service to handle calls received after hours to report violations of state natural and cultural resources laws, the department said in a news release. The change, which began Aug. 1, affects calls received outside the normal business hours of 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. seven days a week. That means that after-hours calls on both weekdays and weekends to the toll-free 643-DLNR (643-3567) number will be answered by a voicemail service that will prompt callers to leave a recorded message with specific information, including the type of resource violation, where the violation occurred and contact information so officers may follow up with them on information and enforcement response.

Officers on duty will check the recordings regularly and respond as available, the release said. The 643-DLNR number will continue to be answered by enforcement staff seven days a week from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. On weekdays, calls received during business hours are received at the respective district office for the county where the call is placed, and on weekends, calls will be answered by Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement staff on O'ahu. DLNR said officers will track violation trends and couple that with a new computer-based reporting system that will become operational in the fall. It will use that information as a basis for better addressing resource violations by area and type of offense, DLNR said.

The live answering system began in October 2006 to receive, review and refer calls relating to DLNR enforcement and other emergency matters. From July 1, 2008, to June 20, 2009, the answering service received 2,411 calls, the release said.

Blog posting documents challenging statehood

Statehood Hawai'i is posting documents challenging the traditional story of statehood on its blog, in a countdown to Admission Day, which will be marked with a state holiday Aug. 21.

"Many of these documents have been acquired through a research grant from Hawai'i Council for Humanities, and are part of an ongoing project that examines Hawai'i's statehood process through correspondences," Statehood Hawai'i project director Arnie Saiki said in news release. Saiki said many of the documents have been previously classified and will be useful to historians and researchers as well as those interested in Hawai'i's statehood process.

"These documents will help resolve some of the arguments we may have been hearing about Hawai'i's statehood, but they will also raise new stimulating questions." Statehood Hawai'i is a Honolulu-based nonprofit that promotes dialog on Hawai'i statehood. Find the blog at statehoodhawaii.org/wp/index.php/category/statehood-countdown.