Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 31, Number 4, 1 April 2014 — Ua hiki mai ka wanaʻao no ka hoʻolā a me ka hoʻāla hou [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Ua hiki mai ka wanaʻao no ka hoʻolā a me ka hoʻāla hou

Aloha e nā 'ōiwi 'ōlino, nā pulapula a Hāloa, mai Hawai'i a Ni'ihau, puni ke ao mālamalama. Thursday, March 6, 2014, marked a signiflcant crossroad in the ongoing task and challenge that lay ahead for Native Hawaiian governance and self-determina-tion. On March 6, 2014, the Board of Trustees of the Offlce of Hawaiian Affairs committed itself to: "serving the Native

Hawaiian people by facilitating a process, in collaboration with other Native Hawaiian institutions, by whieh Native Hawaiians may choose to create a goveming entity that comes from, eonsists of, and represents Native Hawaiians through an independent election that utilizes the Native Hawaiian Roll. OHA will support the election of delegates by Native Hawaiians to convene a gathering of delegates at a Govemance 'Aha. The Govemance 'Aha would facilitate the opportunity for delegates to propose the form, scope and principles that would guide the Goveming Entity, for the approval of Native Hawaiians. OHA commits to working with the Governing Entity, if created, to empower and assist it in ways that are consistent with OHA' s statutory responsibilities and fiduciary obligations to its beneficiaries." As facilitator and convener, OHA seeks partnerships with entities like the Ali'i Trusts, the Royal Societies ('Ahahui) and other Native Hawaiian institutions and organizations in order to maximize collaboration and in-kind and funding contributions. Further, in collaboration with other Native Hawaiian institutions, OHA's committment will include "extensive outreach to Native Hawaiians encouraging them to participate in eaeh stage" of the process. Staying informed about the activities in order to make informed and educated choices on decisions such as voting for or running as delegate at the Govemance 'Aha and voting in the referendum to follow the completion of the Govemance 'Aha are two substantial reasons for making sure you are registered

for the Native Hawaiian Roll. Following the announcement on March 6, 2014, by OHA, the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission voted March 7, 2014, to reopen the Rolls effective March 17, 2014, in order to encourage those who have not registered on the Roll to do so by the new deadline. I encourage eaeh quahfied Native Hawaiian to respond to this "kuleana" whereever you reside. Do not delay. The Roll is reopened only until May 1, 2014.

The Roll will be used as the basis for verifying eligibility to vote or run in the delegate elections, and to vote in the referendum on the Native Hawaiian goveming entity's form, scope and principles. Mai lohilohi mai. By way of background, in December 2013, the OHA BOT unanimously approved the appointment of the Ad Hoe Committee on Govemance Planning (formerly labeled Ad Hoe Committee on Post-Native Hawaiian Roll Commission Planning). The task(s) at hand included: developing a 2014/2015 framework for stategies to clarify and deflne OHA's kuleana as advocate, asset manager and facilitator/convenor following the publication of the base roll and dissolution of Native Hawaiian Roll Commission, determining appropriate resources needed to fulflll OHA's kuleana and commitment to plan, strategies and activities; determining appropriate means and extent to whieh OH A utilizes the resulting base roll completed by the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission, and proposing a statement of committmentregardidng OHA's activities following publication of the base roll and the dissolution of the NHRC. As Chairperson of the Ad Hoe Committee, I wish to acknowledge the work of Tmstee Waihee IV, Dr. Kamana'opono Crabbe, Kawika Riley, Jim MeMahon, Ad Hoe Committee members. Mahalo nui also to Breann Nu'uhiwa, Kehau Abad, Reynold Freitas and Fouise Yee Hoy. Register for the Roll today. E mau ana ka ha'aheo, ka ha'aheo o ka nohona, ke ola kamaehu o ka lāhui, o ka lāhui Hawai'i. 16/48 ■

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