Kamehameha Schools | Rowena Akana

The Time Has Come Again For Solidarity

Let us make room for all voices and respect each other’s views no matter how different they are from our own.

`Ano`ai kakou… Many of us still mark August 20, 2003 as a black day in Hawaiian history when a federal court judge forced Kamehameha Schools to enroll a non-Hawaiian student. This act was so egregious that on September 7, 2003, the Trustees and staff of OHA marched side-by-side down Kalakaua Avenue with more than 5,000 supporters of Native Hawaiian rights in a powerful show of unity.

The marchers included representatives from Kamehameha Schools, Hawaiian Ali’i Trusts, Royal Benevolent Society members, and sovereignty advocates. Also showing their support were many non-Hawaiians. The march was organized by the ‘Ilio’ulaokalani Coalition and ended in a rally at the Kapi’olani Park Bandstand. It was encouraging to see that people who often found themselves on opposite sides regarding nationhood could come together to support justice for all Native Hawaiians.

THE ‘AHA

On February 26, 2016, the majority of the Na‘i Aupuni ‘aha participants voted to adopt The Constitution of the Native Hawaiian Nation. Again, it was moving to see people who were often on opposite sides of an issue come together for the good of the whole. There were several participants that frequently came to OHA to protest our positions on nationhood and yet we were all able to put those differences aside and finally draft the governing documents needed to restore our nation.

The governing documents drafted during the ‘aha must be voted on and approved by the Hawaiian people before they can be implemented. The Hawaiian people currently have the opportunity to examine the documents before deciding whether to accept them. Once the provisions of the governing documents are ratified, they can finally be implemented and the officers and legislative arm of the nation will be selected.

MOVING FORWARD

What we face today as Hawaiians, the indigenous people of our lands, is no different than what occurred over 100 years ago. We are still fighting to protect our culture, rights to our lands, and our entitlements. Times may have changed but people are still the same. Greed is still the motivation behind efforts to relieve us of whatever entitlements we have left. The fight is even more difficult now that our enemies have become more sophisticated in ways to manipulate us and the law.

We are one people. We cannot afford to be divided, not when so much work remains to be done. The struggle to regain our sovereign rights requires unity and the strength of numbers.

As the federal court decision regarding Kamehameha schools proved, the future of OHA and other Hawaiian Trusts are certainly at risk. Hawaiian leaders will have to work together and use whatever resources that are necessary to protect that last remaining Hawaiian Trusts.

Let us work together for the cause of nationhood. Let us agree on the things that we can agree to and set aside the things we differ on and move forward together for the future generations of Hawaiians yet to come.

We cannot continue to let others decide our future. We will be one nation and one people.

“I appeal to you….that there be no division among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same purpose.” I Corinthians 1:10

Let us embrace each other’s views no matter how different they are from our own. Only then can we be as our Queen wished… ONIPA’A, steadfast in what is good! Aloha Ke Akua.

We need nationhood to protect our lands

`Ano`ai kakou… Throughout the month of February, I was privileged to participated in the Na‘i Aupuni ‘aha to discuss self-governance. I believe that calling for an ‘aha is an excellent opportunity to provide an open and democratic forum to discuss possible governing documents of our new nation. This is where the ultimate form of the Hawaiian government can be debated and considered.

I have always advocated that gaining federal recognition as a native people would finally allow Hawaiians to negotiate with the state and federal governments for the return of some of our ceded lands that the state holds in trust. Federal recognition would also put us in a stronger position to protect our lands and trust assets.

The three key elements of nationhood are sovereignty, self-determination and self-sufficiency. In order for Hawaiians to exercise control over their lands and lives, they must achieve self-determination by organizing a mechanism for self-governance. Hawaiians must create a government which provides for democratic representation before they can begin to interrelate with the State and the Federal governments who control their lands and trust assets. The ultimate goal of nationhood is to become self-sufficient and self-supporting.

My hope is that, as a result of the ‘aha, we will be able to draft the articles or provisions of our constitution for the new Hawaiian nation, whatever form it ultimately takes. It is important to remember these documents can be changed or annulled. This is only the beginning. Once these governing documents are ratified by the Hawaiian people, they can be implemented to protect our lands and trust resources. We would then be able to care for our people without assistance from anyone.

The window of opportunity for us to act on controlling our lands is closing. For those who think we have lots of time to talk about this, they only need to look at all of the laws that have been passed in the last ten years to realize time is running out.

A good example of why nationhood is so critical for our people is the recent attempt in the legislature to pass the “forced land sales bills.” Kamehameha Schools (KS) recently led the charge against legislation that would have forced Hawai‘i’s landowners to sell leasehold lands to their lessees.

If HB 1635 and HB 2173 had become law, all commercial, agriculture, conservation and industrial lands would have been put under threat to be forcibly sold. KS would have been hurt by these bills since nearly 80 percent of their commercial properties are ground leased. Our ceded lands controlled by DLNR would also be threatened.

Private land developers could have moved in to condemn and remove historical lands that were passed from generation to generation of Hawaiians. This would have also negatively impacted the ability of Native Hawaiian organizations and trusts to fulfill their missions. HB 1635 and HB 2173 represent yet another example of the government’s shameful history of removing Native Hawaiians from their ancestral lands.

Thankfully, on February 8^th, KS announced that the House cancelled the hearing for HB 1635 and HB 2173, which effectively killed the bills. However, there are other land bills in the legislature we need to be concerned about such as DLNR selling off remnants and the transfer of land to the military. Let us be makaꞌala (watchful). Aloha Ke Akua.

The need for fiscal responsibility

`Ano`ai kakou… On May, 30, 2012, the Star Advertiser reported that the state Council on Revenues lowered the revenue projection for next fiscal year, which prompted Governor Abercrombie’s administration to cut back the state’s spending.

This is not surprising. When revenues are down, everyone cuts back on spending. Everyone except OHA.

Trustees Keep on Spending

Our new CEO, Ka Pouhana Kamana’opono Crabbe, has been working diligently to cut our budget wherever possible and to streamline operations to save money, but there are still Trustees who insist on spending more.

This extra spending puts enormous pressure on our dwindling resources at a time when OHA has already accepted major financial commitments such as Waimea Valley, ownership of the Kaka’ako Makai Settlement Properties, and other commitments such as the $3 million/per year for 30-years debt service for the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and funding for organizations such as Alu Like, Inc. and the Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation that have made their way into our annual budget. These are huge amounts of revenues being contracted to these entities. Add to this the grants and annual operational expenses and we are maxed out.

A Constant Issue

Overspending has been a longstanding problem at OHA. In April of 2004, our money committee chair asked for a legal opinion that would allow OHA to spend more of the Native Hawaiian Trust Fund. He even questioned whether it’s even appropriate to build the Trust at all.

I have consistently argued against OHA’s 5% spending policy and strongly recommended that it be reduce instead to 4%, at least until the economy fully recovers again. Even Kamehameha Schools operates at a lower spending rate than 5%.

Fiscal Restraint

In these tough economic times, there are nearly a hundred nonprofit organizations asking for OHA grants each year. While giving the money away will make OHA very popular in the short-term, we should be focusing on the long-term health of the Native Hawaiian Trust Fund.

We have worked carefully for two decades to build the Trust to over $300 million. I would hate to see this relatively modest amount shrink down to nothing in shortsighted spending sprees that forces us to realign our budget several times a year and draw more money from our corpus (trust). What other organization does this?

Greater Transparency

State law (Hawaii Revised Statutes §10-14.5 on budget preparation and submission; auditing, Section b) requires that: “The (OHA) board shall provide opportunities for beneficiaries in every county to participate in the preparation of each biennial and supplemental budget of the office of Hawaiian affairs. These opportunities shall include an accounting by trustees of the funds expended and of the effectiveness of programs undertaken.”

I have recommended time and time again that OHA needs to take its proposed budget out to the community so that our beneficiaries can give us their input as well as tell us what their needs are.

This was the common practice of OHA in the past and I believe it helped OHA to develop a budget that was more in-sync with our beneficiaries’ concerns.

I will continue to press OHA’s money committee chair to take our next proposed budget out to the community, as required by law, including the neighbor islands.

So which path will OHA’s leadership take?

It has long been understood that OHA is a “temporary” organization that will someday be dissolved and its assets transferred over to the new Hawaiian Nation.

So the critical policy question is: “Will OHA continue to be a ‘temporary’ organization that will give the Hawaiian Nation the assets it needs to survive or will OHA continue to spend freely and shrink the Trust Fund?”

OHA desperately needs Trustees who will make the tough decision to focus on building towards a more permanent, long-term goal instead of taking the easy and popular path of short-sighted spending.

In this election year, OHA beneficiaries should look carefully at the candidates running for OHA Trustee and choose individuals who will take OHA in a more fiscally responsible direction.

What has been sorely lacking is for Trustees to prioritize our spending and focus on the things that our beneficiaries need and NOT use OHA’s “Strategic Plan,” which is at best a wish list of too many things and does not focus on the top priorities of our people.

NOT listing priorities leaves the door wide open for certain Trustees to continue to fund anything and everything while neglecting meaningful programs in healthcare and housing.

As long as trustees keep drawing money out of our corpus, or trust fund, we are taking money away from future generations of Hawaiians. After all, what is a nation without assets? Aloha Ke Akua.

9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals’ recent decision affirming the standing of the Arakaki plaintiffs to sue OHA

By: Trustee Rowena Akana

Source: Letter to various newspaper editors, May, 2009

While those opposed to Native Hawaiian programs may see the recent 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision regarding the Arakaki lawsuit as a victory, we at the Office of Hawaiian Affairs were actually pleased that the 9^th Circuit denied the plaintiffs any standing regarding the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands or ceded land revenues.

I believe that the Arakaki lawsuit is just another one of a long history of challenges that Hawaiians have had to overcome since 1893. Like all of those challenges in the past, the Hawaiian community will meet them head on and work diligently to overcome it.

In these difficult times, I truly appreciate the non-Hawaiians who have had the courage to step forward and speak out in support of their Hawaiian friends and neighbors. People like Robbie Alms, who thoroughly impressed me with his speech during the Kamehameha Schools’ Unity Rally on Saturday, August 6, 2005 at ‘Iolani Palace.

Alms spoke from the heart when he said that he has never felt deprived because he could not attend the Kamehameha Schools. He sincerely felt that his friends who were able to attend were blessed, but their blessing involved no loss on his part.

Alms also showed great insight when he said that it should disturb all of us greatly, both Hawaiians and non-Hawaiian, that laws designed to “lift the yoke of slavery from black Americans are used as weapons to harm native people.”

I would like to send out a warm mahalo nui loa to all of the non-Hawaiians out there, like Robbie Alms, who continue to speak out for the Hawaiian community in its time of need. As for the Arakaki lawsuit, make no mistake, none of the programs currently working to assist disadvantaged Native Hawaiians will ever fall victim to its terrorization.

Recent Polls show people of Hawaii believe in fairness for Native Hawaiians

By: OHA Trustee Rowena Akana

Source Ka Wai Ola o OHA, November 2007

‘Ano’ai kakou… According to a poll conducted by Ward Research for OHA, 70% of residents surveyed favored the Akaka Bill, while nearly two-thirds of those polled also believe that the issue of race should not be a reason to deny federal recognition to Hawaiians.

However, anti-Akaka bill groups like the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii (with a membership of a handful of people) and some of the members of the newly formed Hawaii Civil Rights Advisory Committee are trying to re-write our Hawaiian history. Like other racist groups who say the Holocaust never happened, the Grassroots Institute would not be happy until Native Hawaiians no longer exist or are driven out from our Aina. They keep hoping that, if they keep repeating the same non-truths over and over again, people will start believing their nonsense.

The poll was conducted by telephone from August 15-27, 2007 from a sampling of 380 residents statewide. The sample is representative of the Hawaii population by age, ethnicity, and island of residence and carries a maximum sampling error of plus or minus 5 percent.

Those surveyed were asked, “Do you think that Hawaiians should be recognized by the U.S. as a distinct indigenous group, similar to the recognition given to American Indians and Alaska Natives?” A solid seventy percent responded, “Yes,” while 18 percent said, “No” and 12 percent didn’t know.

I have always had faith that the people of Hawaii truly understand the issue of federal recognition for Hawaiians and could not be easily fooled by all the negative doomsday rhetoric of the anti-Akaka bill naysayers. The poll showed that 84% of those surveyed heard of the Akaka bill and 79% were aware of the lawsuits against OHA, DHHL and Kamehameha Schools.

Sixty-seven percent of those polled also said that Hawaiians have the right to make decisions about their land, education, health, cultural and traditional practices, and social policies. Eighty-three percent of those surveyed believe that over 100-federally funded programs for Hawaiians should continue.

The vast majority of Hawaii residents want organizations such as the Kamehameha Schools, DHHL and OHA, which are under the constant threat of lawsuits, to be protected through federal recognition. They believe in the fundamental question of fairness and that Hawaiians should be treated equally like other indigenous people, including American Indians and Native Alaskans.

So, to the naysayers, I say – Stop embarrassing yourself and wasting your time, energy, and money on fruitless efforts. You cannot change or re-write history. OHA only has to educate 18% of Hawaii residents on the merits of the Akaka bill, while opponents need to somehow mislead a whopping 64%. It takes so much more energy to confuse and mislead people, while it is much easier to just speak the truth.

All these years of spreading lies and misleading people haven’t gotten people like H. William Burgess anywhere. People of Hawaii know what is right, fair and just. After all, isn’t fairness and justice the American way?

Imua e Hawai’i nei…

A non-Hawaiian who appreciates the Aloha of the host culture

By: OHA Trustee Rowena Akana

Source Ka Wai Ola o OHA, October 2005

‘Ano’ai kakou… While the Arakaki plaintiffs may see the recent 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision regarding their lawsuit as a victory, we here at the Office of Hawaiian Affairs were pleased that the 9th Circuit actually denied them any standing regarding the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and ceded land revenues. That just leaves OHA’s matching funds from the state, which I feel is a pretty ridiculous argument since OHA is a state agency and uses those funds to operate — just like any other state agency.

I believe the Arakaki lawsuit is just another one of a long series of challenges that Hawaiians have had to overcome since 1893. As with those many hurdles in the past, so shall the Hawaiian community come together once again and work diligently to overcome it.

In these challenging times, I truly appreciate the non-Hawaiians who have had the courage to step forward and speak in support of their Hawaiian friends and neighbors. People like Robbie Alms, who thoroughly impressed me with his speech during the Kamehameha Schools’ Unity Rally on Saturday, August 6, 2005 at ‘Iolani Palace.

Alms talked about how he was taught by his parents that “we all receive gifts but not necessarily the same gifts, and that we should celebrate the gifts we receive, not covet the gifts of others.” I feel it is a real shame that none of the Arakaki plaintiffs seem to have learned this from their parents. Alms felt that the 9th Circuit Court decision forces Kamehameha Schools to give him a very special gift that he was not intended to receive. He emphatically said that he does not need or want it.

Alms stressed that he does not feel “trammeled” by the Kamehameha Schools admissions policy; but he does feel trammeled when such legalisms “take precedence over the health of our islands’ social fabric.”

Alms also showed great insight when he said that laws designed to “lift the yoke of slavery from black Americans” are now being used as weapons to harm Native Hawaiians. I absolutely agree with his point that the law is being used to condemn our special heritage with the harsh and ugly words of “civil rights violation.” Another excellent point he made is that the 9th Circuit seems to erroneously think that diminishing Native Hawaiians will somehow build a healthy and pono society.

Alms ended his speech by encouraging Hawaiians and non-Hawaiians to call upon our court system to live up to its highest purposes and values, and to call upon our community to stand up for Kamehameha Schools. He said that our very future depends upon honoring our unique history and the very special institutions that that heritage has given us. In his words, “We all need to honor the Princess’ gift just as she meant it to be honored.”

The Time Has Come For Solidarity

TRUSTEE ROWENA AKANA

October 2003 Ka Wai Ola o OHA Column

`Ano`ai kakou… On Sunday, September 7, 2003, the Trustees and staff of OHA marched side-by-side down Kalakaua Avenue with more than 5,000 supporters of Native Hawaiian rights in a powerful show of unity. The marchers included representatives from Kamehameha Schools, Hawaiian Ali’i Trusts, Royal Benevolent Society members, and sovereignty advocates. Also showing their support were many non-Hawaiians, the most prominent being Governor Lingle. The march was organized by the ‘Ilio’ulaokalani Coalition and ended in a rally at the Kapi’olani Park Bandstand where we were holding our Family Day celebration.

Many of us will mark August 20, 2003 a black day in Hawaiian history as a federal court judge forced Kamehameha Schools to enroll a non-Hawaiian student. This act is so egregious that it may be the inciting incident that will finally galvanize Hawaiians to unite and fight for their rights.

It was encouraging to see that both supporters and opponents of the Hawaiian federal recognition were able to come together to march. It showed that even though we may not agree on federal recognition, we can still come together to support justice for Native Hawaiians.

What we face today as Hawaiians, the indigenous people of our lands, is no different than what occurred over 100 years ago. We are still fighting off assaults on our culture, rights to our lands and racism. Only now, we are being called racists because we want to protect our entitlements. Times have not changed much, people are still the same and greed is still the motivation behind the move to relieve us of whatever entitlements we have left. The only thing that has changed is the sophistication used to manipulate us and the law.

We are one people. We cannot afford to be divided, not when so much work remains to be done. The struggle to regain our sovereign rights requires unity and the strength of numbers.

As the recent federal court decision regarding Kamehameha schools proves, the future of OHA and other Hawaiian Trusts are certainly at risk. Hawaiian leaders will have to work together and use whatever resources that are necessary to protect existing Hawaiian Trusts.

Let us begin to work together for the cause of recognition. Let us begin to agree on the things that we can agree to and set aside the things we differ on and move forward together for the future generations of Hawaiians yet to come.

We cannot continue to let others decide our future. We will be one nation and one people.

Let us be as our Queen wished…..ONIPA’A, steadfast in what is good!

“I appeal to you….that there be no division among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same purpose.” I Corinthians 1:10

Thousands Join March for Hawaiian Rights

By: Dan Nakaso and Vicki Viotti, Advertiser Staff Writers
September 8, 2003

Source: Honolulu Advertiser.com

Tears ringed Nyla Lolotai’s eyes as she marched down Kalakaua Avenue yesterday with more than 5,000 other supporters of Hawaiian rights in a rare, massive display of Hawaiian unity.

Lolotai, like many others who marched yesterday, doesn’t normally take part in public demonstrations. But like the others, she was moved to join yesterday’s “March for Justice” in response to an Aug. 20 federal court order forcing Kamehameha Schools to enroll a non-Hawaiian boy until a final verdict on the admission policy is made this fall.

The size of the mile-and-a-quarter march stirred deep emotions in Lolotai, who graduated from Kamehameha Schools in 1976 and whose son, Mana, is a sophomore there.

“It’s usually the Hawaiian way to be quiet,” Lolotai said. “But we’ve been too quiet too long.”

Besides the sheer number of people, the march and rally represented a gathering of often disparate Hawaiian voices – from angry sovereignty advocates to Gov. Linda Lingle to the trustees of Kamehameha Schools to many non-Hawaiians.

“This is a great turnout from all kinds of people from across the state,” Lingle said while walking down Kalakaua Avenue alongside Lt. Gov. James “Duke” Aiona. “It raises awareness for the basic fairness that Hawaiian people are seeking. … Clearly a majority of the community does support justice for Hawaiians.”

Aiona, who has at least one-eighth Hawaiian blood, said people came out yesterday out of a sense of urgency for Hawaiian rights.

“With that comes unity and strength,” he said. “That’s where my community is at right now. It’s awesome. You can feel the spirit. And it’s all well intentioned.”

Both Lingle and Aiona wore red T-shirts that read, “Ku I Ka Pono Justice for Hawaiians.”

“It means stand up for righteousness,” said Brawnson Adams, an 11-year-old, Kamehameha Schools seventh-grader. “The red represents the blood of Hawaiians.”

Organizers sold out of the 5,000, red T-shirts and tank tops that were going for $5. And police estimated the crowd at about 5,000.

Bob Ching wore one of the shirts as he marched through Waikiki. He has no Hawaiian blood but his seventh-grade son attends Kamehameha, which has drawn Ching into Native Hawaiian concerns.

“I think it’s everybody’s issue,” Ching said. “It’s not a racial or ethnic thing. It’s about what’s right.”

At the front of the march, members of various schools of lua, or Hawaiian martial arts, wore traditional kihei cloaks and carried staffs and other weapons. Further in back, other marchers sipped from water bottles and pushed baby strollers.

Police reported no problems.

“Very peaceful march,” said HPD officer Randy Rivera as he watched the throng of people moving before him.

The march was organized by the ‘Ilio’ulaokalani Coalition, a Hawaiian political action group. It was soon joined by other organizations and ended in a rally at the Kapi’olani Park Bandstand, where the Office of Hawaiian Affairs had planned its family day celebration.

The disparate groups represented various points along the Hawaiian political scale, including supporters and opponents of the Hawaiian federal recognition bill before Congress.

Lynette Cruz, a longtime opponent of the so-called Akaka bill, said the theme of the march was Hawaiian unity. But not all Hawaiians are unified, she said.

“We want to show support for Hawaiian rights,” Cruz said. “But we’re not going to the rally afterwards because we don’t support federal recognition.”

The march did, however, give police officers and marchers an opportunity to educate curious tourists about Hawaiian issues.

Mele Welte, a former Kamehameha teacher, carried a placard reading, “Honor, preserve, protect and celebrate the Hawaiian people,” as she gave a mini lecture to a couple of tourists.

“I feel that people who attack Native rights need to consider the diversity of our country,” she said.

With the sound of conch shells blowing in the background along Kalakaua Avenue, Roy Benham, who helped push for reforms at the former Bishop Estate and is now a member of Kamehameha’s board of advisers, said the march may prove a significant turning point in Hawaiian activism.

“It’s one of the first times we’ve seen so many organizations come together,” Benham said. “It’s something we’re going to need in the future as we move forward. This is a good first step.”

It was a step that began with Honolulu police shutting down Kalakaua Avenue through Waikiki. At the intersection of Kalakaua Avenue and Saratoga Road, speaker after speaker rallied marchers with stories of injustices toward Hawaiians and the need for action.

The next two hours were filled with angry shouts and times of solace.

At key points along the route, organizers erected portraits of Hawaiian royalty, where marchers stopped to pay homage.

Outside the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center representatives of various Hawaiian associations – including descendants of Hawaiian royalty – stood by a portrait of Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, whose will created the Kamehameha Schools in 1884.

Kamehameha Schools trustees stood a few yards away, including trustee Robert Kihune, who held his straw hat over his heart.

Four Kamehameha Schools students wearing their blue and white school uniforms unwrapped a maile and ilima lei, which they hung over the princess’ image. Other students chanted, played ‘ukulele, sang and danced hula.

In the background, many marchers held hands and wept.

Like other Kamehameha students, Brawnson – the Kamehameha seventh-grader – was offered extra credit in his social studies and Hawaiian classes if he writes a paper about the march.

Many marchers felt that similar offers detracted from the day.

One student carried a hand-written sign that said, “Not Here 4 Extra Credit.” Another’s read, “What Extra Credit?”

Like other students, Brawnson said he wasn’t drawn by a grade.

“We’re here for the will,” he said. “We’re here to back up Pauahi.”

Reach Dan Nakaso at 525-8085 or dnakaso@honoluluadvertiser.com. Reach Vicki Viotti at 525-8053 or vviotti@honoluluadvertiser.com.

OHA’s Rowena Akana Testifies Against Acquisition of Ka’iwi Shoreline

By: OHA Trustee Rowena Akana

Source: Ka Wai Ola o OHA, July 10, 1991

On July 1, 1991, OHA Trustee Rowena Akana, Vice Chairwoman of the OHA Board of Trustees testified against acquisition of Ka’iwi Shoreline Park by the federal government. Trustee Akana spoke at a hearing in Honolulu conducted by Senator Akaka before the U. S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Public Lands and National Parks and Forests. The official position of OHA and Trustee Akana was stated and included the following testimony:

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs recognizes that the Ka’iwi area has a unique and recreational value to the people of the State and should be preserved as open space. But, OHA believes the best interests of Hawaii and the Hawaiian people will not be served by allowing the federal government to acquire the property in question. OHA believes that preservation can best be handled at a local level where the concerns and considerations of both the Hawaiian community and the general community are better understood.

The basis of OHA’s opposition is two-fold: First, much of the property included in the park proposal is owned by the Bishop Estate. For those unfamiliar with Hawaii, the Bishop Estate is a private trust estate established by Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, the last descendant of the line of Kamehameha. The sole purpose of this trust is to educate native Hawaiian children. We cannot overemphasize the importance of Kamehameha Schools in their educational goals to the Hawaiian community. Bishop Trust is one of the remaining legacies of a proud Hawaiian nation. We are especially concerned with the involuntary taking of Bishop Estate land by any entity.

Secondly, Hawaii has a long and often bitter history with the federal government over Hawaiian land. With the active and illegal involvement of the United States, the Hawaiian nation was overthrown and more than 1.8 million acres of Hawaiian land were seized without the consent of, or compensation to, the native Hawaiian people. They continue to seek the return of the Hawaiian lands to the Hawaiian people, but their land claims against the federal government have not yet been addressed. Under such circumstances, the acquisition of more land by the federal government cannot be justified.

Immediately upon acquiring the public trust lands which were meant to be held for the benefit of the Hawaiian people, the federal government began manipulating their use. With the sugar industry in mind, the federal government created the Hawaiian Homes Trust in 1920 and set aside certain lands for native Hawaiian homesteads and agricultural purposes. This planned community was kept to the most marginal lands, while planters were allowed the most productive agricultural lands for sugar and pineapple. Subsequently, even the marginal lands were taken for federal non-trust purposes.

Lualualei Naval Ammunition Depot on Oahu is built on more than 1,000 acres of Hawaiian Homes Trust lands. The buffer zone around the Pacific Missile Range facility is Hawaiian Homes Trust land also. Large segments of private and public lands have been appropriated by the federal government with a promise of return when the stated need is over. Most often, that promise has been broken by the federal government. Kahoolawe, Waikane Valley and Bellows Field were taken in response to the urgencies of World War II. More than 50 years later, none of that land has been returned to its owners.

Although we are grateful to Senator Akaka in 1990 for establishing the Kahoolawe Conveyance Commission, we are hopeful that at least that part of our concerns will be resolved with the Commission’s work and with the Senator’s continued assistance, the days of a much more adequate and responsible federal response will be upon us soon. Unfortunately, we cannot say the same for Waikane Valley and Bellows Field. Instead of returning Waianae, the federal government is condemning the privately owned land and suggesting the State buy back trust lands.

The Hawaiian people have spent a full century trying to overcome the consequences of the federal stewardship of our land and resources. Recently, there has been a growing understanding in our community of the Hawaiian history and its effect upon the lives of the Hawaiian people. There is little doubt that Senator Akaka, as a native Hawaiian, understands and shares our concerns and is just as eager to try to correct the injustices that have occurred.

OHA’s official position is that the Ka’iwi area should not be turned over to the federal government under the National Parks and Forests, and that it should remain under state control.

As Hawaiians continue to forge their plans for the future, they believe that it is best to manage their own resources. They can only truly be accountable for their future when they have control over that future.