Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 33, Number 10, 1 ʻOkakopa 2016 — OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS CANDIDATES [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS CANDIDATES

OHA I HAWAI'I ISLAND LINDSEY, R0BERT K. (B0B)

1. Health is one of 0HA's six strategic priorities. C0LL0B0RATI0N is the path OHA must take going forward. Why? The needs of our lāhui exceed 0HA's current resources to provide for these needs. My hope is that OH A will continue

to work to find ways to partner with our Ali'i Trusts: The Queen's Health System, Kapi'olani Children's Hospital, Kamehameha Schools, Queen Lili'uokalani Trust and Lunalilo Home. Other potential partners to enjoin: Papa Ola Lokahi and itssatellite centers, our Hawaiian focused charter schools, faith-based organizations and our Hawaiian churches. We need to pool our resources and work together to extend our reach. 2. Our lāhui, when surveyed in 1978 (OHA's founding) and recently (four months ago) have made it clear; 'bread and butter' issues (education, health, housing and jobs) are what's important to them. It wants OHA to focus on these issues. In 2016 the majority of respondents see nation building as a bottom of the barrel issue. OHA must refocus, reboot and rethink its basic priorities if it is to be in alignment with the wishes of our people. I do have a nation-buildingstrategymodeled around the Waimea Nui Development Project. I like and support it as it brings people together. 3. We have a heritage we must celebrate and honor. Our ancestors knew what it meantto be GREEN and live GREEN centuries ago. By takingcare ofthe land (mālama 'āina), ourforests, streams and oeean, we would be able to sustain ourselves forever. They knew to take just what they needed, when enough was enough. On the global level the Mālama Honua message being disseminated by Hōkūle'a on its worldwide voyage is truly special and a beacon for all. It's a message from our kūpuna. "Take care ofthe Earth and it will take care ofyou." On the loeal level (yes it starts right here at home), thisSeptember Hawai'i will hosttheWorld Conservation Congress. This is our opportunity to showcase the specialness and uniqueness of our cultural and natural assets, to boast in a quiet and humble way what our ancestors knew centuries ago whieh so many are just coming to know at a time when our Good Earth is in jeopardy because of industrialization, urbanization and rabid consumerism.Yes, environmental issues are global and overwhelming. Nonetheless in our small way in our isolated corner of the world's biggest oeean we ean be part of the solution. Enlist in a loeal aloha 'āina initiative in your community, participate in a beach, stream or graffiti eleanup. Adopt a Highway (section of). Recycle. Be (and stay) informed about coral bleaching, rapid 'ōhia death, and invasive species, Join the Outdoor Circle, Nature Conservancy, Sierra Club, some worthy conservation cause.

TRASK. MILILANI B.

changes, exercise, regular check-ups) as well as understanding Mental Health needs (stress, fear, anger, violence) and corrective measures (Counseling, medication, anger management etc.) Spiritual support comes from ceremony, prayer and church affiliation. This program needs to be pursued in conjunction with other groups providing services in these areas. Partnerships increase expertise and provide for costsharing. We have many Hawaiians with Health expertise, and today we have a Hawaiian Healthcare System that ean interface with OHA on all islands. 2. Nation building ean only be achieved by and through a statewide educational effort on ourhistorical righttoself-determination. Hawaiian educators should be tapped to spearhead this effort. In order to be legitimate, Hawaiians and need to voluntarily enroll in this effort and democratic procedures need to be followed. (i.e. voluntary enrollment by 51% of peoples residing on the 'āina, democratic elections of representatives, and majority ratification by the peoples themselves of any governing document.The initiative must arise from the peoples themselves, notthe State Legislature or a State Agency like 0HA.The currentprocessstemming from Kanaiolowalu and Na'i Aupuni excluded the Hawaiian people and eame from the State. No Democratic election of delegates occurred, nor is there any verified roll of Hawaiian residents of our State. 3. Response: We need to think globally and act locally to address climate change. Hawaiian traditional knowledge ean & should be applied to provide solutions. For example, mitigation the impacts of saltwater intrusion may require planting more salt tolerant species of traditional foods. Also, we need to integrate conservation practices (use less water, use water catchment, recycling and desalinization) into our daily lives. For Health - See answer to question l.The application of Hawaiian Values is the appropriate way to live our lives whether we are addressing climate change or wealth & poverty disparities. Wealth & Poverty disparities may arise from unemployment, laek of critical skills or laek of education.There are many things that OHA ean support including job training, supplemental skill building; literacy and basic accounting that would help unemployed Hawaiians findjobs. Hawaiian values are now being applied everywhere, recently I read about a book called "Managing with Aloha" that applies Hawaiian cultural values in the business arena.

OHA I AT-LARGE AKINA. KELI'I

ln its masterplan, OHA has identified great opportunities for advancing native Hawaiians, and I commend OHA for the goals in this document. Unfortunately, the trustees have fallen short of ensuring that these goals are met. Ae-

cording to the State Auditor: "lneffectual oversight bars OHA from ensuring grants achieve intended results..." Additionally, tens of millions of dollars have been wasted on political agendas such as the push for federal recognition.Thesolution is to stop wasting trustmoney on politics and, instead, tospend it on solving homelessness and meeting the real needs of Hawaiians for housing, healthcare, jobs, and education. OHA does not laek the resources to help the Hawaiian people. Rather, it needs to manage them in an accountable and nonpolitical way. If elected Trustee, I will work hard to reform OHA so that it provides opportunities Hawaiians need. 2 I stand with those trustees who oppose the nationbuilding efforts by OHA that are dividing Hawaiians from nonHawaiians and Hawaiians from eaeh other.True Hawaiian nationhood has always included all people regardless of race. As the 1840 Hawaiian Constitution states, "Ua hana mai ke Akua i na lahui kanaka a pau i ke koko hookahi, e noho like lakou ma ka honua nei me ke kuikahi, a me ka pomaikai." "God hath made of one koko (blood) all nations of men to dwell on the earth, in unity and blessedness." If we as OHA's beneficiaries continue to electtrustees who pursue a separatist, racebased nation, we will exclude our hanai keiki, many of our parents, spouses, and our beloved haole friends from citizenship. If eleoted Trustee, 1 will work hard so that OHAstops dividing Hawaii's people and starts uniting them. 2 This is a great question because it looks to the future. In my university classes I teach students that Hawaiian wisdom has mueh to offer a world seeking eeonomie and ecologieal sustainability. Sadly, the current trustee board has taken actions, whieh interfere with promoting Hawaiian values globally. Recently, OHA withdrew its approval for the Thirty Meter Telescope and then tried to keep the telescope if its sponsors would pay higher rent to OHA! Tragically, this financial greed has contributed to the potential loss ofthe telescope alongwith the loss of millions of dollars in scholarships, jobs and eeonomie developmentfor Hawaiians. The ancient Hawaiians were brilliantscientists and saw no conflict between sacred and scientific.That's why NainoaThompson and other Hokule'a navigators studied the stars in the Bishop Museum Planetarium as part of their sacred training, lf elected Trustee, I will work hard to ensure that our keiki thrive in a world where Hawaiian values and scientific progress go hand in hand.

HAUNANI. APOLIONA

1. Opportunity must be aligned with a eommunity readiness commited to achieve accountable outcomes for positive change to occur. Physical, mental and spiritual health of our Lahui, tested over time by diverse

issues, stifled collaborative solutions for eommon concerns. Opportunities exist now for identified and willing Native Hawaiian leaders and collective people power, resources and a shared commitment to solutions to entice Native Hawaiian leaders of two major land preservation trusts - Kamehameha Schools andThe Nature Conservancy(Hawai'i) to collaborate with Native Hawaiians in implementing an environmental strategic plan for Hawaiian lands guiding generations to eome. Opportunities exist now for OHA scholarships, educational/community developmentgrantsto expand mentoring of leader and worker skills in planning and implementing community and nation building capabilities for state, national and global impact. Opportunities awaitour eollaborative attention. Readiness in communities, with OHA collaborating, is the key. 2. The nation building strategy initiated in 2015 by Native Hawaiians appeared headed for the election of delegates and convening of an 'Aha (Native Hawaiian Convention).The ongoing pursuit of nation building was forced to strategically redirect its efforts due to litigation filed by the "Grass Roots lnstitute" and two additional Native Hawaiians in Federal Court to halt the planned Convention. lronically, two of the three Native Hawaiian litigants suing OHA are now running for election to OHA in 2016. A draft Constitution and Referendum by registered Native Hawaiians are planned and nation building remains a work in progress. As a current OHATrustee I am committed to OHA's majority-approved position. However, as a re-elected Trustee I am committed to refiningexistingstrategies consistentwith additional input we seek from the majority of Native Hawaiians. 3. Native Hawaiian ancestors foresaw the role of our Lāhui to ensure survival of our cultural values by enabling mutual respect and peaeeful collaboration among nations (and cultures) of the world. Native leaders dispatched to other global communities engaged and learned skills in readiness for impacting Hawai'i's future.Modern technology enables Native Hawaiiansto witness peoples and cultureswithout even leaving Hawai'i yet understand that per-son-to-person contact is the preferred medium of communication. PVS's Hōkūle'a world voyage (supported by OHA) is a critical base from whieh Hawai'i's impaeī on island nations and global survival is crucial. OHA's decade role with Papahānaumokuākea and its global status is a catalyst for expeditiously investigating the rising oeean tides issue whieh gravely affects Hawai'i and Pacific archipelagos and adds cultivation of marine resources (on land and in oeean) critical to the lifelines of island nationsglobally.The East-WestCenterand the UH Matsunaga Peaee lnstitute provide Native Hawaiians (and Pacific islanders) an institutional arena for mediation centers to address resolving differences/disputes among island nations and global countries.

OHA responses ean also be viewed online at: http://www.oha.org/2016electionguide

1. Initiating a program for Health & Wellness that integrates healthier practices in all 3 areas is a good beginning point. It should include education on the causes of poor health and how to take corrective measures (Dietary