Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 20, Number 04, 1 April 2003 — Education is key to Hawaiian federal recognition bill passage [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Education is key to Hawaiian federal recognition bill passage

Rowena Akana Trustee, At-large

4 A no'aieveryone... Inmy /\ last article, I wrote J \.about our lobbying efforts in Washington, D.C., for the Akaka Bill. It is important to note that there are significant obstacles to overcome in order to successfully pass the recognition bill. Not only must it make it through the Congress, it must also pass muster with President Bush and his administration. This is why Governor Lingle's time and effort spent in conveying the importance of the recognition bill to Attorney General John Ashcroft, Interior Secretary Gale Norton and presidential adviser Karl Rove were critical in laying the ground work for its passage. In the governor's words, "I tried to lay the foundation." I believe that she has done that. It has been my experience during my many trips to Washington, D.C. that it is very important to educate everyone, including all of the U.S.

Senators, Congressmen, and the president's administration, about Hawai'i's unique history and its native people. It is even more critieal to eoniinue the education

process and maintain our current presence. Otherwise, it becomes a case of "out of sight, out of mind." The opening of the new OHA office in Washington, D.C. will be critical in achieving this

awareness. It is very frustrating for me to hear people on the mainland eommenting only on our weather and physical beauty. This is about all that people outside the state know about Hawaii. Would it not be refreshing to hear people say, "I hear Hawai'i has the only royal palaee in the country where kings and queens onee lived?"

Emphasizing Hawai'i's unique history could bring about a NEW way to market Hawaii, at a time when many states are competing fiercely for the same dwindling tnnrist dollars. tounst aouars.

TheU.S. eeonomy is slowing almost to a halt, and with the delays from security checks and the current war, the competi-

tion is only going to get worse. Since the days of the territorial government, officials have marketed Hawai'i as a plaee to visit. Never has Hawai'i been marketed for its living and breathing Hawaiian culture and language. By refocusing our marketing strategy to emphasize our Hawaiian people, we could educate the millions who visit our islands and, who in turn, would

take this knowledge home and share it with their friends and family. Everyone ean and must play a role in this education process. Education is needed on all fronts. In our state legislature, in our schools, in our private clubs, in our businesses, and most certainly in our media. Let us all work together, to tell the real story of our past, whieh is historically accurate, to everyone we know and to all of the organizations that we belong to, and to everyone who will listen. Let us move along together, leaving blame behind for our plight, focusing not on political agendas or parties. After all, Hawaiian Recognition is not a Democratic or Republican issue. It is an issue of what is right. Mālama pono! Check out Trustee Akana's website at www.rowenaakana.org. ■

"Hawaiian Recognition is not a Democratic or Republican issue. It is an issue of what is right."