KA WAI OLA THE LIVING WATER of OHA OFFICE of HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS • 711 Kapi‘olani Blvd., Ste. 500 • Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96813-5249 Kepakemapa (September) 2008 Vol. 25, No. 9 PAPAHA¯ NAUMOKUA¯ KEA: AffordableObama housing:rallies hometownHot topic atcrowd Maui biz Alo a he alo gatheringpage 04 Face to face with nature page 04 at Papahänaumokuäkea Makaweli Poi page 16 forgesThe way ahead and art of PIKO with OHA helppage 08 page 05 KalapanaBooks for residents holiday gift giving return homepage 17 page 06 Letters to the editor Schools pagebeat 20 annual benchmarks page 10 Q&A with ‘Honolulu Skylark’ page 14 Soulful photo exhibits page 18 www.oha.org Photo: Courtesy of Jim Watts THE OHA MA¯ LAMA LOAN % 5.00 APR ~ LOW FIXED RATE ~ FIXED TERM for 5 YEARS ~ LOAN up to $75,000 PLUS, EARN UP TO The OHA Ma¯lama Loan Program through First Hawaiian Bank is 5,000 CASHPOINTSSM exclusively for Native Hawaiians and Native Hawaiian organizations. It can be used for tuition, home improvement, and any of your ••• When you apply and are business needs. For more information, please call 643-LOAN. To approved for the Priority RewardsSM apply, please visit fhb.com or any First Hawaiian Bank branch. Debit and Credit Cards*. Applicants must be of Native Hawaiian ancestry (birth certifi cate, OHA registry card, or Kamehameha Schools verifi cation letter will be accepted as proof) or a Native Hawaiian organization. If the applicant is a group of people organized for economic development purposes, applicant ownership must be 100% Native Hawaiian. Borrowers may be required to complete a credit counseling class before receiving the loan. Based upon a loan amount of $10,000 at 5.00% APR, the payment would be $188.71 per month based on a fully amortized loan for 5 years. Subject to credit approval and eligibility. 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FHIB-14434 R5_9-25x11_v2.indd 1 5/16/08 11:15:07 AM Ad Number: FHIB-14434 R5 Ad Subject: OHA Malama Loan NSP Ad Size/Color: FP, 9.25" x 11" / 4C Publication: Ka Wai Ola o OHA, June 2008 NU¯HOU • NEWS KepaKemapa2008 | Board of Trustees Haunani Apoliona, MSW Chairperson, Trustee, At-large State Department of Hawaiian Home Lands Director Micah Ka¯ne, at left, presented OHA Trust- Tel: 808.594.1886 OHA Trustees and staff tour the Kaupe‘a home of Guy Kapeliela. - Photos: Blaine Fergerstrom ees with an ‘o¯‘o¯, or a digging stick, symbolizing the new partnership between them. “The bet- Fax: 808.594.1875 Email: [email protected] ter we can work together, the more Hawaiians we can get on the land,” he said. Pictured from left are: OHA Trustees Robert Lindsey, Boyd Mossman, Oswald Stender, Chairperson Haunani OHA Trustees tour Apoliona, OHA Administrator Clyde Na¯mu‘o, OHA Trustee Walter Heen, DHHL deputy director Walter M. Heen Kaulana Park, OHA Trustee Colette Machado, Hawaiian Homes Commissioner Donald Chang Vice Chair, Trustee, At-large and DHHL executive assistant Robert Hall. Tel: 808.594.1854 DHHL’s Kapolei-‘Ewa Fax: 808.594.0210 Email: [email protected] projects kids to get first class opportuni- ingness to really reach out of our ties at education,” said Nagasako, comfort zone to work together.” Rowena Akana whose school includes a grow- The tour also went by and through Trustee, At-large By Crystal Kua to understand what we do, what ing number of Native Hawaiian several construction projects in the Director of Communications we’re doing, how it’s affecting students. “(Käne’s) offer of help region including work on the North- Tel: 808.594.1860 Fax: 808.594.0209 people’s lives and seeing it in a and going in to talk with (OHA South Road, the University of Hawai‘i Email: [email protected] fter 20 years of renting, real way,” Käne said. Administrator) Clyde Nämu‘o and at West O‘ahu campus and future Hawaiian homesteader Trustees Haunani Apoliona, some of the Trustees, they really housing and commercial develop- Donald B. Cataluna ATatiana Montez takes Walter Heen, Robert Lindsey, Colette begin to understand that … the ments being planned by DHHL. Trustee, Kaua‘i and Ni‘ihau pride in owning her home in Machado, Boyd Mossman and partnership really works when you As a symbol of their visit, Käne Tel: 808.594.1881 Kapolei – so much so that people Oswald Stender and OHA staff start- look at it three ways, because it’s presented the Trustees with an Fax: 808.594.0211 compliment its model-home look. Email: [email protected] “They said ‘Oh, my God, your house should go into the Parade of It showed a true commitment to understand Robert K. Lindsey Jr. Homes,’ ” the 45-year-old tax pre- Trustee, Hawai‘i parer said with a hearty laugh. what we do, what we’re doing, how it’s affect- Tel: 808.594.1855 On July 30, Montez stood in front Fax: 808.594.1883 of her pride-and-joy Kaupe‘a home ing people’s lives and seeing it in a real way. Email: [email protected] and waved to a bus carrying Office of Hawaiian Affairs Trustees and staff Micah Ka¯ne —Micah Käne, state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands director Colette Y. Machado who spent the day touring Department Trustee, Moloka‘i and La¯na‘i of Hawaiian Home Lands housing ed the day at the department’s new all for the same constituents.” ‘ö‘ö, or a digging stick. Tel: 808.594.1837 subdivisions and construction projects headquarters, Hale Kalaniana‘ole, Nagasako said the new working “The ‘ö‘ö is the most symbolic Fax: 808.594.0212 in the Kapolei-‘Ewa region. listening to a presentation by Käne relationship between the two agen- ho‘okupu that we can give some- Email: [email protected] The site visit came on the and members of his staff on the dif- cies blends nicely with what his body because it symbolizes anoth- heels of an announcement in June ferent construction projects in the school is doing with projects such er Hawaiian getting on the land Boyd P. Mossman that OHA will be providing the Kapolei and ‘Ewa region. as the Mälama Learning Center. and that’s what the relationship Trustee, Maui Department of Hawaiian Home After the presentation, they boarded “It seems like synchronicity, it’s means to us – the better we can Tel: 808.594.1858 Lands with up to $3 million a year a bus and toured the Hawaiian homes like new age – hey, maybe there’s work together, the more Hawaiians Fax: 808.594.1864 for up to 30 years to cover debt subdivisions in Kapolei – Malu‘öhai something going on there,” he said we can get on the land,” Käne said. Email: [email protected] service on $40 million in revenue and Kaupe‘a, where Montez lives. with a chuckle. “The ‘ö‘ö is symbolic for breaking bonds. The bonds will be used Montez said the alliance between Käne said that community mem- ground for new opportunities.” Oz Stender for statewide construction projects OHA and DHHL has been a long bers like Nagasako or Malu‘öhai At the end of the visit, Käne said, Trustee, At-large with $5 million earmarked for plan- time coming. “I think that’s excellent. Residents Association president he could envision how more doors Tel: 808.594.1877 ning, design and feasibility studies Any help that DHHL can get to help Shirley Swinney also wants to see will open for Native Hawaiians. Fax: 808.594.1853 for community driven projects in more Hawaiians to get their homes is this new partnership thrive. “I thought it was a good feeling Email: [email protected] 18 regions throughout Hawai‘i. a great, great thing,” she said. “They want to see us work that day. It felt like (the Trustees) Hawaiian Homes Commission Kapolei High School principal closely together, and that’s the were supposed to be there,” Käne John D. Waihe‘e IV Chairman Micah Käne said that Al Nagasako agrees that having glue that keeps us together,” Käne said. “It opened the door to better Trustee, At-large the visit by the OHA Trustees was OHA and DHHL come together said. “I would say I think leader- relationships to produce more for Tel: 808.594.1876 an example of following up words will not only benefit homesteaders ship of the Trustees now is the our beneficiaries. We serve the Fax: 808.594.0208 with action in solidifying a renewed but their families too – including strongest that it’s ever been and I same people, and the better we can Email: [email protected] relationship between the two trusts. students at his school. think as a result of that leadership stretch our limited resources … the “It showed a true commitment “It’s an opportunity for these that we can have the faith and will- better we can serve our people.” 4 | KepaKemapa2008 NU¯HOU • NEWS Newly designated Democratic presidential nominee Barack Brian Schatz, who attended Kamehameha Schools Obama visited Hawai‘i in the Democratic National August with his family, includ- Convention with 31 other ing wife Michelle, shown here Hawai‘i delegates.