Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 27, Number 10, 1 ʻOkakopa 2010 — Hawaiian convention opens Oct. 12 [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Hawaiian convention opens Oct. 12

OHA CEO to address opening day gathering The Office of Hawaiian Affairs is the lead sponsor and partner of the ninth annual Native Hawaiian Convention coordinated by the nonprofit Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement. The annual convention will take plaee Oct. 12 to 14 at the Hawai'i Convention Center. "It's exciting to be working on the ninth convention! Anyone interested in Native Hawaiian issues is weleome," said Robin Puanani Danner, CNHA President and CEO. "OHA's generous sponsorship makes the convention possible and we are grateful for the support." This year's theme is Building On Greatness - Sovereignty In Action! Kūkuīu Aupuni, Kūkulu Eal The convention will feature a Federal Contracting Business Summit, an all-day Grants Forum, a Governor's Candidate Euneheon and a special Paeihe Islander Policy Forum in partnership with the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Paeihe Islanders. Office of Hawaiian Affairs CEO Clyde Nāmu'o will address the opening day luneheon. Fast year, OHA's Stanton Enomoto updated the gathering on OHA's new Strategic Plan. "OHA is our puhlie trust agency, dedicated entirely to the betterment of our community," said Eilia Kapuniai, CNHA Community Services Manager. "There is so mueh to share, and with OHA as a partner, the convention will be accessible to so many more great community leaders that are working every day to create strong and healthy communities."

CNHA is a national network of Native Hawaiian Organizations providing assistance in accessing eapital and technical resources, and is a policy voice on issues important to Native Hawaiian communities. Its mission is to enhanee the well-being of Hawai'i through the cultural, eeonomie and community development of Native Hawaiians. ■

9th annual Native Hawaiian Convention Oct. 12-14 Hawai'i Convention Center Feesapply For information, eall 596-8155, toll-free at (888) 709-2642 or email info@hawaiiancouncil.org To register, visit www.hawaiiancouncil.org Here is the agenda for the opening day. For a complete listing, visit www.hawaiiancouncil.org. > 8 a.m.-6 p.m. - Convention Marketplace hosts exhibitors and vendors, traditional cultural practitioners and works by Hawaiian artists > 9 a.m.-5 p.m. - Sovereignty in Action Forum kicks off with an oli workshop by Kumu Hula Leinaala Kalama Heine and concludes with presentations and training and breakout sessions. > 12:30-1:45 p.m. Annual Report Luneheon will include a CNHA report on its activities and an address by 0ffice of Hawaiian Affairs CE0 Clyde Nāmu'o. > 5:30-8 p.m. Native Votes Concert features a lineup of Hawaiian music

Annual awards are a regularfeature of the annual convention. Lastyear, Kamakana Aquino, center, received the inaugural Next Generation Leader Award for an undergraduate, whieh eame with $500 from the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa's . Hawai'inuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge and CNHA. For three years, Aquino also received a 0HA Post-High Scholarship of $2,000 per year. From left are: i Hawai'inuiākea Dean Maenette | Benham, Aquino's mother MarI beth Aquino, his grandmother Lucy Akau, his father Rogelio Aquino and UH professor Lilikalā Kame'eleihiwa. - Photo: Lisa Asato