U.S. Office of Management and Budget Asked to Amend Directive No. 15

Volume IV, Number 2 Association of Hawaiian CivicClubs /'November, 1997 u.s. Office ofManagement and Budget Asked to Amend Directive No. 15 by Bruss Keppeler, Chair AllCCGooernment RelaJions Committee Your Association recently joined in the effort to persuade 15 working group of over fifteen Hawaiian organizations that the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to amend worked to prepare coordinated responses to theJuly 9, 1997 its Directive No. 15 so as to change the way Hawaiians will be Federal Register on amending the Office of Management and listed and counted in the U.S. Census to be taken in the Year Budget Directive IS, I wish to extend a mabalo nui loa to the 2000. U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka had asked that OMB add members of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs. The Hawaiians to the category which includes other Native information briefings done with the O'ahu Coundl and the Americans, such as American Indians, Aleuts and Eskimos. Board of Directors at the meeting of theAssociation were ben Instead, a 3O-member inter-agency committee set up to eficial to getting the word out on the pending OMB amend study the listings has recommended that OMB not amend ments. And thevote ofsupport wasappredated. Additionally, Directive No. IS, but leave it as it stands in this regard. The your individual and collective assistance in the OMB directive Directive presently lists Hawaiians in the census category 15 postcard campaign allowed us to distribute for signatures denominated "Asians and Pacific Islanders." over20,000 cards. Theresult of thecommittee's recommendation, ifadopted This mobilization was doneinthespace ofseven days and by OMB, will be to continue the present practice of lumping a week anda half inadvance oftheSeptember 5mailing dead Hawaiians in with residents of the U.S. who are of Chinese, line. This indeed was rtauumo: inaction. The OMB should be Japanese, Korean, Laotian, Vietnamese and otherAsian ances making thecritical decision by the end ofOctober. The work try, as well as Chomorros (Guamanians), Marshall Islanders, ing group will meet again following the dedsion making to Samoans, Tahitians, etc. debrief and outline any future follow-ups that may be neces Ironically, the committee also recommended that the sary. Mahala again for responding tothecall for kOkua. I look "American Indian or Alaska Native" category be expanded to forward to future opportunities to work together." include all of the indigenous people of North and South America. Thus, Argentines, Brazilians, Chileans, Mexican Indians, Peruvians, and other Central and South American What's Inside Indians will be categorized as "American Indians or Alaska President's Message Pg. 3 Natives" while Hawaiians will continue to be listed as "Asians Convention Pgs. 4-5 and Pacific Islanders." Fiction Based on Fact? Pg. 6 A task Force, headed by OHA Trustee Haunani Apoliona Native Hawaiian Conferences Pg. 7 and made up of all of the Hawaiian institutions and agencies, A New Course Pgs. 8-9 as well asyour Association, Ka Lahui Hawai'i, Native Hawaiian Kamehameha Day Parade Pg. 10 Bar Association, Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation, SCHAA KSBE Pg. 11 andothers, pulled together to lobby theOMB to follow Senator Legacy of Aloha Pgs. 12-13 Akaka's recommendation. Club Activities Pgs. 14-15 Haunani Apoliona writes, "On behalf of the OMB Directive 1 By Leimomi Khan, Editor, NUHOU Lunallio Adopt-a-Room The Honolulu Advertiser, since August 1997 has carried banner headlines in at least five issues of their Program Sunday edition on the Kamehameha Schools Bishop By Keahi A/len Estate. Toquote one of the articles by Greg Barrett, "Bishop Estate is under siege from inside its board On August 18th, ground was broken and blessed for room and out, rocked by more criticism and subject the $2.8 million renovation of The Lunalilo Home care ed to more scrutiny than at any time in its 11 3-year facility. This is the first major renovation of the former existence. From minor boardroom clashes over the Marconi Wireless Dormitory since it was built in 191 3. purchase of l<kent pens to a teacher rebellion at While the facade of the building will change little, the Kamehameha Schools to an unprecedented state interior will undergomajor changesto meet health codes, investigation of trust investments andsalaries, Bishop ADA codes, and in general, make the facility one every Estate's internal conflicts have been laid out for Hawaiian can point to with pride and feel comfortable Hawaiito see. The state, Kamehameha Schools fac about placing theirbeloved kupuna as residents. ulty members, the Hawaiian community and even Air conditioning will make the 'Ohana room and din one of the trustees are among those questioning the ning areascomfortable for the residentsand visitors alike. stewardship of the estate of Bernice Pauahi Bishop. Common areas will be enlarged, the kitchen will become And when the furor subsides, American's wealthiest more efficient, lavatories and bathing facilities will accom charitable trust and one of Hawaii's most venerated modate wheel chairs, a laundry area will be created to institutions may be forever changed." better serve the residents, a paved walking path will pro TheAssociation of Hawaiian Civic Clubs Officers vide excercise and benches will provide places to sit out and Board of Directors, in reacting to these concerns, in the sun. A new elevator will replace the present out have elected to remain neutral and to stay informed dated one and a new dispensary will be largerand more on these issues, and not to comment on the meritsof efficient. anyof the allegations. Agood position! Let us wait The construction costs are higher than anticipated and for Judge Vim's report and the State Attorney the trustees are lookingfor more grantsto meet the unex General's report before forming any conclusions. pected increase. In addition, funds are needed to outfit However, we need to also be vigilant to stand and equip all the rooms. An "Adopt-a-Room" program ready to address any initiatives that would be con has been implemented with the Hawaiian Civic Club of trary to the provisions of Princess Pauahi's Will. Honolulu, the first orga nization to meet the challenge. In keeping with the AHCC position of being The club has chosen to "adopt" the dispensary and will informed, I urge civic club members to review those be raising funds to outfit this room. resolutions passed at the 1994 convention concern TIle program is a simple one. Organizations will raise ing the Karneharneha Schools Bishop Estate. They the necessary funds to furn ish each room and the trust are: 1) Resolution 94-43, Urging the Ninth Circuit will make the purchases. A plaque will recognize the Court .of Appeals. to Uphold the Will and Legacy organization for their generosity. Established by Pnncess Bernice Pauahi Bishop by The anticipated completion of the renovation is sched E?abling the Kameharneha Schools/Bernice Pauahi uled for the fall of 1998. Any club, orga nization, firm or BIshop Estate to Remain Self-Determining' and 2) individual interested in participating in the program is 94 -4~ , Urging the Support of the Will of' Princess asked to call trustee R. M. Keahi Allen at TIle Lunalilo Bernice Pauahi Bishop. Home (808) 395- 1000 or write to her at 50 1 Kekauluohi St., Honolulu, Hawai'i 96825 2 resolve our differences, meet and pule. Let the bala and PeheaKakou bibia be revealed so understanding can come and mib! can be reached. e pono ai? We, as a people, need for this to happen. Both the By ArthurJloke, Peleeikena asking of forgiveness and the forgiving must be done for As I reflect on the position of Hawaiians today, I kalaand oki, that the curseover our land might be lifted. become veryconcerned. Though there is evidence of an Without this, loeabicannot be achieved. What isthe result "awakening" amongst us, it appears that our "Hawaiian" without lokahl? None of us want to see that. We all have is not what has been awakened. a stakein lokabi, forwithout lokabiour 'aina will die. Ua I see much "cultural" activity, especially in the arena mau ke ea 0 ka 'ailia i ka pono. I bo'oeabi ka Il1IUlIIl1Ul, of "sovereignty" with groups and individuals reportedly bo'oeabike aloba. exercising individual and collective sovereignty, but somehow, it just doesn't "look" and sound Hawaiian. Internet: The Voice As I reflect on the position of Hawaiians today, I become very concerned. When I started myterm as your that Reaches Millions President, I pledged to reach out to the other organiza TIle Internet - a powerful voice! It reaches millions tions of our peoplein an attempt to build bridges of rela everyday, and the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs tionship; to identify the common ground on which we will be partof it. The Community Relations Committee of can all stand in unity as a people. We began with the AHCC is working on a World Wide Web pagethat will "Ho'ornalu rna Kualoa," a process we are still involved feature information about the AHCC. Eventually, it may with, and it has started the bridge building and relation even include a copyof the NUJlOU. ship building between our organization and others. We Having a presence on regional and global information have forged agreements to disagree without being dis networks will expand our voice and presence inthe inter agreeable or disrespectful. national community. There arc numerous WEB sites on Lest you get the wrong idea, let me assure that we the Internet concerning Hawai'i and its peoples. From have not arrived .. but we have begunthe journey. The time-to-time, we will feature them in our newsletters, road ahead is a long one wrought with a varietyof dan since they serveas a wonderful resource of information.

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