Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 24, Number 9, 1 Kepakemapa 2007 — Kānako Maoli and sustainability [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Kānako Maoli and sustainability

In my June eolumn for Ka Wai Ola I talked about how Native Hawaiians were not taking part in great numbers in the proceedings of the State Task Force on Sustainability. Since then, a working group of Native Hawaiians mustered and, led by Leimomi Khan, president of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, has been meeting on a regular basis, sometimes twice a week, to review the task force's draft report and recommend revisions and additions to the salient points contained there. As most of you may know, the civic club association had adopted a resolution encouraging Native Hawaiians to become involved in the task force proceedings. OHA has provided considerable support from Stanton Enomoto, Ka'imo Muhlestein, and myself. The working group has met with Sen. Russell Kokuhun, chair of the task force, and with the task force itself to present the Native Hawaiian "take" on sustainability. Right off the top, the working group urged, and the senator agreed, that the words "Kānaka Maoli" should properly be used to describe our indigenous people. Sen. Kokubun has been highly respectful and receptive to the viewpoint of Kānaka Maoli. The working group also met onee with the task force to present its iniīial "redraft" of the task force's work product. The task force, also, displayed an accommodating attitude towards the working group's suggestions, similar to Sen. Kokubun's. One could feel from the body language of the task force members that they were listening carefully and considerately to the views of the working group. The task force, of course, will have to consider how best to work Kanaka Maoli thought into the final draft, but I believe that their generally accepting attitude and the continued participation of the working group will go far in preserving our Kanaka Maoli culture against the pressures of eeonomie development and

"globalism." All Kānaka Maoli, and indeed the general community, need to congratulate and thank the working group for the thought and exertion they have put into this effort to put Kanaka Maoli sustainability on the table for the task force to consider. Other members of the working group are: Toni Lee, past Civic Clubs Association president; Charlie Kapua, Leimana DaMate; Mahealani Wendt; Jalna Keala; Patrick Banco of the Royal Order of Kamehameha and Shawn Puni Kana'iau of Kamehameha Schools. If I have left anyone off I apologize. Here are some of the Kānaka Maoli mana'o presented to the task force: Oelinilion of sustainal>ility Sustainability in Hawai'i means maintaining a quality of life that: • Strikes a halanee between eeonomie benefit, Kanaka Maoli culture, social and community well-being, and environmental stewardship; • Meets the needs of the present and future generations; and • Respects that the Kanaka Maoli eulture is the foundation for the character, beauty and history of our state's island communities. Guiding principles of sustainability • Our Kanaka Maoli cultural traditions and history are honored; • The traditional Kanaka Maoli practice of the ahupua'a system guides how we manage our resources and behaviors. Our vision The Kānaka Maoli and their culture are honored and respected, and the diversity of our island values derived therefrom is perpetuated. We incorporate and share Kānaka Maoli knowledge and protocols for the preservation, cultivation and management of all natural and cultural resources. The task force will hold a "summit" meeting to consider its draft of the sustainability plan on Sept. 22 at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. Thereafter, the task force will eonhnue to work on the final form and has assured the working group that it will accept further input. "We all owe Leimomi and the working group a momentous round of applause." H

LEO 'ELELE ■ TRUSTEE MESSAGES

Walter M. Heen TrustEE, O'ahu