Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 17, Number 2, 1 Pepeluali 2000 — He aha kou manaʻo? [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

He aha kou manaʻo?

On Jan. 1 9, Ka Wai Ola staff attended the opening of the 2 1 st session of the State Legislature and posed the following question to citizens and some of the legislators elected to sewe them:

I «I would like to see them , I address the issue of indepen- - Idence, and get prepared to I relinquish their authority. Most of I our legislators are woefully uninJ terested in the notion of a HawaiI ian nation. There needs to be I some kind of activity here that ] would start to educate them. No I one has taken into consideration this whole thing will eome down soon."

ur\ ur biggest priority for Native |Hawaiians are all issues. V/They have to help prioritize. Ceded land is one of the biggest issues. We are still looking at our elections bill to get our Hawaiian Homes commissioners elected, not appointed. I will support any other Hawaiian who comes before the legislature."

"I think they should focus on |education. My son is at UH iMānoa, and we've discussed the issue of tuition waivers, but he was lucky to get a scholarship from 'Aha Pūnana Leo, and he is graduating this year. Also, as a kumu, I need to go to the mountains to piek up our greenery for hula. That right should not be taken away."

li |don't really see the LegislaI ture having any real affect lon Hawaiian programs, per se. They must show leadership and do their job. Take care of the economy and tend to social and eeonomie needs of the people. If they ean take of everyone, then Hawaiians will be fine. I see the kuleana of Hawaiians belonging to Hawaiians, not the governor or the Legislature. To the extent that OHA is designated as the lead state agency to benefit Hawaiian, I would hope they would work with the Legislature on Hawaiians' behalf."

"What should the legislature focus on this session to positively affect Native Hawaiians ?"

Leon Seu Honolulu

lola Balubar Wailuku

Tony Sang Waimānalo

Lurline McGreggor 'Ālewa