Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 9, Number 12, 1 Kekemapa 1992 — Civic clubs add new focus on Hawaiian health [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Civic clubs add new focus on Hawaiian health

by Deborah Ward For members of tbe Kaua'i district eouneil of tbe Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, their troubles were compounded when, along with homes and businesses, year-long plans to host the associa-

tion's annual convention were blown away in one night by Hurricane 'Iniki. The convention was originally planned for Kaua'i but extensive damage to the Stouffer Waiohai Resort in Poipu meant finding a new loeahon. With only two months to go, convention coordinator Walter Rodenhurst Jr. found suitable room for the convention functions at the Kona Surf Hotel in Keauhou, site of its 1988 convention. The Kona Hawaiian Civic Club to took over a multitude of tasks with true "hiki no" spirit and the 33rd annual convention of the AOHCC was ready to roll. Nearly 500 club members and their families attended the Nov. 11-15 event, whose theme, "'lmi Na'auao," means "seek knowledge, education and wisdom." Rodenhurst said civic club members sent food, clothing and money to the people of Kaua'i, as well as medical supplies to Ho'o Lāhui Hawai'i, native Hawaiian heahh center. the O'ahu and Hawai'i councils arranged to bring nine Kaua'i delegates to the convention. Net proceeds from convention events will go to the Kaua'i eouneil. State of the Association On the second day of official convention business, outgoing president Jalna Keala reflected on the many accomplishments of the association in her five years in office. During that time, Keala said, the association took the historic step of creating a new mainland eouneil of clubs, adopted a new eonstitution, began participation in the Hui Na'auao sovereignty education project, increased civic club involvement in heahh promotion for Hawaiians, was instrumental in supporting Hawaiian participation in the 1990 census with outreach to Hawaiian communities, conducted educational panels on the status of the Hawaiian Home Lands trust and OHAstate negotiations on the ceded land trust, raised funds for hundreds of educational scholarships, and mueh more. The AOHCC also testified at hearings held on Hawaiian issues by the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Indian Affairs, headed by Sen. Inouye. Keala expects club members to eonhnue studying the issues surrounding Hawaiian sovereignty. To keep members informed, a new benefits and entitlements eommihee was created to monitor the Hawaiian Home Lands program, ceded lands trust, state and federal claims and matters of Hawaiian sovereignty. She credited the persistence of Dr. George H. Mills with getting civic club members working to improve the heahh of Hawaiians. In August, Keala attended a Native Ameiiean conference on cancer held by the Nahonal Cancer Institute. There, she

was elected co-chair of the Hawaiian/Samoan eoalition. She will be meeting quarterly with native Hawaiian heahh professionals, the Department of Heahh, Hawai'i Cancer Research Center, UH medieal school, Wai'anae Coast Comprehensive Heahh

|Center and the Office of Samoan Affairs in order to work for improved Hawaiian and Samoan heahh. Hawaiian healthmatters Health was a visible focus of the convention. More than 200 participated in free heahh screenings for blood pressure, blood sugar, body fat analysis, cholesterol, and for dental heahh and breast cancer. Representatives from five native Hawaiian heahh care systems were on hand to provide culturally sensitive follow-up care for civic club members. Club members also heard from Claudia Baquet, new deputy assistant secretarv for minoritv heahh in the

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and from Dr. John Lewin, director of the state Department of Heahh. Baquet hopes to increase federal attention to native Hawaiian heahh problems, and to establish closer ties with Hawai'i via the state Department of Health and Office of Hawaiian Heahh. Lewin said Hawaii's biggest challenge is Hawaiian health and that his agency has a 10-year goal to make it equal to or better than the rest of the state. He said it is"tragic" Hawaiian heahh is the worst in the state. He asked the AOHCC to support efforts to get federal govemment funding for native Hawaiians, and called for universal heahh insurance as the next step for the nation. New officers elected President-elect H. K. Bruss Keppeler is a Honolulu attorney whose practice emphasizes business and real property as well as estate planning and probate. Keppeler most recently served as first vice president of AOHCC. Also elected to serve two-year terms were: Arthur A. Hoke (HCC of Ka'u) first vice president; Pi'ilani Desha (Prince Kuhio HCC) second vice president, and treasurer Ethelreda Kahalewai (Pu'uloa HCC). The new mainland eouneil president is Andy Berard (Lili'uokalani HCC). Resolutions Many resolutions that were introduced reflect the active interest the civic eluh movement is taking in Hawaiian self-determination and in charting a new course of pride as the centennial of the overthrow approaches. Resolutions were passed: • urging the state legislature to rename those facilities bearing the name of Sanford B. Dole, who was instrumental in the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy and govemment. In debate, proponents said the purpose of the resolution is to raise public consciousness about those who were disloyal to the Queen and the nation of Hawai'i. They defended the resolution as "a position taken not in anger but in justice, " and "an attempt by a colonized people to take back our history." Opponents urged that Hawaiians "need to heal Hawai'i in the future, not rip ourselves apart in the past," and asked whether this might lead to a purge of any and all actions of the past. • recognizing La Ho'iho'i Ea. This resolution seeks to rename the July 31 Hawaiian Flag Day holiday "La Ho'iho'i Ea," to more appropriately recognize the restoration of Hawaiian sovereignty on July 31, 1843, and to inspire and reflect Hawaiian aspirations for self-determination. It commemorates the return of Hawaii's sovereignty by Admiral Thomas

on behalf of the British government, following the seizure of power by Lord Paulet. A eompanion resolution, whieh did not pass, advocated changing the state motto to "E mau ke ea o ka 'aina i ka pono." The resolution reads "Ua mau ke ea o ka 'aina i ka pono is a statement referring specifically to the occasion of the restoration of sovereignty to Hawai'i in July 1843." This phrase, spoken by King Kamehameha III, is the state motto. The resolution argues that Hawai'i at present is not sovereign but rather a U.S. possession and that sovereignty would be best affirmed by using the present/future tense "E mau" instead of past tense. Also adopted by the general body were resolutions: • opposing all legislation whieh erodes the powers of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. This refers specifically to Acts 221 and 304 of the 1990 state legislature whieh amended Chapter 10, HRS to transfer or confer upon the legislature and the governor the right to review and evaluate OHA practices whieh impact revenues ffom the public land trust. The resolution finds this legislation interferes with OHA's exercise of sovereign control over revenues ffom the ceded land trust and is not in keeping with the right of Hawaiians to manage their own affairs; • opposing the state's use of the assets of private Hawaiian and the public land trusts without just compensation; • opposing any action whieh erodes the public land trust; • calling for Ahu'ena heiau at Kamakahonu, Kailua-Kona, Hawai'i to be named a state monument, with restoration and maintenance under the fiscal control of the Ahu'ena Restoration Committee; • urging state protection of Ka'u cultural sites ; • urging the government of Hawai'i to name the state library of Hawai'i adjacent 'Iolani Palaee, the Samuel Manaiakalani Kamakau Library; and to plaee a plaque describing his accomplishments; • recommending a special fund be established to provide grants and/or scholarships to encourage Hawaiians to enter the field of education.

Claire Huges and JoAnn Tsark coordinated the health and dental screening at the convention. More than 200 took part.