Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 30, Number 10, 1 ʻOkakopa 2013 — Cook Islands prime minister visits OHA [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Cook Islands prime minister visits OHA

By Francine Kananionapua Murray The Honorable Henry Puna, prime minister of the Cook Islands, expressed a desire to strengthen the bond among Polynesian eultures and offered his kia orana (aloha) to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and the people of Hawai'i during his Sept. 6 visit with OHA.

"We share the same oeean, the Paeihe Oeean, but there is a closer connection that bonds Polynesians together, our eommon ethnicity, our eommon cultures, our languages, our traditions and our forefathers," said Prime Minister Puna during the visit. "It is not only lineal descent that bonds us, but there is a eommon history and the great mana in caring for our people that we share as we renew our relationships with the other Polynesian cultures. Even though we are separated geographically, over thousands of years they have given us inspiration." Puna is the former chair of the Polynesian Leaders Group, an international cooperation of eight countries and territories in Polynesia established for the protection and preservation of Polynesian cultures, traditions and values, where a balanee of both sustainable eeonomie prosperity and environmental eonservation are pursued and fostered. At the group's 2012 meeting,

Puna lobbied for Hawai'i, New Zealand and Rapa Nui to be invited to join the group. OHA responded to the request and attended the 2013 PLG meeting at the Auckland Office of the New Zealand Ministry of Loreign Affairs and Trade as an "observer," on Aug. 30. Recalling that meeting, and addressing OHA Ka Pouhana, CEO

Kamana'opono Crabbe, Puna said: "Dr. Crabbe, it was really an honor to weleome you and your team to Aotearoa. The truth is you belong to us. We belong to you. We belong together. And the Polynesian get-to-gether will not be complete without you, our brothers and sisters here in Hawai'i. Your presence there made our family complete. And, I really look forward to the ongoing relationship that we had started in Auckland." Keola Lindsey, OHA Papahānaumokuākea Manager, who attended the 2013 PLG meeting, said in an interview: "I think it was important for the members of the PLG to get a response from Hawai'i. It was also important to have a delegation go and represent Hawai'i. I think that sent a strong message - confirming Hawaiian interest in this group. There is a great opportunity here for Hawaiians. It is up to us what we make of it. The building of relationSEE C00K ISLANDS ON PAOE 11

EA GOVERNANCE

OHA staff performed for Prime Minister Henry Puna, third from right, and Ikaika Nakahashi presented him with a spear symbolizing strength and respect,- Photo: Helson Gaspar

After inviting Hawai'i to join the Polynesian Leaders Group, Cook lslands Prime Minister Henry Puna, center, visited the Office of Hawaiian Affairs in September with his wife, wearing lei. Following welcoming protocol, OHA leadership joined them for a photo: from left, Community Engagement Director Kēhau Abad; C00 Aedward Los Banos; Trustee Rowena Akana, fourth from right; Ka Pouhana, CE0 Kamana'opono Crabbe; Research Director Lisa Watkins-Victorino; and CF0 Hawley lona. - Photo: John Matsuzaki

ships there was just as important as the invitation itself." Similar to a working group, the full members of the PLG and their staff have business that they eonduct throughout the year, but the leaders only officially meet onee a year and their chair rotates annually. The members include: the three sovereign states of Samoa, Tonga and Tuvalu; the Cook Islands and Niue in free association with New Zealand; American Samoa, a terri-

tory of the United States; French Polynesia, an overseas country of France; and īokelau, a territory of New Zealand. During Puna's visit to Hawai'i, OHA was honored to assist in coordinating meetings for the prime minister and his contingent with Gov. Neil Abercrombie, some state legislators and loeal businesses regarding renewable energies and sustainability. "We were very humbled by the prime minister's presence and inspired by his leadership," Crabbe said in an interview. "We will eontinue to assist him in his pursuit of

building his nation as we here in Hawai'i seek self-determination and sovereignty for our lāhui. "A good one-to-one relationship between the Cook Islands and OHA is being established, but also, really, for our Native Hawaiian people and community," expressed Crabbe. "Relationships like these are very important as we move forward in terms of self-determination and recognition. It's niee to know that others look to OHA as a representative of the Native Hawaiian people. It also reminds us of the servant duty we have and obligation to serve our people well." ■

C00K I3LANP3 Continued from page 7

Prime Minister Puna's visit to OHA was a follow-up to a Polynesian Leaders Group meeting in Auckland that OHA attended as an observer in August. This picture, taken in Auekland, shows, from left: private secretary to Minister Tariana Turia, Malo Ah-You; Ms. Everdina Fuli, Te Whare Kura business manager of the University of Auckland; OHA Ka Pouhana Kamana'opono Crabbe; Honomhle Tariana Turia, minister of disability issues and Whanau Ora and Māori Party co-leader; Momilani Lazo, senior executive assistant to the OHA CE0; Keola Lindsey, OHA Papahānaumokuakea manager; and Mehana Hind, OHA knowledge based strategies specialist. Present but not pictured is Deirdra Alo, executive assistant to the 0HACE0. - Courtesy photo