Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 8, Number 3, 1 March 1991 — Rights handbook out soon [ARTICLE]

Rights handbook out soon

For the past 200 years the indigenous people of Hawai'i have been dispossessed of their land primarily through manipulation of the legal system. In recent years, however, the courts have recognized the rights of Native Hawaiians with regard to land titles, traditional and customary usage, and natural resources.

The "Native Hawaiian Rights Handbook" was co-produced by the Native Hawaiian Legal Corp. and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, with major funding from OHA. It was edited by Melody Kapilialoha MacKenzie and is being published by University of Hawaii Press, as a reference volume whieh describes those rights, and details current efforts to enforce and advance them. The long-awaited handbook will be available through U.H. Press by the end of March or early Apnl. (Paperback, $25.)

The handbook includes a historical and legal discussion of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, a history of the Hawai'i ceded lands trust, a description of the various resources available to Native Hawaiians and a discussion of self-govern-anee and self-determination. Available legal remedies — and required procedures — to secure and

maintain Native Hawaiian are described. Melody MacKenzie is senior staff attorney with the Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation, whieh receives major funding from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. She also serves a per diem Hawai'i District Court judge.