Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 28, Number 1, 1 Ianuali 2011 — STATE OF OHA [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

STATE OF OHA

By Lisa Asato On the morning of Dec. 21, some 400 government, community and leaders from all sectors, Lt. Gov. Brian Schatz and other elected officials, royal benevolent societies, as well as students from Farrington High School's Hawaiian Academy joined OHA Trustees and staff for the 2010 Investiture of the OHA Board of Trustees. The ceremonious event in the St. Andrew's Cathedral featured the tying of the lei hulu on the five newly elected Trustees: Rowena Akana, Peter Apo, Boyd Mossman, Oswald Stender and John Waihe'e IV. The lei hulu, made by Paulette Kahalepuna, are symbols of the office of OHA Trustees. Blessing the lei hulu, the Rev. Cannon Liz Beasley said the Trustees "take on the kuleana of protection and care of people of these islands, the culture and heritage entrusted to them." Later, Clarence "Boogie" Kahilihiwa of Kalaupapa, Moloka'i recited scripture with Kepa Maly, who stepped in for Kahu Miriam Kuuleialoha Kaopuiki Kanipae of Lāna'i, who was kept away due to inclement weather. Earlier that morning, the Board of Trustees voted Colette Machado the new Chairperson with the blessing of her predecessor, Haunani Apoliona. Machado introduced Apoliona at the Investiture, thanking her for her years of service and pledging to work with her and the rest of the nine-member Board of Trustees. "I have worked with Haunani Apoliona for 14 years," Machado said. "It is through her tenacity and her insistence that I heeame an OHA Trustee for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs in 1996. Little did I know that I would be going from an activist who would pound the table to heeome the Chair of the

Office of Hawaiian Affairs." Giving the eighth annual State of OHA and the Hawaiian Community Address, Apoliona said, "The current status of Native Hawaiians is vibrant," but she acknowledged that there's "always room for improvement." She highlighted successful partnerships throughout the year, such as Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument's designation to the World Heritage list, the staging of The Sixth Gathering of Healing our Spirit Worldwide in Honolulu organized by Papa Ola Lōkahi with funding support from OHA, and the historic Kū images exhibit at Bishop Museum, also with OHA's support. At the same time, she decried that the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act hadn't passed out of the U.S. Senate, and she called upon OHA, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and the Governor's Office to launeh the "enrollment affirmation phase" for the Native Hawaiian Governance Reorganization Process. "OHA and our partners must reach out to all Native Hawaiians, wherever they reside," she said, calling out in Hawaiian to incoming DHHL Director Alapaki Nahale-a, who was in the audience. "The time is now for us, individually, to decide to participate or not participate in this Native Hawaiian Governance Reorganization Process," she said to the crowd. "Our commitment to participate is affirmed by our enrollment." She continued the message of collaboration with the words: "Though the challenges ahead are formidable, where there is a will, there is a way. In Hawaiian, we say "Hiki Nō," Can Do. The brighter the future for Native Hawaiians, the greater will be the positive outcome for all Hawai'i. OHA cannot, has

not and should not attempt to improve conditions for Native Hawaiians in isolation; but with collaborative action. Hiki Nō!"

Aiterward, iNanaie-a descnbed the speech as inspirational, "I was brought to tears a eouple times," he said, referring to the overall "eall to action" to eome together as Hawaiians and "not let external factors stray us from our direction." "She called me out and I feel that kuleana," he said. "She helped

me, and I think others, to see it not as a burden but an opportunity to work together and continue to serve. All of us in leadership positions are standing on the shoulders of our kūpuna. She also called on us to remember them and what they taught us." ■

<MO'OLELO NUI v www.oha.org/kwo | kwo@OHA.org C0VER FEATURE f NATIVE HAWAIIAN » NEWS | FEATURES | EVENTS

Lei hulu, or feather lei, are the symbol of the office of OHA Trustees. The lei hulu used in the lnvestiture were crafted by Paulette Kahalepuna. - Photos: John Matsuzaki