Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 28, Number 7, 1 July 2010 — message from the CEO [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

message from the CEO

Aloha mai kākou,

Beneath the long title of the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act (NHGRA) lies the crucial key to a brighter future for Native Hawaiians. Known as the Akaka Bill, the measure would reaffirm Hawaiian sovereignty and allow for a process for federal recognition, similar to what our Alaska Native and Native American brothers and sisters enjoy. In essence, it would give Hawaiians more say in how our land is used, how we want to be governed and what kind of future we envision for ourselves and for generations to eome. To this end, I was part of a team of executives and Trustees from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs that traveled to Washington, D.C., June 4 to 9, to urge passage of NHGRA. With a firm belief that the window of opportunity for passage is now, we attended a historic White House briefing on Native Hawaiian issues, where a White House official reaffirmed that President Ohama is ready to sign the bill after approval by the U.S. Senate. A story on

the historic Ohama Administration briefing appears on page 5. But what would happen next, after the legislation is signed? To our colleagues, friends and appointed and elected officials in Washington, D.C., OHA offered our assistance as liaison in the implementation of the bill. Given OHA's state constitutional and statutory obligations, resources and mission to advocate to better the conditions of Native Hawaiians, OHA is uniquely positioned to assist the parties involved - the Hawai'i congressional delegation, federal government, State of Hawai'i and Hawaiian eommunity - as a liaison to facilitate implementation of the NHGRA. OHA seeks to formalize our role in this matter. Our goal is to ensure a fair, democratic, inclusive process in whieh the Native Hawaiian governing entity will be reorganized by - and for - Native Hawaiians. A government by and for Native Hawaiians. It is fitting that Hawaiians are on the brink of formalizing our collective voices in how we are governed in this bicentennial year of Kamehameha the Great's unification of the islands under one Kingdom. As President

Ohama onee again showed his aloha for Hawai'i and all its people by proclaiming June 11, 2010, Kamehameha Day, our OHA delegation witnessed and co-spon-sored the Kamehameha the Great Lei-Draping Ceremony, coordinatedbytheHawai'i State Society of Wash- m inoton DC anthori7ed

by U.S. Congressional Resolution and held at Emancipation Hall in the U.S. Capitol complex. E ala ē. Me ka 'oia'i'o, (Uydjc O.

Clyde W. Nāmu'o Chief Executive Officer