Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 2, Number 9, 1 September 1985 — Council of Hawaiian Elders Established at Kona Meeting [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Council of Hawaiian Elders Established at Kona Meeting

By Ruby McDonald West Hawaii Community Resource Specialist

Dr. Rubellite Kawena Johnson and Prof. Kaiani Meineeke drew upon a precedent set by an ancient Hawaiian society to establish the Council of Hawaiian Elders on the grounds of historic Hulihe'e Palaee beside ke kai malino a'o Kona. In so doing, Dr. Johnson credited the successful formation of this eouneil to

the office of Hawaiian Affairs' Culture/Education Committee

for Immediātely granting "seed" money in keeping with OHA's master plan whieh mandates promoting the continued revival, enhancement, preservation and perpetuation of Hawaiian culture. The nine-member eouneil is composed of the following Kupuna who represent their respective islands — Minerva Keawe, Molokai; Margaret Aipolani, Kauai; Lilia Hale and Gregory Kalahikiola Nali'ieiua (Papa Kala), Oahu; Aliee Kuloloio and David Ka'alakea, Maui; Solomon Ka'opuiki, Lanai; Daniel Ka'opio, Niihau; and Robert Keakealani, Hawaii. Purpose of the eouneil, as explained by Prof. Meineeke, is to: • Give dignity and stature to our Hawaiian kupuna as authorities and valued transmitters of the Hawaiian heritage.

• Afford our Hawaiian Kupuna a platform and a united voice for their concerns and opinions on issues affecting the Hawaiian heritage, language, culture, values and perspective. Jndsnn I Rrnwn. chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Sealaska Heritage Foundation in Alaska, spoke about similarities in the Hawaiian and Tlingit ancestries. He also talked about the early formation of the aboriginal organization of the Alaskan Native Brotherhood whieh was a counterforce toward discrimination in voting, schools, church and theaters. Brown is a member of the Tlingit Nation, Eagle Moity, Killerwhale Clan. His Tlingit name is Shaw Kaw Kounee. OHA and the King Kamehameha Celebration Com mission, Kona Genealogical Society and Carefree Tours and Travel jointly sponsored the meeting. The Daughters of Hawaii already has taken advantage of the services of the new organization by utilizing the expertise of Kupuna Keakealani a few days later. He shared his mana'o by answering questions on the historical significance and value of several items found on the Hulihe'e Palaee grounds and in the translation of Hawaiian plaee names in Kona. The Kamehameha Schools in their oral history program also consulte'd Kupuna Keakealani who is known for being eloquent in Na Mea Hawaii. OHA Trustees Moses K. Keale and Gard Kealoha, who chairs the Culture/Education Committee, were among those

present for the organizational meeting. The Council of Hawaiian Elders at their organizational meeting, from left to right, Papa Kala (partially hidden), Kupuna Robert Keakealani, Hawaii; Kupuna Minerva Keawe, Molokai; Judson L. Brown, Tlingit lndian leader from Alaska; Kupuna Margaret Aipolani, Kauai; Kupuna Lilia Hale, Oahu; Kupuna Solomon Kaopuiki, Lanai; Kupuna Aliee Kuloloio, Maui. In background directly behind Kupuna Keawe is Kupuna David Kaalakea, Maui.