OHA OKs plan
to lead transition

The proposal focuses on 5 areas
in which to aid the building
of a Hawaiian nation

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By Pat Omandam
pomandam@starbulletin.com

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs voted yesterday to take a lead role in guiding self-determination, federal recognition and nationhood for Hawaiians.

But it does not intend to be the ruling government entity that is formed.

Rather, OHA sees itself as a transitional agency that assists native groups and people to determine what kind of process should be used to define a native government entity, stressed OHA Chairwoman Haunani Apoliona.

"The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, through its strategic plan, has a goal for nationhood," she said. "And this action by the committee and the board today reaffirms our recognition that nationhood and building the nation is a critical objective -- and someone has to launch it."

Trustees unanimously authorized the OHA administration to implement a five-pronged effort in the strategic plan that covers these issues. The plan covers both native Hawaiians and part-Hawaiians.

Specifically, OHA staff will:

>> Work with state agencies that service Hawaiians, the alii trusts and community organizations to educate Hawaiians on rights and entitlements.

>> Bring together think tanks of academics and professionals who are experts on ceded lands, self-determination of indigenous people, native rights and international law.

>> Begin talks on a plan and process for an organized discussion on federal recognition and to determine what type of government entity they want and what model of government would best represent them.

The agency will also begin lobbying state government, Congress and the executive branch on the various Hawaiian issues, including passage of the Akaka bill, which is stalled in the U.S. Senate.

"It's more about prompting the process to move forward," Apoliona said.

The first group OHA plans to work with is the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs. The association has a mid-November convention in Las Vegas where its members will discuss OHA's plan.

H.K. Bruss Keppler, chairman of the association's government relations committee, told trustees the group wants to participate in this nation-building process. If OHA's main role is to provide money for this, "we have no problem," Keppler said.

But not everyone supports the idea. Lela Hubbard, an activist and regular OHA-watcher, said she is appalled a state agency would take the lead toward nationhood.

"You are, frankly, going to screw it up," Hubbard told the board.

Meanwhile, trustees passed a resolution yesterday honoring attorney Sherry Broder, who served as OHA board counsel between 1986 and 2002.

Broder's contract expired this summer, and she did not reapply for the post. The board replaced her with attorney Robert Klein, a retired Hawaii Supreme Court justice.

Klein's first meeting as board counsel was yesterday. Broder will continue to represent OHA in lawsuits against the agency.