Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 2, Number 1, 1 January 1982 — Koʻu Mana'o iʻo mai Ka Kahuwaiwai luna Hoʻomalu [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Koʻu Mana'o iʻo mai Ka Kahuwaiwai luna Hoʻomalu

By Mrs. A. Frenchy DeSoto X

J. he Hawaiian community has experienced over the past weeks, what may be described by some, as an unnatural phenomenon - the ability of our community to lōkāhi, to rise and act as an organized community. Witness the several thousands who participated, first at the OHA community meetings, and then at the federal Native Hawaiian Study Commission hearings. There are some skeptics/cynics who choose to view our collective response to the aforementioned meetings as "a flash in the pan" action, hinging on the brink of emotional hysteria, laced with symbolic rabble rousing. I choose to believe that the Hawai'i community is ready, willing, and able to lōkāhi for one important reason: to enable us to take action as a unit. Our inability to lōkāhi effectively in the past may be seen as the result of two specific reasons: first, Hawaiians have not united in any eommon effort or, second, conflicting efforts essentially eaneel eaeh other out This inability has resulted in hostility,tension and frustration without positve action or results. If our community ean act col!ectively in addressing the myriad of problems that face it, then it is effective. If it cannot, then

it is ineffective, although there may be a great deal of apparent organization. I further believe that the Hawai'i community is experiencing the rea!ity of it's condition and, because of this experience, is ready to take on the challenge of recentering the balance of social, political and eeonomie power for all Hawai'i. If battles are to be won, food grown, equal educational opportunities and cultural preservation realized, then there must be lōkahi! For some of us, depending upon our need to maintain the status quo, the process of change ean be unsettling and sometimes psychologically painful. It is the responsibility of all of us to lend support and aloha to those not experiencing the reality of our condition. Many actions need to take plaee before we ean become a strong voice. The commitment for action must be made by you - all of you. Now that the first of the federal Native Hawaiian Study Commission hearings are pau, many of us are asking ourselves, "Now what?" Perhaps it is timely for you to explore with me a fundamental commitment that may appear on the surface to be simple but, in fact, may be the most challenging and important commitment that you make in a long time.

• Make a commitment to register and vote in both OHA and regular elections. In addition, make sure that everyone you know that is qualified, registers and votes. Politicians only recognize your need for change by your voting strength. • Know whoyourrepresentatives are in the state legislature, country councils and at the federal level and let them know how you feel. • Be aware of politicians who are not sympathetic to our conditions and who are not committed to assist us. Refuse to support their election or ree!ection. It is my belief that the federal, state, and county governments must choose from the following two positions: "lt's not that mueh of a problem." OR "We've got a big problem right here at home." Only the second ehoiee is acceptable to us. And they will make the second ehoiee only if we Hawaiians paek the voting booths. Hana ka mea pololei me kealoha Mahalo