Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 25, Number 11, 1 November 2008 — Making amends [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Making amends

Ni'ihau worshippers receive apology, aifts of land

By Liza Simon Public Affairs Specialist

More than a century ago, missionaries from the United Church of Christ aided American businessmen in the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom, but last month loeal UCC officials not only asked to be forgiven for their forebears' complicity but also gifted members of 'Ohana Ni'ihau o Waimea Ekalesia the deed to the land on whieh their church and a fellowship hall stand in Waimea town. Church members also received the deed for a nearby parcel off Kaumuali'i Highway on Kaua'i's west side. The milestone development was marked with an Oct. 4 ceremony at the Waimea Hawaiian Church, the site officially conveyed to the congregation of 'Ohana Ni'ihau o Waimea Ekalesia. "As a Native Hawaiian, I encourage all of you to choose to forgive, and, as you allow this ekalesia to grow on these lands, ... you will be allowing yourselves to see and understand the lessons learned from that period of time of the overthrow," Carohne Peters Belsom, chair of the UCC Hawai'i Conference Council, told the emohonal crowd. The conveyance of land is part of a larger UCC redress plan. Following

the Clinton administration's 1993 passage of the Apology Bill, UCC officials decided on a list of actions intended to heal the cultural loss perpetuated by westerners at the expense of Native Hawaiians, following the overthrow of Queen Lili'uokalani. The congregation of the 'Ohana Ni'ihau o Waimea Ekalesia is eomprised of Ni'ihau natives who have

mo ved to Kaua'i from the privately owned island across the ehannel. For the last 13 years, the Ni'ihau church has heeome known for the stirring sound of its Sunday services, including the singing of hymns and sennons entirely in 'ōlelo Hawai'i. Ever since the UCC designed its redress plan, an effort had been underway for the Ni'ihau church to incorporate and affiliate with UCC. With the land conveyanee, this plan is also being put into action, at last. The Ni'ihau congregation received official recognition last July as the newest Hawai'i Conference UCC church. Its standing will be celebrated at a Nov. 9 'Aha Mokupuni, jointly hosted by the 'Ohana Waimea o Ni'ihau and Waimea UCC. Ilei Bennimina, a member of the Ni'ihau congregation, said not all of its members support the church's new standing with the UCC, preferring instead to remain independent. E3

"As a Native Hawaiian, I encourage all of you to choose to forgive, and allow this ekalesia to grow on these land" — Caroline Peters Belsom , chair ofthe UCC Hawai'i Conference Council

NŪHOU - NEWS

The land under the Waimea Hawaiian Church was among two parcels deeded to the 'Ohana Ni'ihau o Waimea Ekalesia to redress past wrongs. - Photo: Blaine Fergerstrom