Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 18, Number 6, 1 June 2001 — Makaʻala ke kanaka kāhea manu [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Makaʻala ke kanaka kāhea manu

John D. Waihe'e IV Trustee, At-large

One who wishes to succeed should be alert to every opportunity, like one who catches birds by imitating their cries. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, caught in a tug-of-war between aspects of being a perpetual trust and a quasi-government agency, has developed some unproductive qualities. Whether it has been a sense of paranoid fiscalconservation, the incapability of agreement, or just an inordinate focus on the same old tired busi-

nesses, many golden opportunities have passed us by. Fortunately, as the spring of opportunity flows eternal, for every one missed another arises. The ehanee for OHA to acquire Waimea Valley on 0'ahu's North Shore is one such opportunity. The Acquisition of Waimea Valley should not necessarily be viewed as a purchase, but as a shifting of some of OHA's investments. Currently OHA's portfolio, whieh has recently been fluctuating between $300 million and $400 million, is almost

entirely in stocks and bonds. Diversifying the portfolio to include land investments would lessen our dependence on the market. Should OHA receive Waimea Valley's nearly 1,900 acres at around the city's appraisal of $5.5 million, it would not only be a valuable investment, but one that our beneficiaries could see and experience. From a cultural standpoint, obtaining Waimea Valley for the Hawaiian people is awesome. From its 6,000 types of plants, including

400 endangered indigenous species, to its two major heiaus, including Pu'u O Mahuka — the largest sacrificial temple on O'ahu, Waimea Valley is truly the quintessence of Hawaiian culture. Who better to not only understand, but to perpetuate and protect these treasures than the Office of Hawaiian Affairs? Having a plaee where Hawaiians could gather together would also help give OHA an identity. See WAIHE'E on page 10