Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 25, Number 11, 1 November 2008 — My hope for Hawaiians, OHA [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

My hope for Hawaiians, OHA

Bnyd P. Mūssman TrustEE, Maui

Hope is a word that distinguishes the detennined from the uncertain, the faithful from the unbelieving, the leader from the loser. We ean live 30 days without food but without hope, 30 seconds. We all have hope to some degree and for those who press forward from there with faith, they will obtain their dreams. It is with this hope that I believe we Hawaiians will endure the storms of adversity from both within and without and that as a people with a eommon bond to our ancestors and our 'āina, we will prevail. Prevail against what? Well, those who threaten our survival for starters. The groups that sue OHA and DHHL in the courts arguing racial discrimination. The groups of unholy alliances that eomhine to stop the Akaka Bill. The groups that threaten to secede. The groups that demand return to a long-gone past by agitating for complete independence and nothing less. The groups that elaim title to Hawai'i over any other. These threats to our future ean be likely thwarted with knowledge, pahenee and a hope for a better Hawai'i for our posterity. Then there are the internal struggles Hawaiians face with OHA frequently front and center. In this election year mueh distasteful and disrespectful talk has been heard against OHA trustees running for re-elec-tion. Our chairperson, Haunani Apoliona, who has ably led the board all the time I have been a trustee, has been the subject of inaccurate, misleading and malevolent accusations that begin with a grain of truth then distort and morph into plain old fiction, whieh some actually believe. This type

of reaction to honest effort and hard work by dedicated and coimnitted leaders who have done a superb job in lifting Hawaiians during their tenns is uncalled for, selfishly motivated and contrary to our Hawaiian values. It is my hope that Hawaiians like Trustee Apoliona and Trustee Machado will eonhnue to work for our people and will rise above these low-level attacks from within our own connnunity. The course we sail is filled with hope and OHA is fully prepared to lead the way. Some don't consider OHA their leaders. A leader guides, directs, is authorized and understands his role. All trustees are elected by the people of Hawai'i. Representatives and senators in our Legislature win with anywhere from a thousand to maybe 5,000 or even up to 10,000 votes. Trustees regularly win with more than 10 times that amount. The board has a fiduciary duty to protect the trust fund and to provide for the bettennent of Hawaiians. Those on the board today are all college grads, have wide experience in the connnunity, are culturally in tune and are competent and eapahle of leading our people. My hope is that OHA will eonhnue to move forward and not turn to the past; that it will make the tough decisions and plan for the future; that the board will work together and not as individuals and pohticians. And that that one trustee who has abandoned ship will retum and contribute positively to the organization she was elected to five times. As we voyage together with OHA into an uncertain future, we ean rest assured that our course has been diligently planned and that the waves of change facing us ean be to our advantage if we hang on to hope, dream big dreams and act with respect and honor in seeking to preserve a better future for Hawaiians and for all Hawai'i. Let us press forward in faith that our people, our culture and our 'āina ean continue to be preserved evennore. E

- LEO 'ELELE ■ TRUSTEE MESSAGES