Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 20, Number 3, 1 March 2003 — Leo 'Elele [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Leo 'Elele

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OHA testimony before Congress highlighted political history and indigenous status

H nani Apoliona, MSW j Trustee, At-large

Aloha mai e nā 'ōiwi 'ōlino. This article is intended to share portions of the testimony whieh I presented Feb. 25 before the United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs regarding S.344 (eompanion bill is H.R. 665), the Native Hawaiian Recognition Bill introduced recently by our Hawai'i Senators Inouye and Akaka and Congressmen Abercrombie and Case. The basis for the testimony was a unanimous vote of the Board of Trustees Feb. 14 "That the Office of Hawaiian Affairs supports the intent of S.344 and the House Companion in the 108th Congress on Federal Recognition provided that the Office of Hawaiian Affairs reserves its right to offer substantive amendments to this measure, as appropriate." The following are abbreviated points whieh we shared in support of the measure, as an initial signfficant step toward reconciliation and recognition of Native Hawaiians by the United States government. The relationship between the United States and the State of Hawai'i and the Native Hawaiian people is a matter of written record. Congress itself provided a factual account of the illegal overthrow of 1893 and the annexation of 1898 in the Apology Bill, P.L. 103-150,

passed in 1993. We have provided in our formal testimony some history, cultural insights and legal citations, as well, for consideration. Reconciliation, described as a desired outcome of the passage of P.L. 103-150, and Recognition for Native Hawaiians, recommended in the Oct. 23, 2000 joint report of the Department of Interior and Department of Justice entitled, "Mauka to Makai: The River of Justice Must Flow Freely," have thus far been denied Native Hawaiians. Our centuries old culture, society, history, language, relationships and spiritual traditions flourished in the Hawaiian archipelago before the first western contact and live on today despite over two centuries of contact with the West, despite more than a century of domination by an alien culture, and despite the threat of assimilation and cultural genocide. Our traditional practices, recognized by the State of Hawaii, deserve recognition and protection from the federal government as well. The inseparable connectedness between the Native Hawaiian and our natural environment — the land, oeean, plant and animal life -goes far beyond the western ideologies of a market economy. An ancient cosmogonic chant of creation known as the Kumulipo or

"source ffom the dark" teaches the sibling relationship of all forms of life in the universe. This relates directly to our close connection with the land and our concept of aloha āina (care for the land). Hawaiian recognition is about fairness and justice. The right of self-determination has been extended to the indigenous people of every state in the union save one — the Hawaiians. S.344 and its House eompanion H.R. 665 are initial but significant steps on the path toward reconciling historic wrongs to Hawaiians and advancing Hawaiians through federal recog-nition toward a political relationship with the United States of America. While Hawaiian ali'i (monarchs) such as Queen Lili'uokalani worked nearly alone in trying to gain the attention of congressional leaders in the 19th century in pursuit of reconciling history for our people, Native Hawaiians in the 21st century are joined by other citizens and indigenous people in this country who stand with us in our pursuit of federal recognition and recon-ciliation. For this we are grateful. Indeed, we do not stand alone. We stand with the two other indigenous peoples of Ameiiea and appreciate their support. Federal policy on self-determination and self-gover-nanee currently extends to Alaska

natives and Native American Indians. Native Hawaiians, the third indigenous people in these 50 states, seek parity in inclusion. E ho'olohe mai a e nānā mai i ka 'ike a me ka maopopo pono oke kūlana 'ōiwi o ka Hawai'i i kona 'āina kulaiwi mai ke au kahiko loa a ka wā pau 'ole. He pono kēia 'ōlelo i mua o 'oukou i 'ōlelo 'ia me ka iakika a me ka mana a me ke aloha o nā kūpuna i hala, nā Hawai'i he lehu o kēia au a me nā hanauna e puka a'e ana nō. "I ask that you listen and look upon us with wisdom and understanding of the status of the Native Hawaiian in our ancient homeland. What is said to you is. offered in truth, and is uttered with the strength and power and love of our forebears, our nearly 400, 000 Native Hawaiians in Hawai'i and the continental United States today, and generations henee." We ask the people of Hawai'i to please be alert to the plans and information that the Office of Hawaiian Affairs will be sharing with you all in the coming months. It is intended to help us all aeeomplish reconciliation and recognition sooner than later, and your understanding and support are needed. (28/48) M