Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 31, Number 12, 1 December 2014 — REMEMBERING MY 4 YEARS AS CHAIR [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

REMEMBERING MY 4 YEARS AS CHAIR

By Chairperson Colette Machado A loha Kakou . As I step down as chairperson / \ of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA),

A I would like to share my mana'o about the accomplishments of the organization during the past four ¦

years of my leadership. When I became chair, OHA had spent a decade bracing for attacks on Native Hawaiian rights and entitlements on the federal level in the wake of the Rice v. Cayetano decision. We had been working toward a solution through the Akaka Bill, but had been stonewalled. There was a lack of support in Congress and in the Bush administration. In my first year as chair, the legislators stepped in and created the Native Hawaiian Roll under Act 195, but they

refused to fund the process. I decided to work with the Board of Trustees to commit the funding. Someone had to stand up for our people and give us a chance at self-determination. Act 195 states, "The Native Hawaiian people are hereby recognized as the only indigenous, aboriginal, maoli people of Hawai'i." This acknowledgement provides the foundation for the State of Hawai'i to stand with OHA against any future challenges to Native Hawaiian entitlements. It also bolstered OHA's federal strategy. I saw this as the best last chance for my generation to deliver the sovereign governing entity for our "Lahui Aloha." No other organization could commit the resources needed to bring the process to fruition. Today, OHA has committed to taking the first step to form a government by supporting a Native Hawaiian 'Aha. Let me say it straight: an 'Aha will happen, and we will show the world we can have a thriving nation. At the federal level, the Obama administration has acknowledged that a special political and trust relationship exists between the Federal government and the Native Hawaiian community and a procedure to re-establish a government-to-government relationship with the Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) under consideration. Sure, we hear the naysayers loud and clear. But I am convinced that is a vocal minority - more interested in a political theory than finding a solution that benefits all people, not just in theory, but in actual practice. The Kana'iolowalu Roll has enrolled 125,631 Native Hawaiians. In reviewing the total

verbal and written responses to the Department of Interior ANPRM, a clear majority were in support, not counting 2,600 postcards of support from all

the islands. Throughout this process, I remain \ convinced that we will find a way to come & together with our voices raised in

peace and reconciliation, not anger. Turning to the other accomplishments of the Board of Trustees during my term as chairperson, outgoing Trustee Oswald Stender pushed us to diversify our land base to include commercial land that will support our endeavors and provide for a stream of income to start the economic engine for a Hawaiian Nation. OHA purchased the former Gentry Pacific Design Center, which we renamed Na Lama Kukui. In addition

to housing our offices, revenue is generated through the leasing of commercial spaces in the center. OHA also purchased land surrounding the sacred birthplace of our ali'i on O'ahu, Kukaniloko, as a buffer of agricultural lands that will be leased to small farmers. For many years, OHA had been fighting to get a partial settlement from the State of Hawai'i for the use of the Hawaiian national lands (the ceded public lands). We always ran into opposition and suspicion on how we would use the revenues. In 2012, we worked to bring the Hawaiian community together to support the settlement. Was it perfect? No. But the alternative was to wait another year, five years or a hundred years with no guarantee the deal would ever get sweeter. We are now the owners of 30 acres of land in Kaka'ako Makai. If we develop the area correctly, we will reap rewards far in excess of the settlement value, and we will have a solid income stream. In stepping down as the chairperson of OHA, I can proudly say that we have a $640 million asset base and a diversified portfolio. We will become an important player in urban development and agriculture on O'ahu, while increasing our ability to protect our cultural sites, rights and resources. I'd like to thank my fellow Trustees: we may not always see eye to eye, but all perspectives have been valuable. A heartfelt thanks to the staff of OHA for all your hard work. I will now support our new chair and continue to work as a Trustee for Native Hawaiians of Lana'i and my home island of Moloka'i. Aloha ... a Hui Hou!! ¦