Hawaiians faced
with who will lead

A task force is looking at
which group should lead the
next native governing entity

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By Pat Omandam
pomandam@starbulletin.com

With a congressional bill that grants federal recognition to native Hawaiians poised for passage this fall, the question remains what group will be selected as the next native Hawaiian governing entity.

"That's a question that once again has to be put to the people in some way," Gov. Ben Cayetano said yesterday. "We're a long way from there yet."

The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs passed S. 746, the Akaka bill, by a voice vote yesterday, and the measure is pending before the U.S. Senate and House.

The revised bill, reintroduced in April after failing last year, focuses on providing a process for federal recognition of a native Hawaiian government.

It also creates a federal office within the Interior Department to focus on native Hawaiian issues and an interagency group to monitor federal programs that affect them.

But one controversial section requires the state Legislature to support and recognize a native Hawaiian government entity before the U.S. Interior Secretary will certify it and grant federal recognition. Hawaii Sen. Daniel K. Akaka has said state involvement was added to appease some senators who wanted to ensure the states be heard in this process.

Attorney Beadie Kanahele Dawson, who was part of a congressional task force of Hawaiian leaders who helped draft the original Akaka bill last year, said the task force continues to meet to review the work of various sovereignty groups.

"The main mission of this group is forming a government entity, with or without the Akaka bill," she said.

"There's a great deal of work and credit that needs to go to the various organizations that have spent years putting together this whole process," said Dawson, who added the group is open to all Hawaiians.

State lawmakers this year did grant Hawaiian homesteaders some self-determination. On July 2, the governor signed a bill allowing homesteaders to administer the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act of 1920, a federal law imposed on the state as a condition of statehood.

Some say if the federal government also amended the homestead act to reflect that same level of self-determination, it would give Hawaiian homesteaders -- who are at least 50 percent native Hawaiian -- the political status they have long sought.

As for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the other state agency that helps Hawaiians, there are no plans to advance OHA as the entity that becomes the nation, said Chairwoman Haunani Apoliona.