Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 23, Number 9, 1 September 2006 — U.S. Office of Hawaiian Relations director makes first isle appearances [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

U.S. Office of Hawaiian Relations director makes first isle appearances

By Sterling Kini Weng Publicatinns Editnr The director of the new Office of Hawaiian Relations - created by Congress to serve as a liaison between the federal government and Hawaiian groups - made his first puhlie appearance in the islands last month at a series of meetings across the state. OHR Director Ka'i'ini Kimo Kaloi, who is based in Washington, D.C., said the sessions were intended as an opportunity for the community to learn more about the office, and to help generate a notification list of Native Hawaiian organizations that will be used by federal agencies mandated to consult with Hawaiians in accordance with certain federal laws, such as the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. Congress created the office, whieh falls under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of the Interior, in 2004 and funded it with $100,000. Kaloi said the

OHR's mission is to help promote and preserve Hawai'i's historical and natural resources and the Native Hawaiian eulture. At a meeting held at UHMānoa's Kamakakūokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies, some of the approximately 40 attendees expressed their general mistrust of the federal government because of what they consider to be the illegal oeeupation of Hawai'i by the United States. Others were concerned with the office's connection to the Akaka Bill. The language that created the office was taken from Sen. Daniel Akaka's Hawaiian federal recognition hill and inserted into an appropriations bill. Kaloi said that after the provisions of that hill expired, the office fell under the sole discretion of the Secretary of the Interior. Kaloi, who at times appeared frustrated during the meeting, told those in the audienee that while he understood

their concerns, he was in a difficult position. "I'm not an advocate for Native Hawaiians in this job," he said. "That's not part of the mission. I work for the U.S. federal government. I will do my best to put our issues forward in the parameters that I have within the U.S. Department of the Interior." He continued, "It's hard sometimes. You kind of feel like you're in two worlds: you're a Kanaka Maoli, but then you work for the federal government. Sometimes they don't really jibe together." Several people at the meeting didn't want the office to eompile a Native Hawaiian organization list, instead recommending that the office publish notifications in the daily newspapers. "You understand that we at least have a healthy skepticism of what's going on here," said Dexter Kaiama, a Native Hawaiian attorney. "So then why is it necessary for us to give you

our identity and put our names on your list so that you know who we are? Isn't [publication in the newspapers] efficient?" Others suggested that the notification list include the percentage of Native Hawaiians that make up eaeh group's membership and leadership, and the mission statements of participating organizations to ensure that

they actually work for Native Hawaiians. Another recommendation was that nonprofit groups provide their tax information. The OHR will accept written comments on the notification list until Oct. 17. Send them to: U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of Hawaiian Relations (OS/PHI), 1849 C St., NW, Mail Stop-3530, Washington, D.C. 20240. ^

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0HR Director Ka'i'ini Kimo Kaloi. - Photo: Sterling Kini Wong