Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 28, Number 7, 1 Iulai 2010 — E hui ono nā moku [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

E hui ono nā moku

Aloha e nā 'ōiwi 'ōlino mai Ha wai ' i a Ni'ihau a puni ke ao mālamalama. On Sunday, June 6, 2010, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs joined with the Hawai'i State Society of Washington, D.C., Ke Ali'i Maka'āinana Hawaiian Civic Club, the Mainland Council of the Association of

Hawaiian Civic Clubs, AOHCC President, the Kamehameha Alumni Association East Coast, the University of Hawai'i, hālau hula and hui of the Washington, D.C., metro area, kama'āina and malihini to celebrate the 41st annual rededication and lei draping of the Kamehameha Statue, in Emaneipahon Hall. The spirit of Hawai'i and the celebration of Kamehameha's legacy embraced the hundreds of participants with its 2010 theme "Nānā iā Kamehameha, E alaka'i a mālama i ka lāhui Hawai'i, na lākou e ho'olaha i ka pōmaika'i no kākou a pau - Look to Kamehameha, lead and care for the people of our land so that they might increase the blessings and prosperity of all." The following are excerpts from remarks I presented: "2010 marks a milestone, the 200th anniversary of King Kamehameha the Great's achievement of unifying the islands into one nation, under one governance. Stories recall his birth at Kokoiki to his death in Kona, as this native leader stands prominent in this Visitor Center proclaimed in the light of Hawai'i and this nahon as 'the first King of all Hawai'i, united the island chiefdoms into a peaceful kingdom.' "2010 is the year for enactment of the long-sought Native

Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act. Native Hawaiians will reorganize Native Hawaiian governance to foster peaee and advance Hawaiian self-deter-mination. As a matter of puhlie policy it is imperative, the United States affirm the special legal and political status of Native Hawaiians as aboriginal, indig-

enous, native people, afforded similarly to American Indians and Alaska Natives. Passage has required extreme pahenee and perseverance and still requires continued focus and commitment as we have been at it intensely since 2003. "The implementation work of the legislation and reorganization of our governing entity will require extraordinary resolve, inclusive and informed participation by Native Hawaiians, a fair and transparent process, unity of spirit and support and encouragement by the non-Native community. The real challenge begins after the bill passes out of Congress and is signed into law by President Ohama. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs stands ready to assist the Hawaiian community, the Federal government and the State of Hawai'i with this reorganization process to make sure it is fair, democratic and inclusive of ALL Hawaiians, and transparent to the puhlie. "We must muster the strength of sprit to complete the task ahead. Our will and spiritual strength as Native Hawaiians will be put to the test in reorganizing our Native Hawaiian governing entity. With the opportunity will eome extreme See APOLIONA on page 31

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NATIVE HAWAIIAN NEWS | FEATURES EVENTS WWW.Otia.Qrg/kWO /^j^\ kwo@OHA.org ^ — '

' Wā' Haunani Apoliona, MSW Chairpersūn, Trustee, At-large

APOLIONA

Continued from page 26 responsibility, individually and eolleetively, to be informed, to participate in the process, to think not just in the present moment but to envision our Hawaiian community generations forward. Our deliberations and decisions must be grounded in the Hawaiian values our ancestors, our kūpuna, have passed to us these same values that we believe ean save the world. So when it is time to launeh the work and the joumey to organize the Native Hawaiian goveming entity, let us not shy away, let us not leave it for someone else to do, rather let us work together with resolve and perseverance, let us work together in truth with humility and pahenee so that we will mark a successful 21st century uniheahon of Native Hawaiian govemance honoring our ancestors and laying the foundation for the well-being of future generations." Imua e nā pōki'i a inu i ka wai 'awa'awa 'a'ohe hope e ho'i mai ai." 19/48 ■