Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 10, Number 5, 1 May 1993 — Symposium takes a hard look at sovereignty's economie impact [ARTICLE]

Symposium takes a hard look at sovereignty's economie impact

A symposium to study the eeonomie viability of Hawaiian sovereignty models is being planned for June 5 by the Sovereignty Advisory Council. Co-chairper-

sons of the symposium are Dr. Miehael Kioni Dudley, co-author of "A Call for Hawaiian Sovereignty," and Pōkā Laenui (Hayden F. Burgess), director of the Institute for the Advancement of Hawaiian Affairs. This will be the first examination of the eeonomie consequences of models of Hawaiian nationhood, ranging from "nation within a nation" to eomplete independence. Symposium planners are preparing a questionnaire to be sent to principal proponents of the different models. The responses will be used as a basis for further inquiry by a number of specialists in areas relating to Hawai'i's economy.

A second symposium is being considered for September in whieh eeonomie experts will discuss the eeonomie effects of adopting ieach model. Sovereignty proponents will be able to discuss with experts the practical implementation of eaeh model. A report on the results will be submitted to the Legislature. Locations for the symposia have not been announced. SAC's goals for this project go beyond discussion of eeonomie impacts of Hawaiian sovereignty. SAC sees Hawai'i's society as moving through several phases to achieve self-determination. Hawai'i has emerged from the first phase, that of a people's

recovery and rediscovery of eulture and Hawaiian national history, and the second, mouming, as reflected during the Jan. 15-17, 1993 centennial commemoration at 'Iolani Palaee. According to SAC, Hawaiians are now in the "dreaming" phase where all self-determination possibilities are under consideration. The general goal of SAC's symposia is to aid in this phase, making specific information available to those who will be involved in determining Hawai'i's future. Activities in the last two phases, commitment and action, ean be chosen more wisely when preceded by a comprehensive and serious examination of concepts. The Sovereignty Advisory

Council was created by the 1991 state Legislature to advise on how to study the issue of Hawaiian sovereignty. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs matched the Legislature in funding the SAC in 1991, pending creation of the Hui Na'auao Hawaiian sovereignty education project. A preliminary report to the Legislature on SAC was filed in 1992. The results of this SAC project will complete its mandate. The chairman of SAC is Bmss Keppeler, president of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs. Various organizations examining the question of Hawaiian sovereignty are members.