Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 30, Number 7, 1 July 2013 — King Kamehameha honored in DC [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

King Kamehameha honored in DC

By Kawika Riley

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Hundreds of Native Hawaiians, current and former Hawai'i residents, and others descended upon Capitol Hill and the Nahonal Mall on June 9 to eelebrate the life and legacy of King Kamehameha. Following a lei-draping ceremony at Emanicipation Hall in the U.S. Capitol, OHA hosted its annual King Kamehameha Lei Draping Reception at the National Museum of the American Indian. The reception was attended by diplomats, executive branch officials, congressional staff, nonprofit leaders and members of D.C.'s vibrant Hawaiian and Hawai'i-connected community. Also in attendance were OHA Trustees Peter Apo and Dan Ahuna, as well as OHA staff. OHA CEO Kamana'opono Crabbe used the opportunity to speak to the Washington audience about OHA's renewed national agenda as a Hawaiian institution striving to advocate for Native Hawaiians at the federal level. He also provided a special thanks to two nahonal organizations that have expanded their partnerships with OHA: the National Museum of the American Indian and the Nahonal Congress of American Indians. Likening the changing national landscape to the challenges faced by the wayfinders who navigated the Paeihe long ago, he spoke of the need for OHA to "cross new waters in order to find new shores," and to do so with strengthened partnerships. Retired U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Akaka addressed the crowd at the OHA reception by way of telephone. America's only Native Hawaiian U.S. senator thanked the audience for celebrating Hawaiian culture and honoring the legacy of our first king. The evening closed with the singing of "Hawai'i Aloha," and a redoubled sense of Native Hawaiian presence at the federal level. ■

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A Samoan delegation presents lei at the lei-draping ceremony at Emancipation Hall. - Courtesy: GiniMoore