Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 25, Number 2, 1 Pepeluali 2008 — Page 7 Advertisements Column 1 [ADVERTISEMENT]

ŪFFICE ŪF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS www.ūha.ūrg 711 Kapi'olani BoulEvard, S u it e 500 [p] | ^4 | |ggg Hnnnlulu. Hawai'i 36813-5243 [F] 8Ū8 | 5g4 | ]8e5

January 18, 2008 Aloha mai kākou e nā 'ōiwi 'ōlino mai Hawai'i a Ni'ihau a puni ke ao mālamalama. Aloha e nā kama'āina a me nā malihini kekahi. Aloha nō kākou a pau loa. Greetings to Native Hawaiians from Hawai'i to Ni'ihau and around this brilliant world. Greetings to longtime residents and newcomers alike. Greetings to us all. Every year for a hundred and fourteen years, January 17 is a day marked with sadness as we remember the wrongful overthrow of our monarchy whieh resulted in the loss of our Hawaiian government and seizure of its lands. But this year, January 18, 2008, we step forward from our "kaumaha" into a new day of hope. The Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs have reached a settlement with the State of Hawai'i over the halanee of past due revenue amounts owed from 30 years ago. These revenues that assist the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to fulfill its mission are derived from the State's use of ceded lands and are payments due to OHA as required by the State constitution and Hawai'i statute. Finality in settling the dispute over these past due amounts owed to OHA from ineome and proceeds of the puhlie land trust from 1978 to 2008 comes in the eomhinahon of lands and cash payment. On behalf of the Native Hawaiian people, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs extends our sincere appreciation to those who remained steadfast through this final phase of negotiated efforts to reach this fair and just settlement related to revenues. Thirty years ago the voters of Hawai'i approved a constitutional mandate to establish the Office of Hawaiian Affairs as a means to correct a history of past injustice. For three decades OHA has engaged the Fegislature, the Courts, and the Executive branches of government on the issue of ceded land revenues. The OHA Board of Trustees is grateful to those who legislated in good faith, those who opined in good faith, and those who continued to negotiate in good faith on this complex and often misunderstood issue. We now await successful aehon on this settlement by the 2008 Fegislature. We, at OHA, pledge to eonhnue our mission to advocate for the well-being of Native Hawaiians and in that process perpetuate our cultural values and traditions that strengthen Hawaiians and all of Hawai'i. We will continue to be diligent, prudent, disciplined and methodical in acquiring and managing lands for Native Hawaiians and the State of Hawai'i. And, we are committed to seek input from all stakeholders before making plans for the land. On January 17, 1893, Queen Eili'uokalani, faced challenge to her authority and the illegal overthrow of her government in the presence of armed military. Hawai'i lands were taken as poliheal control and governance shifted. Today, 115 years later, OHA is taking the deliberate step to start to resolve this unfinished part of the thirty year-old dispute regarding OHA's right to ineome and proceeds from the puhlie land trust. Indeed, the journey is a long one. The Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs thank the people of Hawai'i who have stood with us through these thirty years and who will eonhnue to stand with us as we take this next step to bring positive closure to this phase. We ask for your support of this settlement.

Haunani Apoliona ' ^ Boyd P, Mossman

Roben K. Lindscy Jr.

Rowena Akana Cdlette Y, Machado — l John D. Waihe'e IV \