Plan puts Hawaiians on path to self-rule

By Clyde Namuo

Can you imagine a Hawai'i without Native Hawaiians?

Sabra Kauka of Kaua'i, left; her mother, Sarah Kauka of Wai'alae; Aloha Kekipi of Wahiawa; and Nalani Kahoano Gersaba of Kalihi listen to a prayer as marchers gather on the grounds of 'Iolani Palace for the 110th commemoration of the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy. Advertiser library photo

A Hawai'i without chants that tell the story of navigators who settled on these Islands centuries ago?

A Hawai'i without hula that celebrates our unique culture?

Today, we Hawaiians face a very real threat to our existence as a native people. Opponents of federal recognition in Washington, and lawyers who see Hawaiian programs such as homesteads as racial discrimination, do not see us as Native Hawaiians, an indigenous people.

Just like American Indians and Alaska natives, we lived on our lands and had our own government long before Western contact. Yet we are the only indigenous group in the United States without federal recognition.

What that means is we could lose some 150 congressional measures that provide more than $45 million a year to Native Hawaiians in areas such as education, health, housing and small-business development. We could lose revenues from ceded lands that help Hawaiians recover from being the sickest, poorest and least-educated group in the state.

Now is the time for all Hawaiians to come together on the path to building our own government. We should not allow others to decide the future we want for ourselves and our children.

That is why the Office of Hawaiian Affairs is committed to facilitating the process of establishing a Hawaiian governing entity, with or without federal recognition. The Akaka-Stevens bill does not prescribe a form of government for Native Hawaiians. It creates a process for its establishment and a process for federal recognition. We can exercise our right to self-determination by selecting the form of government we want. It is up to us.

As fiduciaries of the Native Hawaiian Trust, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees unanimously supports the intent of the Akaka-Stevens bill. But we also recognize that some in the Hawaiian community do not support this measure. Skepticism, fear, uncertainty and distrust plague our community.

OHA's commitment is to provide an open forum for all points of view. Besides serving as a watchdog over ceded-land revenues and programs for Native Hawaiians, our mission is to achieve self-determination for Native Hawaiians. Together with Hawaiian partner organizations, we have launched Ho'oulu Lahui Aloha, to begin the process of forming a Hawaiian governing entity.

When all Hawaiians unite and form the government of their choice, OHA will no longer exist. Our work will be completed, and the new governing entity will negotiate with the federal and state governments on the future of Hawai'i.

Let's dream and act together to create a new Hawai'i.

Clyde Namuo is administrator of the state government's Office of Hawaiian Affairs.