Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 6, Number 3, 1 March 1989 — Definition of Native Hawaiian, Ceded Lands [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Definition of Native Hawaiian, Ceded Lands

OHA To Wait On Constitutional Amendments

by Ed Miehelman, Public lnformation Officer The State Senate apparently has decided to put off until the next session of the legislature eonsideration of OHA's request for two important amendments to the state constitution. OHA's had introduced a bill to plaee before Hawaii's voters the question of whether there should be a single definition of "native Hawaiian"

as well as an expansion of the ceded land trust to benefit Hawaiians of less than 50 percent native blood. The decision to hold the bill eame after a public hearing before the Senate Committee on Housing and Hawaiian Programs, chaired by Senator Mike Crozier. Apparently some committee members had questions about the bill whieh could not be immediately resolved. However, Senator Crozier

noted during a speech on the Senate floor, "This issue of blood quantum is still here. It must be resolved so that the Office of Hawaiian Affairs ean truly begin to have the positive effect whieh so many of us believe in our hearts it ean accomplish. The Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian AĪffairs want to allay any misunderstanding and misgiving and are willing to have an educational program to make Hawaiians and Native Hawaiians aware of all aspects of the 'blood quantum' issue." Crozier concluded, "I believe in the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and as a part-Hawaiian, a senator and as the chairman of the Housing and Hawaiian Affairs Committee, I publicly state that I recognize the Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs as the duly elected leaders of the Hawaiian people. I will extend to them all privileges and courtesies merited to an institution whieh is charged with the grave responsibilities it must shoulder." Crozier recommended an appropriation in the amount of $60,000 for OHA to reinforce its previous educational program informing the Hawaiian community of all aspects of the blood quantum issue. He also suggested an additional balloting process. OHA Vice-Chairman Rod Burgess said in view of the decision to hold the bill this session, a further concerted effort will be made to demonstrate tq, individual Hawaiians as well as to the various Hawaiian organizations that the single definition option is "the best course for all our people, a course whieh will insure that we will survive and flourish as a race. "If further clarification of the long term impact of a single definition is needed, we weleome the opportunity to explore the various ramifications of See Amendments, Page 2

At a February 4 press conference, OHA trustees announced their proposed amendments to the state constitution. Left to right: Clarence Ching, Rod Burgess, Thomas Kaulukukui, Moanikeala Akaka, and Manu Kahaiali'i.

I Amendments, continued from page 1

that decision." When SB1264 was submitted early last month, OHA Chairman Thomas K. Kaulukukui noted the first proposed constitutional amendment would carry out the wishes of the Hawaiian people as exI pressed during the November 1988 OHA referendum. That referendum asked whether Hawaiians favor the adoption of a single definition for native Hawaiians without regard to a specific amount of Hawaiian blood. In November, OHA mailed ballots with this question to the 63,450 registered OHA voters. There were 19,643 ballots returned, or 30percent of registered OHA voters. Of those Hawaiians who voted in the mail-in referendum, 84.6 percent, a clear majority, voted in favor of a single definition for native Hawaiian. "The second proposed change to the OHA section of Hawaii's constitution, "Kaulukukui said, "would implement a prime recommendation of the State Legislative auditor. The 'Final Report on the Public Land Trust,' submitted to the Legislature in 1986, says that all public lands should be included in the Public Land Trust." OHA is currently entitled to 20 percent of the ineome from certain trust lands. The legislative auditor's report states that the present system of trying to distinguish between trust and non-trust lands causes confusion in accounting and requires costly surveys and title searches. The report recommends that all public !ands be held in the Ceded Land (or Public Land) Trust "in keeping with the trust concept that dates back to annexation." The two questions OHA asked to be placed on the ballot are as follows: "Shall the public trust be expanded to include all state lands, the ineome from those lands, and the proceeds from the disposition of those lands?" "Shall 'native Hawaiian,' for the purposes of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, mean any descendant of the aboriginal peop!es inhabiting the Hawaiian Islands whieh exercised sovereignty and subsisted in the Hawaiian Islands in 1778, and whieh peoples thereafter have continued to reside in Hawai'i?" Burgess said he is hopeful the constitutional amendments will be placed on the 1990 general election ballot for approval by all of Hawaii's voters.