Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 22, Number 9, 1 September 2005 — Hui Kākoʻo Paʻahao advocates for the cultural rights of Hawaiian prisoners [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Hui Kākoʻo Paʻahao advocates for the cultural rights of Hawaiian prisoners

Aloha kākou! A few months ago I spent some time with Kaleihau Kamau'u, a former pa'ahao (prisoner) who has dedicated himself to advocating for the rights of Hawaiian prisoners to practice and observe Native Hawaiian religion during incarceration. It's been a while since Kaleihau first began his arduous trek through the tangle of institutional ignorance, yet he remains steadfast. I received his first letter requesting kōkua more than five years ago, and I'm happy to report that things are better for our pa'ahao. Through his inilial request to OHA, and substantial work by the Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation, Native Hawaiian inmates were able to recognize the makahiki season as a critical tenet of their spiritual needs. Since November 2003, inmates have been allowed to meet for one hour eaeh week during the makahiki season to pule, oli and hula. Since his release, Kaleihau has eoncentrated his focus on the formation of Hui Kāko'o Pa'ahao, an organiza-

tion developed to address the needs and concerns of Hawaiian prisoners in state and federal institutions as well as the privately controlled institutions that hold many of our kānaka. Native Hawaiians as an ethnic group eontinue to be overrepresented in prisons, both in Hawai'i and in out-of-state facilities. A 2001 report by the State Department of Public Safety listed Native Hawaiians at 39 percent of the total incarcerated population. Hui Kāko'o Pa'ahao seeks to develop a pu'uhonua (plaee of refuge) for the current pa'ahao that would work to create truly rehabilitative programs and preventative measures to reduce the size of our current Native Hawaiian populalion in prison. The group envisions this plaee as providing a solid cultural foundation inelusive of religious practices such as hula, oli, ho'oponopono, pīkai, ipu o Lono, 'awa ceremonies and the development of life skills and critieal thinking through Hawaiian studies and polilieal science curricula.

The organization is made up of Native Hawaiians who were onee incarcerated, families of incarcerated kānaka and concerned community members, including clergy, teachers and lawyers. Currently, Hui Kāko'o Pa'ahao is in the process of developing a more permanent nonprofit corporation to represent and support the needs of the pa'ahao communities. On April 30, the group held an organizational workshop to develop the first draft of their bylaws and articles of incorporation. They were also able to identify and elect directors to formally work on the organization's incorporation status. The first order of business is to develop and establish the hui's mission and vision statement, and then finalize their bylaws and articles of incorporation. The group's discussions on finding a fiscal sponsor to provide additional support and access to office equipment and space have been geared toward utilizing the Wai'anae Coast Coalition.

As it works through the pains of establishing itself, Hui Kāko'o Pa'ahao is seeking technical and financial assistance. OHA, whieh in the past has helped work with the prisons and state administration to ensure that Native Hawaiian inmates were afforded their basic human rights and cultural practices, has been presented with the request. While OHA looks into what programs are available to help the hui, the group continues to move forward. In his request to OHA, Kaleihau said: "Many of us who were pa'ahao know first-hand the struggle that goes on inside and ean now see the value of community and family support and the institutional support of organizations." Readers interested in getting involved with Hui Kāko'o Pa'ahao and their efforts should contact my office for contact information and future meetings. O

Colette Machado

J Trustee, Moloka'i anel Lana'i