Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 20, Number 2, 1 Pepeluali 2003 — Now is the time, 'urgent' is the word [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Now is the time, 'urgent' is the word

May it please the beneficiaries of the public land trust for whieh I am a trustee, I am Judge Boyd P. Mossman, retired, and a recently elected trustee for OHA from Maui. Aloha kākou. This is my first Ka Wai Ola article and likely my last. And so I hope what I say will have some interest and meaning to those who may read it. Over the past twenty years or so I have perused Ka Wai Ola but rarely read the comments of its trustees. The view I had of OHA's eontentious past discouraged me from becoming interested or involved in its affairs. When I recently saw, however what was happening with the muhiple lawsuits filed against OHA and other Hawaiian entities, I felt the need to do something about it. In addition, the urgency created by the threat of losing these lawsuits compelled me to conclude that should I become a trustee, I would encourage the Board to set the proper example, and be Iess politician and more trustee. The current mix of trustees is conducive to that goal though one cannot expect to eliminate old feelings, feuds, and territo-

rial disputes overnight. And so I plan to 1) work together with the Board for the beneficiaries and not as the lone stranger 2) continue to insist upon less politics and more trust 3) support the leadership of the Board rather than constantly finding fault and 4) adhere to the Strategic Plan and it's implementation. If we do this together, then will we truly become a board of trustees. Now though there are many, many worthy and needy Hawaiian causes to still be addressed by OHA, we need to set our priorities such that we don't end up with nothing. If we lose, you lose, and so will all the people of Hawaii. With a committed Governor, a Hawaiian Lt. Governor, a senior congressional team, a sympathetic legislature, stable governanee by OHA, and an auspicious new beginning in the rains of Pauoa as the legislative session began, the time has eome to exert our greatest and most united efforts ever on recognition, nationhood, ceded lands and defending the lawsuits. Please understand that now is the time to unite in purpose that we might preserve ke ea o ka 'āina. It is urgent that we establish an entity

that will guide a new nation through it's successful birth and development, obtain the recognition of Congress, and build upon this to help defend our cases in the courts. If we don't put aside our differences and work together, if we stubbornly insist upon our own agendas, if we fail to appreciate the dire eonsequences of our failure to act together for ourselves and future generations, then we deserve the inevitable results whieh will be the lf we don't put aside our differences and work together, if we stubbornly insist upon our own agendas ... then we deserve the inevitable results whieh wili be the loss of every program, benefit, assistance or aid now provided Hawaiians and Native Hawaiians.

loss of every program, benefit, assistance or aid now provided Hawaiians and Native Hawaiians — no OHA, no Alu Like, no Hawaiian Home Lands, no federal aid, no ceded lands ineome, etc. "Hawaiians" will be all people who live in Hawaii. There will be no "indigenous Hawaiians" as we will all be "equal". There will be no Hawaiian culture or people, as we know them today. The State of Hawai'i will be no different than any other state except that, we will have no recognized Indian nations wilhin our boundaries. Is this the Hawaii you want for your children and grandchildren? I plan to do all I ean to save our land, our people, and our culture. Paio like kākou. E ola mau ka lāhui Hawai'i. Let us practice the values of our ancestors to include aloha, lōkahi, ikaika and pono — He 'ohana nō kākou. Trustee Mossman's space will hereafter be offered to OHA administrators to provide you with current information on operations at OHA and the campaign for nationhood and recognition. ■

Boyd P. Mossman Trustee, Maui