Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 2, Number 6, 1 Iune 1985 — Strangers in our Own Land [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Strangers in our Own Land

By Moanikeala Akaka Trustee, Hawaii

The plight of native Hawaiians forced to live upon the beaches point out the seriousness of our struggle for survival. These are not "beach people," but descendants of the original inhabitants of these islands. Governor George R. Ariyoshi in December gave back 28,000 acres of Department of Hawaiian Home

Lands, some of whieh is at Waimanalo Beach. The sincerity of that gesture ean be proven by opening up at least part of that beach area for native Hawaiian occupancy. It is our 'aina; we have collected no rent for those 28,000 acres of land whieh past governors appropriated for public use since the 1930's. The tragic circumstances surrounding the attempted suicide at Waimanalo Beach last month is not an isolated instance; but rather it reflects the awesome burden placed upon native Hawaiians in these islands today . Mayor Frank F. Fasi has an obligation to the native Hawaiian community on Oahu who were instrumental in electing him. Yet, he has the audacity to send Managing Director D. G. Anderson (who would like to be the next Governor) to arrest the Hawaiians living at Makapu'u Beach. Anderson, a part Hawaiian, ought to be ashamed of himself for arresting and treating like criminals his own people who are homeless, strangers in our own homeland. Anderson only caters to the rich who ean afford his expensive John Dominis Restaurant. The Democratic Party has been no better to the native Hawaiians than the Republicans. The State has consistently moved against many Hawaiians — not just those living at Sand Island, Kuka'i'limoku Village (Kona), Makua Beach — but Hale Mohalu and the Hilo Airport runway on Labor Day 1978.

We Hawaiians cannot allow ourselves to be used as pawns; to be manipulated by the two major political parties. Fasi a few weeks ago in his office assured this trustee and Office of Hawaiian Affairs staff member Ke'alaaumoe Ako that he knew it was the Hawaiian people who elected him Mayor and that he "owes the Hawaiian people." This same Fasi a few days later at the State Republican convention in Kona says, "it was the Republicans that elected Frank Fasi, Mayor!" according to the Big Island's Hawaii Tribune-Herald. The oft-used phrase of "talking out of both sides of the mouth," makes us realize how we must watch these politicians and not allow them to use or abuse the Hawaiian vote any longer. Hawaiian problems are many! We need kokua and action — not waha. Verbal pollution is all we seem to be getting from these politicians. An OHA ad hoe beach committee headed by Trustee Thomas K. (Unele Tommy) Kaulukukui Sr. is now working jointly with the proper State and City government divisions, DHHL, churches, private individuals and other agencies to address the "homeless" situation. In doing so, they will also attempt to find solutions to the related vicious cyc!e of poverty, laek of educational and job training skills and landlessness facing those forced to !ive on the beaches today. In May your OHA trustees voted unanimously for a moratorium on statewide beach arrests. The board also reaffirmed its support of Ke Kanawai Mamalahoa, the Law of the Splintered Paddle. This is not only an ancient law but an amendment to the State constitution whieh should be implemented and enforced. OHA has the moral obligation to help these Hawaiians in their time of need and desperation. We trustees were elected to "better the conditions of the Hawaiian people." If the foolish Hilo, Waimea and Moloka'i Airport land exchanges go through, we native Hawaiians stand to lose a quarter of a million dollars a year. Would it not be wiser to reject this exchange and use that same money to aeeommodate Hawaiians forced to live a marginal existence on the beaches? Remember that many of these people are on the DHHL waiting list. Overnight there are millions of dollars being made available for housing and education of military personnel. We Hawaiians, meanwhile, natives of this land, are relegated to the status of refugees, pushed from plaee to plaee — marginalized. Thus we are made strangers in our own land. This is an excellent time to return some of the Aloha we Hawaiians have shared with the world. Ua mau ke ea o ka 'aina i ka pono. Malama pono!