Those who follow Native Hawaiian issues think there's a need for new ideas — and maybe new trustees — on the board of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs in the aftermath of the latest failed bid for federal recognition in Congress.

The "what next?" question involving Hawaiian governance is foremost in the minds of those queried by The Advertiser about the upcoming OHA elections.

Last summer, Congress once again failed to hold a vote on the Akaka bill, which would establish a process that could lead to federal recognition of a Native Hawaiian entity that would represent the interests of Hawaiians. OHA, which strongly backed the measure, has since been proceeding with its own plan for establishing a governing entity that does not need the endorsement of Washington on the front end. That plan has drawn mixed reviews in the Hawaiian community.

But some of those interviewed by The Advertiser said OHA trustees should remember there are many other needs facing Hawaiians, from educational opportunities to housing concerns.

Five of the nine OHA board seats are up for grabs on Nov. 7, including three at-large seats, the O'ahu seat and the Maui seat. All registered voters can vote in all OHA races, regardless of where in Hawai'i they live.

In all, there are 14 candidates for the three at-large seats, seven hopefuls for the O'ahu seat and two people vying for the Maui post. All five incumbents whose current terms are up are seeking re-election: at-large trustees Rowena Akana, Oswald Stender and John Waihe'e IV, Maui trustee Boyd Mossman and O'ahu trustee Dante Carpenter.

They are joined by a number of others with name recognition. Former state Sen. Whitney Anderson, former state Rep. D. Ululani Beirne, former OHA trustee Roy Benham, musician and kumu hula Manu Boyd, and Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement president and CEO Robin Danner are among the candidates for the at-large race.

So, too is Pu'uhonua Dennis "Bumpy" Kanahele, head of state of the Nation of Hawai'i.

Kekuni Blaisdell, chairman of the Kanaka Maoli Tribunal Komike, said those favoring independence from the United States and opposing federal recognition have been excluded from the dialogue at OHA.

"We feel very strongly that if OHA represents us, it should be representing all of us, including the independence movement," he said.

How well Kanahele and other independent candidates do can be considered somewhat of a referendum on voters' view of independence, Blaisdell said.

Another interesting battle is shaping up for the O'ahu seat, where retired judge and politician Walter Heen presents a serious challenge to Carpenter. On Maui, Blossom Feteira, founding member of the nonprofit Hawaiian Community Assets, is taking on Mossman.

GOVERNING ENTITY

Tony Sang, chairman of the State Council of Hawaiian Homestead Associations since 1998, said federal recognition is a critical issue for the upcoming OHA board. "The bottom line is updating federal recognition to fend off any more lawsuits" from those opposed to programs that benefit Hawaiians, Sang said.

Sang said he's skeptical of OHA's post-Akaka bill plan to seek a governing entity on its own, but added that he would support it if includes a move toward self-determination.

Charles Rose, immediate past president of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, said he is OK with the notion of moving past federal recognition and having OHA take the lead in pushing forth a Hawaiian entity.

"I think if that is accomplished, a unified Hawaiian people is a very formidable entity that would earn the respect of all of the people," Rose said. "I think we need to find (candidates) who are good communicators, be persuasive and be able to see the big picture."

State Sen. Clayton Hee, a former OHA chairman, said the Akaka bill failed in large part because it was not clearly explained and opponents raised specious arguments. "To me, the biggest challenge has always been in articulating what self-determination means in different facets of the community and different areas of the political landscape," said Hee.

Journalist and historian Tom Coffman said governance status is clearly the top issue facing OHA, and OHA voters, in the coming year. Coffman said it's disingenuous to call the issue "self-determination" unless the discussion is about secession.

"I think what we really most badly need to do is step back and have a renewed dialogue about what (governance status) means and how we go about doing it," Coffman said.

He believes that any proposal resembling the Akaka bill will not be successful under both a Republican administration and a Republican Congress. "Let's use the next two years (the remainder of President Bush's term) to back up and try to get a truer consensus on where we want to go," he said.

OTHER PRIORITIES

Those involved in Native Hawaiian concerns mentioned other issues that they believe are priorities for OHA.

Adrian Kamali'i, president of Pae 'Aina Communications, a public relations firm, said he understands the focus that's been paid to establishing a Hawaiian entity. However, he said, OHA trustees cannot lose sight of the many needs in the Hawaiian community, from finding houses for the homeless to providing assistance to Hawaiian charter schools.

"What we need are people who have the vision and can multitask both those issues — both the governance and the needs of the community."

Sang said his organization wants to see OHA become more involved in the social welfare of Hawaiians by partnering with the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands on housing initiatives. OHA should also be more active in providing healthcare and job training for those who need it most, he said.

Ka'uhane Lee, president of the Ke Ala 'Olino Native Cultural Center, also echoed the call for OHA to be more involved in education, health and business initiatives. Lee, whose group is dedicated to preserving the Hawaiian and other Polynesian cultures through the exchange of cultural and spiritual connections, also said OHA needs to devote more sources toward perpetuating Hawaiian cultural and spiritual practices.

"This is who we are, and what makes Hawai'i Hawai'i," Lee said.

Hee, drawing from his years as a trustee, said "growing the portfolio" is the most critical issue facing trustees. The trustees oversee an annual operating budget of about $28.5 million, and the agency's investment portfolio is estimated at $400 million.

But according to Hee, "there's no shortage of agencies and individuals that are requesting funds."

H. William Burgess of the group Aloha For All, which believes Hawaiians-only programs unfairly exclude others, said voters should find OHA trustees who concern themselves with the welfare of more than just the Hawaiians here.

"As state officials, the OHA trustees have a fiduciary duty to all citizens of the state," Burgess said. "Look for real leaders rather than demogogues who preach racial grievance," he said.

Coffman said it goes back to the federal recognition issue and the need for fresh thinking.

"What I would look for from OHA is some open-mindedness and willingness to engage in a new dialogue," Coffman said.

Lee said she wants to see more upbeat vibes from the agency's trustees, "people who are positive, open-minded and encouraging."

Haunani Kay Trask, a professor at the University of Hawai'i-Manoa's Center for Hawaiian Studies, has for years advised people not to vote in the OHA elections. At best, she said, trustees have been self-serving and caught up in in-fighting.

"They're much more concerned about protecting power than helping the native people," she said. "What we need are serious leaders who are concerned with the well-being of Hawaiians, and that means enough posturing and get to the things (that were important) in the past."

Reach Gordon Y.K. Pang at gpang@honoluluadvertiser.com.