Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 30, Number 10, 1 October 2013 — Aloha mai kākou, [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Aloha mai kākou,

As we Native Hawaiians continue to move toward formalized recognition, we are already making strides toward that goal. In August, OHA was invited to attend the third Polynesian Leaders Group Meeting in Auckland as observers. The group is made up of eight independent or self-governing countries or territories in Polynesia: Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, American Samoa, īokelau and Ma'ohi Nui - French Polynesia. The Polynesian Leaders Group seeks a future for Polynesian peoples and countries where cultures and traditions are valued and protected and where sustainability and eeonomie prosperity is achieved. The invitation extended to OHA is recognition of what Native Hawaiians have to offer to other countries in Polynesia. It is an opportunity for Native Hawaiians to stand up and contribute to the well-being of the entire region. It is a way to show that we are already recognized as a people with diplomatic relations with other countries . . . in the same way our ali'i were when Hawai'i was a kingdom. We, as Native Hawaiians, along with the Māori, were invited to the meetings and have been given the opportunity to participate fully in the future. These countries have

mueh to share with us as they have been working toward sustainability, while we have mueh to offer them by making connections within the government and with our business community. We continued to move forward with our diplomatic effort by meeting with Māori Party Chair Tariana Tuia, who has been working on many of the same issues in New Zealand as OHA is trying to address at home. In early September, we were visited in Honolulu by Cook Islands Prime Minister Henry Puna as a follow-up to the Polynesian Leaders Group meeting. We continued our discussions on eommon areas of interest, such as management of oeean resources and sustainability. The issues and challenges Hawaiian people face are no different from those faced by the countries that are a part of the diplomatic group. We will continue to foster these relationships and collaborate with these countries, thus creating a bright future for everyone in the region. 'O au iho nō me ke aloha a me ka 'oia'i'o, Kamana'opono M. Crabbe, Ph.D. Ka Pouhana/Chief Executive Officer

MESSAGE FR0M THE CEO

FOSTER I N G TIES IN POLYN ESI A

Gathered at the Polynesian Leaders Group Meeting are, from left: OHA Ka Pouhana, CE0 Kamana'opono Crabbe; Honomhle Henry Puna, prime minister of Cook lslands; President Gaston Flosse of French Polynesia; Honomhle Toke Talagi, premier of Niue; Honomhle Enele Sosene Sopoaga, prime minister of Tuvalu; and Honorable Tuilaepa Malielegaoi, prime minister of Samoa. Present but not pictured are Faipule Kelihiano Kalolo, minister, head of delegation Tokelau; and Honorable Dr. Ana Taufe'ulungaki, minister of education, women affairs and culture of Tonga. - Courtesy photo