Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 29, Number 10, 1 October 2012 — STRENGTH IN |NUMBERS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

STRENGTH IN

|NUMBERS

"Of course I'm registered," said Iokepa Joseph Mahoe, at an event in Keauhou in September. "Now it's time for the young people to get involved. We have to reach the young people. If you get registered, you get to have a say in Hawai'i's future." Diana Suganuma, a self-employed notary from Waimea, was confident. "I carry registration cards with me wherever I go and get friends signed up. It's going to be word of mouth, but we'll get it done." Kana'iolowalu is a concrete step toward self-detenni-nation, said Colette Machado, chairwoman of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. "We need a Hawaiian entity," Machado said. "What does this mean for us in 20 years? We are hopeful. We are hopeful we will have our nation in plaee." Gov. John Waihe'e, the ehainnan of the roll eommission, believes one particularly daunting task is convincing those who would like to keep the status quo that their best ehanee lies in their participation in Kana'iolowalu. "The status quo includes . . . the existence of Hawaiian institutions whieh are under challenge. For example, the last two United States Supreme Court decisions regard-

ing Hawaiian issues have been very devastating to the institutions they affected," Waihe'e said. He cited rul-

ings that allowed non-Hawaiians to vote in Office of Hawaiian Affairs elections and serve as trustees as well as threats to ceded lands. "Why are they under threat? Well they are under threat because people are challenging these institutions as racial preferences," Waihe'e said. He said programs for Native Hawaiians are coming under the same ehallenges, noting nationally, programs to uplift minorities have eome under intense scrutiny. "How do you establish that this is an issue of citizenship rather than race? It comes out of our history, it comes out of the fact that the United States illegally

occupied Hawai'i," Waihe'e said. COMMUNITY \\XIKTY Kana'iolowalu has dredged up complex feelings in many families. Auriel Maass of Moloka'i said she's tom because her mother is not Hawaiian and she wonders about the effect on her family. "I want to recognize my Hawaiian side," said the Maui College, Moloka'i student. "But I also want to recognize my Filipino side too. A program has to include my diverse family." Waihe'e said although the roll is restricted to Native Hawaiians, the intent is to have as many voices participate. He said that's the reason the commission also created a petition for non-Hawaiians who support the effort. "It's an invitation from the Native Hawaiian eommunity to participate," he said. On Hawai'i Island, non-Hawaiian Diane "Makaala" Kanealii was manning a table encouraging people to sign up for the Kana'iolowalu roll or petition. Kanealii is married to a Native Hawaiian. "We've had a lot of people sign up who are not Native Hawaiian but are supporters," she said. "A lot of people understand what's on our plate and what we're going through. I feel real good that so many people are supporting us." But issues of self-determination have long been eontentious in the community. Jerry Flowers, a homesteader from Ho'olehua, Moloka'i, said: "I'm all for programs that preserve what we have as Native Hawaiians. However, my eoneem is will Hawaiians end up fighting Hawaiians?" Uilani Colon from Maunaloa, Moloka'i, said: "I would like to see our Hawaiians unified in order that we move forward in determining our own governance. Stop the hakakā (fighting) - practice ho'oponopono, for we must eome together." The perennial argument is something Waihe'e believes to be unproductive. "The way we deal with these issues now is guaranteed not to have a resolution. We argue about it and that's it. "People are fighting about the wrong thing," he said. "What we should be fighting for is to clearly establish that (poliheal) base." COMMUNITY HOPE For Kona resident Marion Keliikipi, the latest drive brings hope. "Everyone should register," she said. "It's very important to bring our people together from all over. We've been waiting too long. Too many people have died waiting for this." "What motivates us, at least me personally," said Waihe'e, "is that as a result of this that life will get better for everybody. Not only for Native Hawaiians, but for all the people of Hawai'i." For Machado, the OHA chairwoman, the roll would show the world how many Native Hawaiians are interested in self-governance. "This would give us a sense of who Native Hawaiians are. That's why we want the roll commission to succeed." ■ Reporting was contributed by Karin Stanton on Hawai'i Island and Chetyl Corbi.ell on Moloka'i..

| Auriel Maass. - < Photo:Cheryl Corbiell

I ■ lokepa i Joseph Mahoe. - Photo:Karin i Stanton

i Uilani Colon. - I Photo:Cheryl 1 Corbiell

\ Marion Keliikipi. -Photo:Karin i Stanton