Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 23, Number 2, 1 February 2006 — Native Leadership Forum a purposeful and inspiring start to the new year [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Native Leadership Forum a purposeful and inspiring start to the new year

Haunani Apnlinna. MSW Chairpersūn TrustEE, At-large

Aloha mai e nā 'ōiwi 'ōlino, nā pulapula a Hāloa, mai Hawai'i a Ni'ihau a puni ke ao mālamalama. Ianuary 2006 marked the gathering of Native Hawaiian, American Indian and Alaska Native leaders in Hawai'i at the 2006 Native Leadership Forum, "Native Leadership and the Challenges Ahead, Protecting Sovereignty, Culture, Homelands and Resource Rights, and Achieving Eeonomie Self-Sufficiency." The Forum focus and context noted in the forum agenda said: "Native America is in a time of transition. Native leaders who have fought to preserve the rights of Native people to self-determination and self-governance, and who have so effectively built upon the foundation of Native sovereignty forged by those who eame before them, seek to assure that there will be a cadre of younger Native people who are prepared to assume the responsibilities of leadership in the twenty-first century. The outstanding Native leaders of our time embrace and reflect the values of the Native communities that they serve. These leaders understand that it is only with roots firmly implanted in the history and the culture that inform Native values will the tree of leadership grow tall and be able to withstand the strong winds that historically have buffeted the fates of Native people." Sessions, inclusive of Native Hawaiians, American Indians and Alaska Natives, were convened in the mornings on lan. 9-11. Native Hawaiian leaders who were in attendance for the forum extended into three afternoon sessions led by Native Hawaiians to continue dialogue and deliberations in the conference within the conference entitled Native Hawaiian Leadership Conference, "Developing Leadership for the Hawaiian Nation." On lan. 9, the Native Hawaiian Session I, "Culture as a Foundation for Leadership," was moderated by professor Lilikalā Kame'eleihiwa, with presenters lohn Keola Lake (on "Protocols

and Geneology and Its Plaee in Passing Values Through Our Ancestors"), Richard Paglinawan (on "The Concept of Kuleana" and "Leadership in Lua and Ho 'oponopono Practices") and Aunty Mālia Craver (on "Lōkahi is 24 Hours a Day"). This panel of esteemed kūpuna elevated the critical importance of the values, the practices, the protocols of our culture that will distinguish our Native Hawaiian nation from any other native nation or non-native government going forward. Reminding attendees that striving to halanee the higher power, our environment and our humanity that sustained our elders in this pae 'āina in time past, millennia-old values and practices, serve to keep us focused to lead with culture as the foundation of our leadership. On lan. 10, Native Hawaiian Session II, "Approaches to Hawaiian Leadership" was moderated by Māhealani Wendt, with presenters Tommy Kaulukukui Ir. (on "Hawaiian Leadership"), Winona Rubin (on "Staying the Course") and David Burge (on "Increasing Your Effectiveness as a Native Hawaiian Leader"). This panel of esteemed mentors reminded Native Hawaiian attendees of the fact and wisdom that "not all knowledge is taught in one school - a'ohe pau ka 'ike i ka hālau ho'okahi." Eaeh mentor brought into focus the kuleana of both role and responsibility as we strive for holistic well-being in our approaches to Hawaiian leadership. The luneheon speaker on "Courage In Leadership" on lan. 11 was OHA Trustee Oswald Stender on "Commitment, Courage and Execution." Session III that afternoon, "Elected Leaders," was moderated by retired judge Walter Heen, with presenters Mike McCartney (on "Know Why You're Running") and myself (on "Taking That Big Step"). This panel underscored the necessity of "honest self-assessment" should one be considering a run for puhlie office and the recognition that "politics is the most hazardous of all professions. There is no other in whieh a man (person) ean hope to do so mueh good to his fellow creatures - and neither is there any in whieh by mere loss of nerve, he may do as mueh widespread harm." A purposeful start to the second half of this decade to be sure. 15/48 ^

LEO 'ELELE • TRUSTEE M ESSAGES