Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 30, Number 12, 1 December 2013 — We are Kanaka Maoli, the voice of Hawaiʻi [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

We are Kanaka Maoli, the voice of Hawaiʻi

Aloha from Kaua'i and Ni'ihau! Mahalo this month to everyone who took time to join us at our OHA Kaua'i Open House on Friday, Nov. 8: Trustee Rowena Akana and Dr. Verlie-Ann Malina-Wright from O'ahu, govemor's representative Wanda Kau-Shibata, John Kaohelauli'i, Bronson and Kai Lovell, Rupert Rowe, Mike Chandler, Joey Pajela, Christopher and Shirley Kauahi, Aunty Arde LongYamashita, Rowena Pangan, Anela and Pua Pa, Kamika Smith, Kale Makua, Lei Aiu-Taber, Iosefa and

Amette Imaikalani, Canen Hookano and Joe Borden. Talking story with all of you really made it a successful day! I also want to thank concerned members of the Hawaiian immersion community on Maui who took time to meet with OHA's Ad Hoe Committee on Hawaiian Language Immersion Education. Mahalo for sharing your mana'o as we work with the many stakeholders to advance 'ōlelo Hawai'i. Back in May, I wrote about "The liquid measurement of who is 'Hawaiian' " and how we have mueh confusion about our cultural identity and division within our community because of the 50 percent blood quantum requirement used for Hawaiian Homes for native Hawaiians versus the more-inclusive "single drop" of Hawaiian blood standard used by most other agencies to serve Native Hawaiians. Since then, many people have shared their mana'o, experience and observations with me. These are some additional thoughts based on those conversations. Defined by the work of our kūpuna, the word "maoli," according to Pukui and Elbert in the Hawaiian Dictionary, is: native, indigenous, aborigine, genuine, true, real and actual. We ean measure the Kanaka Maoli from our past, present and future. Kanaka Maoli ean trace our roots back, never made a blood quantum on ourselves, and there is a future for us and our culture. Kanaka Maoli are the voice of Hawai'i nei.

Today, there is no political unit presently governing Kanaka Maoli, and judging from the response thus far to the latest enrollment process, there may be far less interest in creating one than previously thought. Kanaka Maoli monarchs ruled over anyone who was a member of their political community, not merely Kanaka Maoli. Long before the overthrow of the monarchy, the Kanaka Maoli royal family intermarried with British and American immigrants, and both immigrants and their mixed-race children held high

positions in Hawaiian society. Non-native people began to serve in the king's cabinet and western-style parliament as early as the 1840s, including Keoni Ana, who was Kanaka Maoli and half-British and served as kuhina nui (co-regent) beginning in 1845. Kanaka Maoli monarchs were hardly resistant to Western values; beginning early in the century they were themselves Christians and tried to spread Christian and Western traditions to all those on the Islands. King Kalākaua toured the world in large part to attract immigration to his kingdom. Kanaka Maoli are the past, present, future, Native, indigenous, aborigine, genuine, true, real, actual, very, really and truly living here, Hawai'i. The past is the future, the future is the gift and Kanaka Maoli are the present. Also, I want to send a shout out to Trustee ' Carmen Hulu Lindsey, our Maui trustee, who recently celebrated her 70th birthday in style, surrounded by her 'ohana and friends. I'm honored I got to join her as part of her OHA 'ohana. Hulu Lindsey sets a great example of being a tireless, respectful, knowledgeable and involved leader for our Hawaiian people. I wish her many more years of heahh and service. Finally, here's wishing a Mele Kalikimaka and Hau'oli Makahiki Hou to you and your 'ohana. May your holiday celebrations be joyous and safe. Mahalo nui loa! ■

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Dan Ahuna TrustEE, Kaua'i and Ni'ihau