Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 6, Number 10, 1 ʻOkakopa 1989 — State Homestead Council outlines position [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

State Homestead Council outlines position

By Ann L. Moore The official policies of the State Council of Hawaiian Homestead Associations include maintaining the blood quantum requirement for homestead lots at 50 percent for the present, with a possibility, in future, of lowering it over a period of time; and support for the movement for self-gover-nanee, or self-government, so Hawaiians ean manage their own affairs. The policies were announced by SCHHA President Kamaki Kanahele during the Senate Select Committee on Indian Affairs hearings in August. In a statement at the Maui session on Aug. 10, Kanahele said the objective of the SCHHA is to unite the combined efforts of all homestead associations for the betterment of native Hawaiian homesteaders. The eouneil consists of 23 homestead associations representing approximately 27,000 native Hawaiians, he said. The eouneil met in Hilo July 21-23 for its second yearly conference and formulated the official position on many issues. Kanahele said the SCHHA supports maintaining the present Homestead Act because amendments at this time would simply be a BandAid approach. The SCHHA asked the senate oversight eommittee for help in researching many areas including a review of an exemption of taxes on Homestead lands for lessees as holders of trust lands.

An examination of the status of the Federal State Task Force Report was requested, including the judicial review. Conceming ceded lands, the SCHHA said it feels the state has made too many attempts to break both the Home Lands and Ceded Lands trusts and has not asked for parti-

cipation by beneficianes in consultation or deliberations. A federal audit of the lands in both trusts was requested. SCHHA asked the committee to review policies on native Hawaiian water rights on homestead lands with a view towards recommending financial support for management of water resources by homesteaders. Further SCHHA asked for access to farm loans and financiai support for rurai eeonomie development. Kanahele said the association wants a review of the Hawaiian's right to sue in federal courts and asked that experts at the federal level assist the homesteaders. The SCHHA spoke of the housing situation on Home Lands and the need for utilities infrastructure and asked that legal obstacles be removed so native Hawaiians could obtain low interest home construction loans. Further the group wants major financial federal support for the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands for planning and management, for infrastructure and housing, and for housing and health care for the elderly Hawaiians. The state eouneil requested a review of the native Hawaiian rights to practice their traditional culture and worship through access to traditional religious and sacred places and through participation in all endeavors of the traditional Hawaiian way of life such as fishing, hunting, and gathering on Homestead lands and in surrounding areas.

SCHHA president Kamaki A. Kanahele^^