Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 33, Number 7, 1 July 2016 — TRASK, MILILANI B. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

TRASK, MILILANI B.

>► Q1 RESPONSE: Initiating a program for Health & Wellness that integrates healthier practices in all 3 areas is a good beginning point. It should include education on the causes of poor heahh and how to take corrective measures (Dietary changes, exercise, regular eheek— ups) as well as understanding Mental Heahh needs

(stress, fear, anger, violence) and corrective measures (Counseling, medication, anger management etc.) Spiritual support comes from ceremony, prayer and church affiliation. This program needs to be pursued in conjunction whh other groups providing services in these areas. Partnerships increase expertise and provide for cost sharing. We have many Hawaiians with Heahh expertise, and today we have a Hawaiian Healthcare System that ean interface whh OHA on all islands. >► Q2 RESPONSE: Nation building ean only be achieved by and through a statewide educational effort on our historical right to self— determination. Hawaiian educators should be tapped to spearhead this effort. In order to be legitimate, Hawaiians anel need to voluntarily enroll in this effort and democratic procedures need to be followed. (i.e. voluntary enrollment by 51% of peoples residing on the 'āina, democratic elections of representatives, and majority ratification by the peoples themselves of any governing document. The initiative must arise from the peoples themselves, not the State Legislature or a State Agency like OHA. The current process stemming from Kanaiolowalu and Na 'I Aupuni excluded the Hawaiian people and eame from the State. No Democratic eleeūon of delegates occurred, nor is there any verified roll of Hawaiian residents of our State. >► Q3 RESPONSE: We need to think globally and act locally to address climate change. Hawaiian traditional knowledge ean & should be applied to provide solutions. For example, mitigation the impacts of saltwater intrusion may require planting more salt tolerant species of traditional foods. Also, we need to integrate conservation practices (use less water, use water catchment, recycling and desalinization) into our daily lives. For Heahh - See answer to question 1. The applieahon of Hawaiian Values is the appropriate way to live our lives whether we are addressing climate change or weahh & poverty disparities. Weakh & Poverty disparities may arise from unemployment, laek of critical skills or laek of education. There are many things that OHA ean support including job training, supplemental skill building; literacy and basic accounting that would help unemployed Hawaiians find jobs. Hawaiian values are nowbeing applied everywhere, recently I read about a book called "Managing with Aloha" that applies Hawaiian cultural values in the business arena. ■