Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 14, Number 5, 1 May 1997 — Kualoa Unity Conference continues to build foundation for Hawaiian nation [ARTICLE]

Kualoa Unity Conference continues to build foundation for Hawaiian nation

by Deborah L. Ward '' -/"' ,£&■. , * A, • J' Asecond Hawaiian unity conferenee, "Ho'omalu ma Kualoa," was held April 18-20 at Kualoa regional state park to continue a healing and unifying dialogue among Hawaiians interested in building concensus foi Hawaiian sovereignty. Three hundred participants from different islands, organizations and viewpoints took part in the informal weekend sessions. Sessions are open to anyone who wished to participate. What emerged from the weekend was agreement on a mission statement, objectives and goals, and protocol that organizers called "building blocks" for unity. Coordina-

tor Kina u Kamah'i said "The goal of

Ho omalu is to lay the foundation of mutual tmst, knowledge and informed action on whieh we will rebuild a unified and strong Hawaiian nation." Following the concept of "ho'omalu," (peaeemaking) the gathering is meant to provide a culturallyappropriate environment and forum for Hawaiians to learn about and discuss issues and actions of importance to them — regardless of present organizational affiliations or

past hurts and harms. To allow people to express them-

selves or disagree as a part of sharing different views, organizers did not invite media reprsentatives. Two large contingents whieh withdrew from the first unity eonference, the State Council of Hawaiian Homestead Associations, and the Nation of Kū, did not attend the second gathering. On the first day, four discussion groups discussed the issues whieh were agreed to in a pala-

pala 'aelike (concensus statement) developed at the first unity conference, held in Februarv. An

overview presentation was

_ made on eaeh issue, followed by a focused discussion. The first topic, traditional and customary ' rights, including native Hawaiian gathering rights, was covered by attorney Moses Haia of Native Hawaiian Advisory Couneil. The second topic, land claims, trusts and entitlement, was presented by 3 Linda Delaney, and OHA Chairman Clayton Hee spoke on OHA revenue entitlements from the ceded lands trust. An overview of the

third topic, sovereignty and self-deter-mination, was presented by the King-

„ dom of Hawai'i, Kekuni Blaisdell of Ka Pākaukau; Shane Pale, Lehua Kinilau and Kealoha Pisciotta of Ka Lāhui Hawai'i; and was followed by a discussion of the process of sovereignty , by Ka Pākaukau; Mihlani Trask of Ka Lāhui Hawai'i; Henry Noa of Kaona; and Free Association. The fourth topic, cultural retrieval, identity and integrity, was covered by attorney Lani Ma'a Lapilio of the Native Hawaiian Historic Preservation

" " Council, Kaiana Kanaele, Sr. of the State Historic Preservation Office, Kunani Nihipali, Hui Mālama i

nā Kūpuna o Hawai'i Nei, and Kehau Abad of Ka Lāhui Hawai'i. On the second day, Sunday, the overall topic was focus on the future and the Hawaiian community. Ho'omalu participants have now established planning and steering committee based on areas of agreement. Volunteers are invited to join the subject area committees to plan four two-day conferences, including on the neighbor islands, that will explore in greater depth eaeh of the four topics and discuss potential legislation. A third unity conference, "Ho'omalu 'Ekolu," is now scheduled for October 24-26. Tentative goal of this fall meeting will be to review and expand on the palapala 'aelike, based on the summer conferences and to begin discussion of forming a confederation for pohtical unity.

To allow people +o feel free to expresf themselves or disagree as a part of sharing different views, organizers did not invite medi( representatives to attend.

What emerged from the weekend was agreement on a mission statement, objectives and goals, and protocol that organizers cailed "building blocks" for unity.