State of OHA 2011

The annual State of OHA Address highlighted the accomplishments of the agency in the past year and the future initiatives to serve Native Hawaiians. Keynote speaker Gov. John Waiheʻe III emphasized the goals of the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission.

Ua lilo kēia makahiki ʻo ʻelua kaukani ʻumikumakahi he makahiki nui o ka holomua no ke Keʻena Kuleana Hawaiʻi, a ʻo ka nui o ka haʻiʻōlelo kūmakahiki ua pili i ka hoʻolōkahi i ka lāhui i paʻa maila he aupuni Hawaiʻi hou.

“E kāpae i ka ihe a e lōkahi me ke aloha,” i paipai ai ʻo Kahu Waiwai Colette Machado.

Ua pihaʻū ka hale pule ʻo St. Andrewʻs i nā kālaiʻāina, alakaʻi kaiāulu, a me nā mele aloha ʻāina he nui wale.

Akā i luna o ke kiaʻāina i aloha nui ʻia, ʻo John Waiheʻe, nā maka o ke anaina.

“ʻO kākou like ka lāhui, i hoʻāno hou ʻia ma ka lōkahi a paʻa maila ke aupuni hou. ʻOnipaʻa!” wahi a Waiheʻe.

Ua hoʻokohu ʻia aku nei ʻo Kiaʻāina Waiheʻe, ʻo ia ka Luna o ke komikina hou, na lākou e hoʻopaʻa i papa inoa o nā kānaka o ke aupuni Hawaiʻi hou.

“Na kākou ka pikoʻu Hawaiʻi e wehewehe ai,” i ʻī aku ai ʻo Waiheʻe, “ʻO ka nuʻukia o ke Komikina ka hoʻolōkahi i ka lāhui Hawaiʻi ma ka pākahi a laila ma ka pākaukani.”

Ma laila ʻo Kenekoa Brickwood Galuteria ma ke kaʻanalike i kona manaʻo, “Ua hua nani mai kēia lā. Akāka kā Waiheʻe. Aia ka holomua ma ke kia i ka naʻau.”

“Ma waho aku kēia o nā huaʻōlelo,” wahi a David K. Sing, ke Poʻo o Nā Pua Noʻeau, i hōʻea loa mai Hawaiʻi mokupuni no ka hanana, “He hoʻolōkahi kona ʻano.”

A wahi a Lilia Kapuniai o ka Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, “Ua pā ka naʻau. Hoihoi au i ka hua o kēia.”

E nui ana ka hana koe no OHA, keu aku i kēia kau ʻahaʻōlelo e hiki mai ana. E makaʻala mai iā ʻŌiwi Kīwī no ia mau pila koʻikoʻi. A e kele aku iā oiwi.tv no nā wikiō hou aku o kēia hanana.

2011 was a big year for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and the recent State of OHA Address built on that momentum, calling for unity in the rebuilding of a Hawaiian nation.

“And I stand here in front of you asking all of you to lay your weapons down, lay your spears down and embrace with aloha,” exclaimed OHA Chairwoman Colette Machado.

St. Andrew’s Cathedral was full of politicians, community leaders and lots and lots of music.

But it was former Governor John Waiheʻe who captivated the audience.

“Because we are the nation. Reawakened. Reunited. Restored. Onipaʻa!” said Waiheʻe as he received a standing ovation.

Gov. Waiheʻe is Chairman of the new Roll Commission, tasked with preparing a list of qualified Native Hawaiians to rebuild a Hawaiian nation.

“We need to recognize ourselves and define who we are. Our primary imperative as a Commission is to reunify the sovereign entity of Native Hawaiians, one-by-one by the thousands,” reiterated Waiheʻe.

Hawaiʻi State Senator Brickwood Galuteria was there to share his reaction, “Today was a homerun by all standards of the word. Gov. Waiheʻe was was very very clear on how we’re going to move forward and that’s by looking inward.”

“It was not just words, it was feelings,” said David K. Sing, Director of Nā Pua Noʻeau, who flew in from the Hilo for the big event, “What it did is just bring the whole place, all of the people there have a feeling of unity.”

Lilia Kapuniai of the Council for Native Hawaiian Affairs felt inspired, “I look forward to progress. Again Iʻm really inspired by what was said today and I look forward to seeing the outcome.”

OHA has much left to be done, especially this coming Legislative session. Stay tuned to ʻŌiwi TV for a preview of legislation. Visit oiwi.tv for more videos of this event.[/tab] [/tabs]