Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 26, Number 11, 1 November 2009 — Fellowship [ARTICLE]

Fellowship

I acknowledge, thank and honor the leaders and elders of Maui and the ancestors for their assistance in the safety and security of our mea'ai (food), Hāloanakalaukapalili, (kalo). In particular, I thank and honor the Maui County Couneil for their diligence of home rule (9-0), whieh places a loud message out there that Maui cannot be bought. Special thanks to all kalo farms across the state and supporters who have joined in this plight. Hāloa has definitely shined the light on GMO. It took the first-bom child of Polynesia to slay this beast. But is it over? Nothing is ever over! Stay tuned to our legislative body of government for they tried to implement a rule that takes away authority to County rule on this issue. Today, we need to retrieve and understand our source of authority

and power to govern ourselves. To assist us to strengthen our resolve to follow a strategic plan, we need to institute the cultural, traditional, linguistics and spiritual elements back into our roles as leaders, in helping carve out this island that we love so dear, our home, our mother, our provider, Maui. It has been a slow and sometimes painful process of moving forward to ensure that we no longer accept status quo in our efforts to achieve selfreliance, good govemance, cultural integrity, eeonomie viability and organizational reliability. However, I am very confident that we now have the necessary leadership and human resource capacity to make measured progress to fulfill our vision for tomorrow. Our land, our people, our way s and the true spirit and intent of Hawai'i are respected and honored. I ean proudly say that we have a dedicated

society that demonstrates its commitment to serve all and not just a few that is gaining a positive momentum, and good direction. I sense a changing perspective of governance, industry and the academic eommunity on the growing unity of Maui in the quality of new leadership. Our state of Hawai'i gives no respect and demonstrates willingness to work with us through agreements that eonhnue to demonstrate their compelling inhuenee over our affairs as masters and not as a partner industry. What we now need is for us to demonstrate our resolve through the unity and clarity of purpose in serving the interest of our people, and our cultural/traditional/linguistics/ spiritual integrity. I eall upon all our leaders and all our people to join hands so that we joumey toward our destiny, proud, happy and united. Ke'eaumoku Kapu Lahaina, Maui