KE AUPUNI UPDATE - MAY 2022
More than Platitudes...
Recent actions at the State of Hawaii Legislature indicate a positive shift in the lawmakers’ willingness to address some important issues that matter to the Hawaiian nation.
The legislature recently passed some significant legislation acknowledging the Stateʻs wrong doing and malfeasance in its handling of its trust obligations to Hawaiians and the mismanagement of the assets of the Hawaiian nation.
We’ve heard platitudes, admissions and apologies before, but this time the state appears to be “putting its money where its mouth is.” Of course the money is the stateʻs attempt to buy its way out of a sticky situation. But nevertheless, money is the medium and measure used by the occupier to indicate its level of “concern”... Hopefully, this time the funds will produce real action, with real lands being put into Hawaiiansʻ hands, and real changes in attitudes and policies toward Hawaiians.
• The legislature budgeted nearly a billion dollars to begin fixing the 60-years of the Stateʻs criminal mismanagement of its Hawaiian Home Lands trust obligations. That consists of $600 million to actually place Hawaiians on their lands, and $328 million as a settlement in restitution to those who were left dangling (and dying) for decades on the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) waiting list.
• The state is increasing its annual payments to operate the Office of Hawaiian Affairs from $15.1 million to $21.5 million (and an additional lump sum of $64 million for shortchanging OHA over the past 10 years), This moves the state a little closer, but still very short of its constitutionally mandated 20% (now calculated at $80 million a year) of the revenues from “Crown Lands” held in trust by the state.
Even seemingly minor legislation are significant indicators of the state’s new-found willingness to address (or placate) Hawaiian’s concerns. Here are a few examples:
• The state legislature designated that from now on, every July 31st, the first Hawaiian Kingdom holiday, Lā Hoʻihoʻi Ea (Sovereignty Restoration Day) shall be a special day of observance in the State of Hawaii... Included in the legislation are directives to educate the general public about the significance of Lā Hoʻihoʻi Ea.
• The state legislature issued an apology to the Hawaiian people for the 90-year ban of the Hawaiian Language from Hawaii public schools and public use, causing near extinction and immeasurable damage to ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi in the Hawaiian Islands.
• The legislature is requesting the US Postal Service to change the name of the Captain Cook post office to the original place name, Kaʻawaloa.
• The state legislature adopted a resolution to request the DLNR to change the name of the Russian Fort Elizabeth on Kauai to the original place name of Pāʻulaʻula.
• Although insider politics caused the legislature to drop the ball regarding changing the name of McKinley High School, overwhelming and irrefutable testimonies favoring the change are on the record of the legislative hearings.
• The state legislature appropriated $500,000 to continue restoration efforts of Kahoʻolawe through the fiscal year, 2022-2023.
• The state legislature passed a propodal to create a new commission for the administration and management of Mauna Kea. While this is clearly a move to continue the state’s support to build the thirty-meter telescope, it is clearly the state’s acknowledgement that they are stymied by the kūʻē of Kū Kiaʻi Mauna, Kapu Aloha and Aloha ʻĀina.
These recent actions has the Fake State of Hawaii ironically validating our national interests and adding to the momentum to Free Hawaii.
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Rename
McKinley High School and remove the McKinley statue! He was the
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major hub of America’s war machine. Sign this online petition NOW! Tell
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Malama Pono,
Leon Siu
Hawaiian National
