Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 24, Number 10, 1 October 2007 — Kau Inoa passes 75,000 [ARTICLE]

Kau Inoa passes 75,000

The process of registering Hawaiians who want to participate in the process of building a nation has marked an impressive milestone: As of last month, more than 75,000 people of Hawaiian ancestry had placed their names on the Kau Inoa registry. Those on the registry will be eligible to participate in a process of creating a Native Hawaiian governing entity. Kau Inoa got under way three years ago, after leaders from a variety of Hawaiian organizations met to determine the first steps toward nation building. Records of the registry are maintained by Hawai'i Maoli, a nonprofit arm of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs. OHA is providing funding and financial support for the effort, and the drive to collect registrations has been spearheaded by the staff of the agency's Hawaiian Governance Hale, who have set up registration booths at numerous fairs, festivals and eommunity events, and even went door-to-door in neighborhoods heavily populated with Native Hawaiians. Recent testimonial television ads in support of Kau Inoa have also helped bring in substantial new registrations Organizers say a special nod should go to supporters who sought out registrants on the U.S. continent. At a recent ho'olaule'a in Nevada, for example, nearly 200 Native Hawaiians placed their names on the registry.

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