Jump down to most recent articles (Wait until page has fully loaded to avoid interrupting transfer before it reaches target anchor)

Wednesday, June 28, 1995
NATION OF HAWAII SERVES SUBPOENAS ON STATE, FEDS
"Public notices" for violations of the Nation of Hawaii sovereigntygroup's Constitution had been found on the desks of over 100 police officers,judges and prosecutors since the Nation had started fighting trafficcitations for its members' cars (it has issued its own "Sovereign Nation ofHawaii" license plates). Following the extradition of Jack Gonzales, thesubpoenas have now made their way to federal and state judges accusing themof "war crimes" against the Hawaiian people. The notices say the addresseeis "personally liable" for acts of "contempt towards the Kanaka Maoli Peopleand the international obligations of the world." It goes on to warn that thecited party will be "sought out, arrested and imprisoned, to be broughtbefore an international criminal tribunal to answer for [their] participationin crimes of Apartheid and Genocide." It closes with the notice thatjudgments will be final, and that there will be no appeal. Nation leaderDennis "Bumpy" Kanahele asserts that "it's not a threat."

Wednesday, July 12, 1995
"BUMPY" KANAHELE ARRESTED FOR MISSING COURT DATE
Having missed a court date for a traffic citation issued years ago, Dennis "Bumpy" Kanahele -- head of the Nation of Hawaii sovereignty group -- was arrested yesterday and is being held in lieu of $500 bail. His supporters are calling Kanahele's arrest a kidnapping, and a violation of international and federal laws. Kanahele was detained yesterday afternoon when arriving with other supporters at HPD's main Beretania Street station to check on his son, Westin, and another nation member who were arrested earlier that day. He had planned to serve Nation of Hawai`i court warrants against police officers who had cited Nation members. The original warrant for his arrest was issued after Kanahele had not appeared in court for citations against him for driving without state license plates (instead using "Hawaiian Sovereign Kingdom" tags instead). Supporters of Kanahele planned to show up at Honolulu District Court today, where he faces arraignment.

Thursday, July 13, 1995
KANAHELE BAIL WAIVED, NATION TO CHALLENGE STATE AT TRIAL
Arrested Tuesday under a warrant for a unresolved traffic citation, Dennis "Bumpy" Kanahele -- head of the sovereignty group "Nation of Hawai`i" -- and another Nation member spent a night in jail before being arraigned yesterday. District Judge Colette Garibaldi waived the $500 bail originally set, and scheduled their court date for September 15. Kanahele has said he was long anticipating an eventual court showdown between his group -- that alleges the authority of the government is invalid because of the overthrow of the kingdom of Hawai`i in 1893 -- and the state. Agents of the Nation say they plan to challenge the state's jurisdiction before the trial. The original citation was for driving on Hawai`i roadways without a license, plates or insurance. At the arraignment yesterday, supporters filled the courtroom and stood both when the judge arrived and when Kanahele entered. Kanahele and his associate refused to enter pleas, so Garibaldi entered "not guilty" for them before setting the trial date.

Hawai`i News: 31 July 1995 [Mon]
SOVEREIGNTY RESTORATION DAY OBSERVED
A small group of about 45 people gathered in Thomas Square yesterday, on the spot where -- on July 31, 1943 -- a British Navy Admiral took down the Union Jack, raised the flag of the Hawaiian Kingdom, and saluted Kamehameha III as a proper sovereign ruler. The act essentially restored the Kingdom of Hawaii after it had been briefly overthrown months before by other British officials. Thomas Square was then known as Kulaokahu`a, and it was at a celebration later that day that Kamehameha III uttered the phrase that was to become Hawaii's state motto: "Ua mau ke ea o ka `aina i ka pono" (The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness). The event was attended by both well-known Hawaiian activists -- such as Dr. Kekuni Blaisdell -- as well as homeless Hawaiians and non-Hawaiians. One participant, a judge for the Native American Suquamish tribe in Washington State, said that there are many parallels between the concerns of his people and those of native Hawaiians.

Thursday, August 4, 1995
NATION OF HAWAII LEADER ARRESTED AT AIRPORT
When his plane to Kauai from Maui stopped on O`ahu Wednesday, Dennis "Bumpy" Kanahele's trip was abruptly ended when he was apprehended by federal authorities. Kanahele was indicted by a federal grand jury just hours before on charges stemming from his obstruction of an arrest in January of last year. He is going to spend at least two days in jail. This surprise arrest comes about a month after Kanahele was apprehended on unanswered traffic citations. Associates of Kanahele are calling the act a kidnapping, and even one federal public defender is disputing the acting court's characterization of Kanahele as dangerous and a flight risk. Gordon Kaaihue, a "peace officer" for Kanahele, was also listed in the arrest warrant, but was not with Kanahele at the airport and is still being sought.

Friday, August 4, 1995
NATION OF HAWAII MEMBERS PLAN PROTEST
Courthouses on O`ahu and the neighbor islands may be visited by a number of angry protesters this morning, after the surprise arrest of Nation of Hawaii leader Dennis "Bumpy" Kanahele on Tuesday. Organizers have set a 7AM appointment for the front steps of the Federal Courthouse in Honolulu; state courts on Kauai, Maui, and the Big Island are also reportedly targeted by members there. Kanahele was arrested for his involvement with an incident in 1994, when Hawaiian tax protester Nathan Brown was sought by federal authorities. Kanahele and Gordon Kaaihue -- one of the Nation's "peace officers" -- allegedly interfered with Brown's arrest. Kanahele was also arrested a month ago on different charges, these for not appearing in court for outstanding traffic citations. Members of the Nation of Hawaii -- which claims a membership as high as 7,000 -- see this second "kidnapping" as a sign of renewed vigor on the part of the US to suppress their sovereignty movement. Kanahele and the Nation's members perceive themselves as a sovereign country independent of the laws and jurisdiction of the state of Hawaii and the United States.

Monday, August 7, 1995
KANAHELE HELD OVER WEEKEND, MAYBE LONGER
If Federal Magistrate Barry Kurren has his way, Nation of Hawai`i leader Dennis "Bumpy" Kanahele will sit in jail until a scheduled court date on Oct. 3. Kanahele was detained over the weekend, without bail, after his arrest Wednesday for a grand jury indictment that found he interfered with an arrest late last year. He is to face a final ruling today on whether he is to be released on bail or held in prison until his trial. Kurren cited alleged threats by Kanahele against police officers and state judicial executives as due cause for holding Kanahele as a danger to the community. Supporters claim the push for eight-weeks of detention as a "show of force" to intimidate Kanahele and his supporters. Up to 100 Nation of Hawaii members and friends held a day-long vigil outside of the US District Court on Friday, protesting what they are calling a "kidnapping." In addition, Gordon Kaaihue -- who was also indicted by the grand jury in the same ruling that led to Kanahele's detainment -- turned himself in at the courthouse that day.

Tuesday, October 3, 1995
1893 OVERTHROW ACKNOWLEDGED BY NATIONS' LIBRARIES A one woman campaign by a UH librarian has managed to convince theU.S. Library of Congress to change one word in its standard subject headings -- but that one change means a lot to many Hawaii residents. As of this week, books focused on the fall of the Hawaiian monarchy are no longer found under "Hawaii-History-Revolution of 1893." To find them in any American library, one now searches for "Hawaii-History-Overthrow of the Monarchy, 1893." Horie told Ka Leo today that she was surprised the Library of Congress made the change on her suggestion alone. "Many Western books do not say there was an overthrow," Horie said. She explained that the word "Revolution" implied a movement supported by the local people, which was not thecase. "It was more of a coup d'etat by outsiders," Horie said. Longtime Hawaiian activist Haunani-Kay Trask called the change an excellent one. "It's one step closer to the truth," Trask said. The Library of Congress' subject headings are an international standard, and anyone accessing a catalog of information from a U.S. library would have to use the new wording.

Thursday, October 12, 1995
KANAHELE TRIAL BEGINS
The federal trial of sovereignty activist Dennis "Bumpy" Kanahele opened today, after jury selection in the case was completed yesterday. Six women and eight men will decide the fate of Kanahele, who was detained in prison without bail since August on charges of harboring known fugitive Nathan Brown and interfering with law enforcement officials last year. Kanahele's attorney, Hayden Alui, was restricted from claiming "vindictive prosecution" in his opening statements by Federal Judge Helen Gilmore before jury selection began. Gilmore said he had hoped to use the government's suspicious timing of Kanahele's arrest -- at least 18 months after the incidents occurred -- as proof of pursuit with hostile intent. The trial is expected to last less than a week. During proceedings, federal prosecutors hope to present six witnesses, including three police officers, a U.S. Marshal and two deputy marshals. Kanahele faces up to $750,000 in fine and an 11-year prison sentence if he is convicted on all three charges. Also named in the case is Gordon Kaaihue, also charged with interfering with the serving of a warrant in 1994. Brown is still wanted on tax evasion charges. The jury was chosen from a pool of 98; five were dismissed because of expressed opinions on the issue of sovereignty.

Monday, October 16, 1995
KANAHELE FOUND GUILTY FOR THREE-YEAR-OLD COUNTS
Nation of Hawai`i leader Dennis "Bumpy" Kanahele was in court again today -- this time, versus the state. Kanahele was called into district court this morning to answer for outstanding traffic citations issued against him in 1992. Kanahele's attorney strongly protested the timing of calling the state's traffic case, saying that he and his client were overwhelmed with preparations for their federal case, which opened last week. The judge moved forward, saying that his eagerness to close Kanahele's case was largely due to the fact that the case was three years old. He was promptly found guilty of not having a driver's license, insurance, or license plates. Kanahele and his supporters had driven vehicles with their own "Sovereign" plates, in protest of what they consider an illegal imposition of law on their land.

Thursday, October 20, 1995
KANAHELE TRIAL DIVERTS WITH SOVEREIGNTY SHOWCASE
Although he faces specific federal charges of interfering with a 1994 arrest, Nation of Hawai`i leader Dennis "Bumpy" Kanahele has seized the opportunity to bring attention to a far broader issue. Kanahele's attorney, Hayden Aluli, subpoenaed 20 historic documents -- treaties written in the late 1800s, many of which were signed by King Kalakaua -- from state Archives. Wrapped in ornate cloth covers, the parchment documents had not been brought out of safekeeping since 1905. The objective? To reassert Kanahele's claim that the federal government has no legal jurisdiction over him, and further, is illegally occupying the Hawaiian islands. Calling the move "educational theater," Aluli displayed the documents for the press and U.S. District Judge Helen Gillmor. Gillmor declined the defense's request to put the historic documents before the jury, saying that the matter of sovereignty must be decided by the federal government, and not the jury in the interference trial. Nation of Hawai`i members stepped forward to provide security in transporting the documents to the courthouse from Iolani Palace.
(Note: see Hawaii Resource Library for the text of these treaties)

Thursday, October 26, 1995
KANAHELE REFUSES TO TESTIFY, DEFENSE RESTS
In an court meeting without the jury present, Nation of Hawai`i Leader Dennis "Bumpy" Kanahele said yesterday he would not take the stand because the sovereignty issue was declared off-limits by the judge. His attorney, Hayden Aluli, rested his case. The trial is for federal charges that Kanahele harbored fugitive Nathan Brown and twice interfered with attempts to arrest Brown in 1994. U.S. District Judge Helen Gillmor told Kanahele as the trial began that only issues involving the specific, alleged crimes would be allowed as evidence and witness testimony. "My case is based on sovereignty," Kanahele said. Since his primary argument is that the U.S. government has no jurisdiction over him -- a stance the present court dismisses -- he said, "I'd be lying to you if I do testify." Earlier this week, Aluli was barred from calling Francis Boyle, a key advisor in Kanahele's fight for Hawaiian independence, as a witness in the case because of the declared irrelevance of the sovereignty issue. Kanahele said his decision not to testify was based on daily restrictions and prosecution objections to the mention of sovereignty during the trial. Closing statements in the trial, which also levies similar charges on Kanahele's co-defendant Gordon Kaaihue, are expected tomorrow.

Wednesday, November 1, 1995
MISTRIAL CALLED IN KANAHELE CASE
An overzealous juror and another's question about "jury tampering" led U. S. District Judge Helen Gillmor to declare a mistrial yesterday inthe government's case against Dennis "Bumpy" Kanahele, head of the Nationof Hawai`i sovereignty group. Kanahele was facing charges that he harboredfugitive Nathan Brown, and interfered with two attempts to arrest Brownlast year. Gillmor ordered the jury to meet and reconsider their positionsafter a deadlock was apparent. When the court reconvened today, Gillmorsaid she discovered one juror had been doing research in the law library(one floor below the court), particularly on the Constitution's fourthamendment. Kanahele's defense centered around the alleged failure on thepart of federal marshals in identifying themselves on his property. Thejuror's studies, however, violated Gillmor's ban on outside research setwhen the trial opened. Gillmor also said a member of the jury had askedan unusual question about improprieties within the jury. She declared themistrial, and the prosecution vowed to pursue a retrial. Kanahele,meanwhile, was sent back to prison, to again be held without bail.Kanahele has been in federal custody since Aug. 2.

Thursday, November 2, 1995
KANAHELE PROTESTS EXTENDED JAIL STAY
Saying he's changed and that he'd like to see his family, Nation of Hawai`i leader Dennis "Bumpy" Kanahele criticized the decision by U.S. District Judge Helen Gillmor to hold him without bail until his new trial on January 3. Gillmor declared a mistrial in Kanahele's trial earlier this week when one jury member was found doing unauthorized research and who also reportedly failed to declare a 1990 felony conviction for sodomy against two girls. The prosecutor in the case defended the decision, saying that Kanahele's past made him a potential threat to the community. Although Kanahele lamented the fact that he'd be spending the holidays behind bars, he said he's making the best of his time there. Kanahele said he'd found many new supporters of sovereignty in prison. "Not only the inmates, but the [prison guards] have learned a lot," Kanahele said today. Kanahele faces charges that he harbored federal fugitive Nathan Brown and interfered with an attempt to arrest Brown last year. Kanahele said that if he is eventually convicted -- facing up to nine months in a mainland prison -- the sovereignty issue will only get stronger.

Tuesday, November 14, 1995
JUDGE RELEASES KANAHELE WITH CONDITIONS
Ordered back to prison last month after his federal case ended in a mistrial, Nation of Hawai`i leader Dennis "Bumpy" Kanahele wasn't banking on walking Hawai`i streets anytime before his new trial in January. However in a surprise move yesterday, U.S. District Judge David Ezra released Kanahele to a halfway-house, without bail. Ezra reportedly said that Kanahele's rights need to be heard in addition to that of law enforcement officials. The prosecutors in the case said that Kanahele posed a threat to the public. Kanahele walked out of the federal courthouse this morning, greeted by supporters and family members. With the first few weeks of his stay at Miller Hale -- a halfway-house in Makiki -- paid for by two OHA trustees, Kanahele can bide the time before his retrial any way he likes... so long as he doesn't go near the sovereignty group's headquarters in Waimanalo. Kanahele said he will abide by the judge's conditions, adding that the outpouring of support at today's court hearing -- which included members of other sovereignty groups -- demonstrated the broad support the independence movement is gaining. "This is not just about 'Bumpy,'" Kanahele said.

Wednesday, November 15, 1995
KANAHELE CALLS FOR PEACE, COOPERATION
Asking for more unity between different sovereignty groups, Nation of Hawaii leader Dennis "Bumpy" Kanahele said today that he has found the virtues of a more cooperative, focused campaign. Kanahele was released yesterday to a halfway house, where he is to live until his retrial in federal court in January. Calling Ka Lahui sister-leaders Haunani-Kay and Mililani Trask "very brilliant," Kanahele said he hopes to patch up relations with them, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and other Hawaiian-rights groups. "I think we're going forward much more quickly than we've ever done in the past," Kanahele said today. He also asked members of the Nation of Hawaii to refrain from civil disobedience, manifested in the past by driving cars with "SOVEREIGN" license plates and issuing arrest-warrants to Hawai`i judges and law enforcement officials. "These are little fires that we don't need at this point," Kanahele said today. We want to go into what counts." He said he hopes to establish an office in downtown Honolulu. Kanahele still faces the federal charges of interfering with law enforcement efforts and harboring federal fugitive Nathan Brown; the case ended in a mistrial two weeks ago.

Thursday, November 16, 1995
TRASK SISTERS KEEP DISTANCE FROM KANAHELE
Mililani Trask, member of the sovereignty group Ka Lahui Hawai`i, lashed out today against Dennis "Bumpy" Kanahele. Kanahele, leader of sovereignty group Nation of Hawai`i, publically asked for peace and cooperation between the different Hawaiian groups throughout the islands. Kanahele had called Mililani Trask and her sister, Haunani-Kay Trask, "brilliant," and valuble allies in the fight for Hawaiian independence. Mililani Trask said Kanahele's request was simply a publicity stunt. "It may be convenient to create a media event when you're facing federal charges," she said. Mililani Trask was critical of statements made by Kanahele two years ago, when he allegedly called some members of his own sovereignty group "terrorists" that he could not control. Those words, and his pending federal case, is a "black eye on the sovereignty movement," she said. Meanwhile, Kanahele appeared today on the UH campus to attend an anti-racism Hawaiian rally led in part by Haunani-Kay Trask. Haunani-Kay Trask did not acknowledge Kanahele's presence, although Emcee Bu La`ia had pointed him out.

Friday, November 17, 1995
RALLY TARGETS RACISM ON UH CAMPUS
The alleged ejection of two Hawaiian students from a Geography class two months ago was the spark behind a four-hour rally held yesterday at UH-Manoa. Over 300 students listened and cheered speakers and performers at the event, promoted as an exploration of discrimination against native Hawaiians at the university. Haunani-Kay Trask and Lilikala Kame`eleihiwa -- both faculty in the Hawaiian Studies department -- were the keynote speakers. "Look around you," Trask asked the audience, "85 percent of the student body are people of color. 85 percent of the faculty [at UH] is haole -- What's wrong with this picture?" Trask said the practice of awarding Hawaiian Homestead lands on the basis of a blood quantum is based on racist philosophy, saying that the government is dividing the Hawaiian population much as it did the African American population in the south. She also urged more opposition to the tuition hike proposal now in the works, and a plan to cut tuition waivers to native Hawaiian students. Kame`eleihiwa gave a history lesson about racism in the islands, starting with the first missionaries came to the islands. "We cannot have peace in Hawai`i until we have justice in Hawai`i," Kame`eleihiwa said. Comedian and former gubernatorial candidate Bu La`ia was emcee. "Sovereignty isn't a Hawaiian thing," Bu La`ia said. "It's about an injustice done to a people." The event was organized by the Center for Hawaiian Studies and Kuikalahiki, a student group focused on Hawaiian rights issues.

BUMPY ENJOYS FREEDOM, SUPPORTS RALLY'S INTENT
Dennis "Bumpy" Kanahele, leader of the Waimanalo-based sovereignty group Nation of Hawai`i, attended the Hawaiian rally yesterday, listening to and applauding speakers. Kanahele was released earlier this week from federal confinement, allowed to live in a halfway house until his case can be retried in January. "I never come here to be acknowledged," Kanahele said. "I came to support the intent of whatever this was for." He said he was originally invited to speak by Kame`eleihiwa, but declined. "This is my third day out," Kanahele said. "I just want to take in the fresh air and the freedom." On Wednesday, Kanahele issued a public apology to Haunani-Kay Trask and her sister, Mililani, who vehemently rebuffed the call for peace yesterday. Today, Kanahele kept his distance from Haunani-Kay Trask saying it was "not the right time" to approach her. "I'm happy I came," Kanahele said. "This is the first time I've come to such a big gathering here." Kanahele said he has been asked to speak at the UH Law School.

More background and articles on Kanahele's trial

Friday, January 19, 1996
ANAHOLA MAN DIES IN DHHL EVICTION
The battle between 59-year-old Gilbert Smith and the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands ended yesterday with a deadly fire on Kaua`i. Smith had been withholding mortgage payments on his Anahola home, protesting what he called shoddy construction. While deputy sheriffs and DHHL officials surrounded the house, state agents entered to deliver the eviction notice. Smith had apparently poured gasoline on the floor, and while the agents watched, he lit a match and set fire to his home. The officers escaped without injury, but Smith remained inside, where he died. Today, DHHL spokesman Francis Apolina expressed sorrow and shock over the tragedy. The man's nephew, Kamealoha Smith -- who yesterday blamed the department for his uncle's death -- met today with DHHL heads on O`ahu. "The biggest question that I have on my mind," said Kamealoha Smith, "is what went wrong." While an investigation into the incident continues, 30 Hawaiian groups plan to meet tomorrow in Kalihi to plan memorial services for Gilbert Smith, and discuss various complaints against the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.

Tuesday, January 23, 1996
GROUPS CALL FOR DHHL RESIGNATIONS
Native Hawaiian leaders gathered today on the grounds of Iolani Palace to remember the life of Hilbert Kahale Smith, who died last Thursday after setting fire to his Anahola Homstead house during his eviction. They were critical of the state Department of Hawaiian Homelands, some calling the agency responsible for Smith's death. "The department chose to follow an iron-fist policy of dispossessing Mr. Smith rather than fulfilling their legal obligations to him as a beneficiary," said Ka Lahui Hawai`i leader Haunani-Kay Trask. Smith was being evicted after a 17-year fight with the state; he stopped paying his mortgage in protest of shoddy construction work on his home. Trask called for the resignation of DHHL head Kali Wilson and the department's commissioners. Wilson said he hoped the department could learn from what happened on Kaua`i. "Hopefully something positive will come out of this," he said. However Smith said he had no plans of stepping down, saying that recent legal settlements and land appropriations demonstrated the need for stability. "My intent is to continue what we've been doing in furthering the program," he said. Smith will be remembered with a memorial service and candlelight vigil at 6:30PM this Saturday at Iolani Palace.

More background and articles on Kahale Smith's death

Monday, February 12, 1996
SELF RULE, BY ANY OTHER NAME...
Plebiscite is too weird a word for most Hawaii residents, or at leasttoo confusing to risk a pivotal vote on the sovereignty issue. So says theHawaiian Sovereignty Elections Council, which last week renamed itsupcoming plebiscite as a "native Hawaiian vote." This year, Hawaiianswill determine whether or not they will elect a set of delegates to guidethe formation of an independent native Hawaiian government. People ofnative Hawaiian ancestry around the world are eligible to participate inthe July vote, provided they are at least 18 years old by Sept. 2.

The Maui News Week in Review - Friday, March 1, 1996
KIPAHULU CULTURE
Prized by the ali`i for its fertility, this beautifuland remote land was once home to a large, thriving population of NativeHawaiians. Today, with few remnants of its former importance intact,Kipahulu is known more as the picturesque home of the Pools of `Ohe`o, thedistant destination of tourists hardy enough to survive the road to Hana. But there's more to Kipahulu than the famous pools, say representatives ofa new group of Hana-area residents who plan to revive the culture andindigenous ecology of the region. Haleakala National Park has struck anagreement with the newly formed Kipahulu `Ohana, giving the grouppermission to resurrect ancient practices such as agriculture, forestry,arts, crafts and house construction on park land. With the park'sblessing, the non-profit group plans to present to the more than 500,000people who visit the Kipahulu District annually a slice of what Kipahuluwas like in its former glory. "They're coming now more for the Pools of`Ohe`o. But they're also looking for culture. Who better to offer it tothem than the local people?" Says Haleakala National Park SuperintendentDon Reeser. The `ohana, with Hana's John Lind at the helm as president,plans to offer plants for sale, maintain a "living farm," protectarchaeological sites, reintroduce native plants, present culturaldemonstrations and produce crafts for sale.

Friday, March 1, 1996
LONGTIME sovereignty advocate Dallas Kealiihooneaina Mossman Vogeler died Wednesday at the age of 64. Remembered for fighting stereotypes of native Hawaiians and her work in theater, Vogeler had fought for Hawaiian causes despite a long battle with leukemia. A 1950 Kamehameha Schools graduate, Vogeler is survived by three sons and five daughters...

Friday, March 15, 1996
MAKUA BEACH DWELLERS PROTEST
About 60 of the estimated 250 people who call Makua Beach their home rallied this morning outside the state Capitol, protesting the state's move last Friday to evict them from the park. The beach dwellers were given 30 days to dismantle their semi-permanent homes and tents and move elsewhere. The problem, they told state officials, is that there's nowhere to go. The state was kind enough to provide them with a list of housing placement and financial assistance offices, but the demonstrators said today they visited each and every one on the list, only to be told there was no money nor room for them. Dennis "Bumpy" Kanahele, leader of the sovereignty group Nation of Hawaii, was on hand today to show his support for the beach residents. "They've lived there for a long time," Kanahele said, "Years and years." Kanahele said they should have earned some special consideration to stay. Gov. Ben Cayetano had little sympathy, however. "Many of those people have places to go to," Cayetano said today. He reiterated that if they don't move out on their own, the state will step in. "They will have to make that decision," he said. Meanwhile, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs says that it will do what it can to give Makua residents more time.

Monday, March 18, 1996
KAMEHAMEHA III'S BIRTHDAY REMEMBERED
While St. Patrick's Day revelers flooded Waikiki streets with costumes and music yesterday, a small group of Hawaiian historians and activists quietly marked the birthday of King Kamehameha III on the grounds of Iolani Palace. Palace staff and a new grass-roots coalition remembered the life of the monarch's pivotal but short-lived reign. Kamehameha, who was born on March 17, 1813 and died in December of 1854 at the age of 41, is perhaps best remembered as the king who in 1843 first spoke what was to become the state motto: "Ua mau ke ea o ka `aina i ka pono," roughly translated to "The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness." Kamehameha III, who presided over the kingdom's roughest period of religious conflicts, also brought democracy to the islands by establishing the kingdom's first constitution, parliament and supreme court. Residents paid tribute with small picnics and local music.

Wednesday, April 15, 1996
SOVEREIGNTY ADVOCATES TAKE MESSAGE ON THE ROAD
In New York, Philadelphia, Boston and Washington D.C., the message will be the same: Not everyone finds Hawai`i a paradise and a perfect home. Ku`umealoha Gomes and Rev. Kaleo Patterson -- longtime supporters of the Hawaiian sovereignty movement -- will be leaving for the Mainland next week to help other U.S. citizens hear the "Voices of Sovereignty." Patterson said he wants to dispel the myth that everyone in Hawai`i is happy and healthy, and show Americans that Hawaii's indigenous population suffer from the worst socioeconomic conditions of any group in the islands. Gomes said her focus will be to educate the public on the illegal annexation of Hawai`i to the U.S. in 1898, and the slow progress in getting the federal government to redress its wrongs. Also on the agenda, the upcoming Native Hawaiian Vote and the evictions of Native Hawaiians off sacred lands. The tour will span from May 21 to June 1, and is backed by the American Friends Service Committee and the homeland ministries board of the United Church of Christ.

Monday, May 20, 1996
HOPING to show that it is serious about its apology, the Hawai`i United Church of Christ may make a $3.5 million offer of reconciliation for the 1893 overthrow of the native Hawaiian monarchy. The proposed land and money transfer follows a formal apology issued during the centennial remembrance of the overthrow. If approved next month, the church would donate land on five islands and funds for Hawaiian churches and work towards self-determination. Queen Lili`uokalani had been a member of the church...

Tuesday, May 21, 1996
EVICTED PALI VENDOR CLAIMS SOVEREIGN RIGHT
State and Honolulu law enforcement officials this afternoon evicted the last remaining T-shirt vendor at the Nu`uanu Pali Lookout. Earlier this month, the state adopted new rules that banned food and product vendors from setting up tables at state parks. All vendors who operated at the lookout received notice to move out on May 8, and today was the deadline. Nihi Napoleon, who says he is a member of the Sovereign Nation of Hawai`i, reluctantly packed up while Department of Land and Natural Resources officials looked on. "I don't feel too good about this," Napoleon said. "In fact, I feel outraged. It's a continuation of what the state and federal government has been doing to us for 103 years." Napoleon said he did not recognize the authority of the state to regulate the area. "This is a sovereign entity," he said. "I'm a Hawaiian I have a right to do this. This is sacred ground." He cited his T-shirts and the literature he distributed at his table, saying the sovereignty message is clear. "They continue to violate our rights," Napoleon said, adding that he isn't sure whether he will return to the park tomorrow.

Monday, June 3, 1996
NIHI Napoleon, a Hawaiian sovereignty activist, returned to the Nu`uanu Pali Lookout today after being evicted two weeks ago by the State Department of Land and Natural Resources. The state last month enacted new rules banning vendors at the lookout as well as other popular state parks. Napoleon, however, said he does not recognize the state's authority, and that the literature he distributes is educational, not commercial...

Wednesday, June 12, 1996
STATE WILL WAIT PAST FATHER'S DAY FOR MAKUA EVICTION
While reasserting that June 15 is the deadline for the remaining 40 or so residents of Makua Beach to clear out, Gov. Ben Cayetano today announced that evictions -- if necessary -- will not begin until after Sunday. "Father's Day is not a good day to go in there," he said. "There are fathers out there who will be enjoying some time with their families." In addition, other people might be there this weekend enjoying the beach, he said. Cayetano, who said he is frustrated with being seen as the bad guy, noted that there were originally over 300 people living on the small stretch of shoreline on the Leeward Coast. Since the state issued eviction notices on March 12, most of them have been placed in housing through state and private agencies, he said. "The others went out and got jobs, which maybe they should have done some time ago," Cayetano said. Many of those that remain, however, say they refuse to leave because of their right as Native Hawaiians to live traditional lifestyles on sacred Hawaiian lands. Cayetano wants to clear Makua Beach in order to convert the rugged area into a state park. The legislature this year appropriated $500,000 to improve the park, which Cayetano said will be used to build restrooms and other amenities.

GOVERNOR Cayetano today signed into law a plan to transfer a total of 51 acres of Hawai`i land to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. 42 acres in Kapolei and 41 acres in Kealakehi on the Big Island will be turned over to the DHHL in order to speed construction of 550 affordable homes for native Hawaiians...

Monday, May 28, 1996
PROTESTERS CRASH B-2 BOMBER DEDICATIONIt costs over $800 million, weighs over 150 tons, evades enemy radar and -- like eight other B-2 stealth bombers -- is named after a state. But the "Spirit of Hawaii," dedicated by the Air Force yesterday at Hickam Air Force Base, had more than the usual run of critics against it. Nearly 30 protesters began chanting, singing and waving signs in a short demonstration during the Memorial Day ceremony, until military police loaded them onto a bus and banned them from the base. The demonstrators included environmentalists and members of the Hawaiian sovereignty group Ka Lahui Hawai`i, who say the name is a contradiction with its namesake -- "The Aloha State." Others that were present at the ceremony disagree, suggesting that the B-2 is an instrument of peace, and thus aptly named. "My tutu would say Hawaiians are great warriors," Verlieann Malina-Wright told the Honolulu Advertiser, "and we know the best defense is a prepared offense." Air Force officials say the name was chosen in part to recognize Hawaii's role in military air history, and partly in deference to Hawai`i Sen. Dan Inouye, one of the first supporters of the B-2 program during the Cold War.

June 14, 1996
PROTESTERS yesterday criticized a proposed $3.5 million redress of the 1893 overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy because they say it would favor only select few Native Hawaiians. Leaders of Hawaii's United Church of Christ are expected to vote this week whether the Protestant organization will transfer millions of dollars in land and money to Hawaiian churches, following an official church apology issued three years ago. The demonstrators, including members of the sovereignty group Ka Lahui Hawai`i, argued that the overthrow was a crime against all Hawaiians, not just those that were church members...

June 17, 1996
LOOMING MAKUA BEACH EVICTION FOUGHT BY FIRE
A handful of the remaining residents of Makua Beach protested the state's promise of eviction today by setting fire to some of the makeshift structures and abandoned cars in the area. "I'm really proud of them," said Makua resident Sparky Rodrigues. "My friends, maybe for the first time in their lives, took total control of their lives in this final act of defiance." The state's clearing of the small Waianae Coast encampment is imminent as of today, and although no convoy of state and police vehicles arrived, fire trucks had to repeatedly report to the scene to extinguish the periodical blazes. "We're getting a little tired of that," said Waianae Fire Department Capt. Steve Humphrey. "I don't think they're proving much by lighting the fires." Makua supporter Richard Kinney said being forced to leave Makua Beach is too painful to take quietly. "We have different ways of handling the hurt," Kinney said. "Each tent is going to handle how they leave in their own way." Some remaining residents, however, were not impressed by the show of defiance by their peers. "They're ruining the land," said Virginia Bernard. "I believe in leaving the place better than I found it." The state has been trying to reclaim the beach for some time. This most current eviction order has been delayed twice, most recently to allow campers to observe Father's Day. Many Makua residents argue that as native Hawaiians they are entitled to live at the beach, which they consider a sacred site. In anticipation of the looming eviction, several families moved from Makua Beach today.

June 18, 1996
MAKUA CAMP LEVELED, 16 ARRESTED

Shortly after 5:30 a.m. today, a convoy of state, fire and medical vehicles made their way along Oahu's Waianae Coast. Patrol boats were positioned offshore, and a police helicopter surveyed the scene from above. With a varied team of over 100 law enforcement officials and workers, the state evicted the remaining 40 or so people still living at Makua Beach.

"They came in, just woke everybody up, they acted like we were criminals -- they all had on their bullet-proof vests," said former Makua resident Virginia Makahi. "They don't care... they don't know what it means to be there." Officials with the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, accompanied by state sheriffs, approached each camp and gave the people there five minutes to leave. Campers piled what they could into the cars and pickup trucks of families and supporters and were escorted off the beach. Makua resident Bruce Makahi said most weren't given enough time to collect all their things. "I'm sovereign to our Hawaiian nation," Makahi said. "So what are they doing? Don't we have any rights here?"

After all people were cleared from the site -- which has been home to assorted squatters for over a decade -- bulldozers demolished the makeshift structures. State officials say it will take at least 3 days to clear all debris from the 1.5-acre park. "When we came here it was pretty clear that there was going to be some serious work that needed to be done," said Mike Wilson, chairman of the state land board. "Fires have been set, and it was clear that some people wanted to be arrested." 16 people, about half of them former Makua residents, have been charged with obstructing government operations. Tonight 11 still remain in police custody -- some refusing bail money collected for them by supporters.

Gov. Ben Cayetano today reasserted that the evictions were not an issue of Hawaiian sovereignty. "Today we did not see any of the better known Hawaiian organizations down there to support them," Cayetano said. "They were pretty much on their own." However, the sovereignty group Ka Lahui Hawai`i -- which claims the largest membership of any native Hawaiian organization in the state -- today called for Cayetano's resignation. The group said it opposed any forced eviction of Hawaiian people in the islands. Nation of Hawai`i leader Dennis "Bumpy" Kanahele, meanwhile, appeared at the state courthouse this afternoon to show his support for those arrested.

Cayetano said the state will continue to offer assistance to those who ask for it. "If they move to another beach then we'll just have to enforce the law," he said. State officials say there will be people posted at Makua Beach to make sure people don't return.

Wednesday, June 19, 1996
CAMPERS, PRESS EXAMINE MAKUA EVICTION AFTERMATH
A number of families evicted yesterday morning from Makua Beach in Waianae ended up pitching tents down the road at Kea`au Beach Park and spent the night -- legally. The group applied for and received a total of six permits from the city parks department. City officials say the campers will be asked to leave today along with everyone else there for regular cleaning and other maintenance work, but the permits issued will allow them to return tomorrow. While heavy equipment continues to clear what remains of the Makua settlement, some local journalists are critical of the state's reaction to the presence of the press at the early morning raid. Some campers evicted protested when reporters and cameras were cleared from the 1.5 acre site -- specifically during the first phase of the eviction when state sheriffs were removing Makua residents from their camps and arresting those that refused. Gov. Cayetano said that the safety of reporters was the primary reason for having them moved to two "briefing" areas -- one two miles away and another over 200 yards away where vegetation obscured the view of Makua Beach. State officials further claimed the absence of the press contributed to the generally peaceful completion of evictions, saying campers may have been more likely to resist with force if cameras were pointed at them.

Friday, June 21, 1996
MAKUA BEACH OPENS TO PUBLIC
There is still some debris left from over a decade of squatters, but a small parking area has been cleared and temporary toilets are on the way. Three days after state sheriffs evicted over 30 families from Makua Beach, the Waianae park was reopened to the public today. It will be open from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., and overnight camping is prohibited. "So far there have been approximately 800 tons of debris taken from the Makua Beach area, and there are about 40 cars there," said Mike Wilson, state land board chairman. Ever since the Tuesday morning eviction, road blocks had been set up to keep people from the 1.5 acre site while heavy equipment cleared away the several temporary structures that had been built there. With today's reopening, the state hopes to move forward with plans to turn Makua Beach into a fully outfitted public park, with a paved parking lot and shower and toilet facilities. The state Legislature this year had appropriated $500,000 specifically for permanent improvements to Makua Beach. Wilson said the is prepared to ensure the site's former residents don't return. "We have conversation officers that stop by that park to make sure the rules are being complied with," Wilson said. Remaining trash will soon be removed, he said.

Friday, June 28, 1996
HISTORIC HAWAIIAN LAW USED TO DISPUTE MORTGAGES
A local company has declared the titles to 30 Hawai`i properties as invalid based on Hawaiian laws in effect decades before the islands were annexed by the United States. Edith Mar, a Kaimuki resident, hasn't paid her $2,200 monthly mortgage for four months. "Just prove to me that the title is good," Mar told KHON Channel 2. "If the title is not good, then pay my mortgage." She said she wants the company that insured her mortgage loan to take over its payment. Mar is one of several residents who hired Perfect Title Co. to prepare a title report. The company researches the title's history as far back as possible, said president Don Lewis, and so far hasn't yet found one that wasn't broken -- most as a result of the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy. "The land titles, to put it mildly, are in a mess," Lewis said. According to the report compiled for Mar, her title was null and void because it was handled in a probate court in 1894. That court was incompetent, the report said, because its members later committed treason in illegally proclaiming the provisional government of Hawai`i. Several local financial institutions say they do not recognize the validity of Perfect Title's reports, which cost clients $1,500 each. "The risk they take," said Finance Factor spokesman Gary Kai, "is losing their homes."

Sovereignty leader gets humanitarian award
Maui News, Friday, June 28, 1996
HONOLULU -- A national group has bestowed a humanitarian award on one of the leaders of the Hawaiian sovereignty movement.

Ka Pakaukau head Kekuni Blaisdell was one of four 1996 fellows named by the Petra Foundation, which promotes the general concepts of freedom and equality.

Foundation spokesman Al Black said Blaisdell was selected for his work as an advocate for the rights of indigenous Hawaiians. Black added that as a physician, Blaisdell has helped bridged the gap between traditional and Western medicine and has aided in the study of health problems of Native Hawaiians.

Tuesday, July 9, 1996
STATE OWES OHA $200 MILLION, JUDGE RULES
Under a 1990 law, the Office Hawaiian Affairs is entitled to 20 percent of all revenues generated on most ceded Native Hawaiian lands. Under a ruling yesterday in a federal court, OHA is therefore entitled to the same share of money made from rent at certain public housing projects, sales at Duty Free stores at the airport and in Waikiki and payments collected at Hilo Hospital on the Big Island. If the ruling stands, the state may end up owing $200 million to OHA. "That's very satisfying," said Clayton Hee, OHA chair. "Revenues which by law are entitlements to Native Hawaiians now must be accounted for by the state, and be paid for the betterment of the conditions of Native Hawaiians." The case will now go to trial to determine exactly how much is owed. In his ruling, Heely also determined that the state violated rules governing the use of money made at the airport, which by law can only be used for airport operations. That may mean the state will have to pay an additional 20 percent of airport revenues back to the federal fund. Gov. Ben Cayetano said yesterday's ruling will definitely be appealed. "Clearly what it means is we're either going to have to find more revenue or the cost of providing these services will just go up," Cayetano said. "It will be a burden on everyone else." He pointed out that if state laws requires airport money to go to OHA, they violate federal law. The governor put some of the blame for the predicament on the state Senate, which he said failed to take decisive action on clarifying the law. The state already paid OHA $135 million in 1993 for revenues generated on other ceded properties between 1981 and 1990; OHA may also file to collect on money collected since.

Friday, July 12, 1996
AFTER examining the process used to conduct the Native Hawaiian Vote, an international human rights group concluded that the vote is vulnerable to fraud and will support a resolution urging the state to call it off. The Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization came to the islands on the invitation of Ka Lahui Hawai`i, a Hawaiian sovereignty group which has been a longtime opponent of the state-funded vote. Representatives with the Hawaiian Sovereignty Elections Council, the agency responsible for conducting the vote, questioned the objectivity of the organization, pointing out that Ka Lahui leader Mililani Trask also serves as its vice chair...

Friday, July 19, 1996
GROUP SUES TO STOP NATIVE HAWAIIAN VOTE
A federal lawsuit filed against the Hawai`i Sovereignty Elections Council and Gov. Ben Cayetano yesterday claims the Native Hawaiian Vote -- which began last month and is scheduled to close on Aug. 15 -- is unconstitutional. Office Hawaiian Affairs Trustee Billie Beamer, Ka Lahui Hawai`i member Clara Kakalia, Lela Hubbard and Stephen Kubota say the state has no jurisdiction over the future of Hawaiian self-determination. Beamer, Kakalia and Hubbard are of Hawaiian descent, and Kubota joined the lawsuit to represent non-Hawaiians, according to attorney Thomas Watts. The lawsuit alleges the Native Hawaiian Vote is an attempt to usurp the constitutional right of native Hawaiians to independently seek redress from the U.S. government. In addition, Watts said, since the vote for native Hawaiians is funded by government money, it discriminates against non-native Hawaiians who cannot participate. Over 85,000 ballots were mailed to native Hawaiians worldwide to find the collective answer to the question, "Should the Hawaiian people elect delegates to propose a native Hawaiian government?" The state-funded HSEC is conducting the vote, and will announce the results in September. HSEC attorney Poka Laenui called the lawsuit "grandstanding," saying its simply an attempt to divert attention from the balloting effort. Instead of suing to halt the vote, Laenui said, opponents of the process should just vote no.

Wednesday, July 24, 1996
UH HAWAIIAN STUDIES CENTER COMES TO LIFE
After more than 10 years of waiting and a few budget and legal battles, the new Hawaiian Studies Center at the Manoa campus of the University of Hawai`i opened today so that faculty and staff could begin moving in. The $7.5 million building -- about $1 million over its original budget -- overlooks Manoa Stream along Dole Street. It has a design said to be inspired by ancient Hawaiian architecture, the design highlighted by rock walls and tall, angular domes covered with green copper. Inside, one of the university's fastest growing departments will be able to host classes, performances and exhibits. "What we're hoping to do is open up the building and therefore the campus to people who are involved in things like hula, language instruction, voyaging and weaving," said center director Haunani-Kay Trask. The Hawaiian culture is flourishing, Trask said, and so is academic thirst for its history and future. "When we started the Hawaiian Studies Center in 1987 we had 13 students," Trask said. "We now have 1,350 students." The center should be ready for use by the beginning of the fall semester. Completion of the center's was five years behind schedule, due in part to protests by a community group that claimed that building the center would destroy historic taro lo`i at the site. In 1992, Ho`o`kahe Wai tried to stop construction and proposed a redesign of the center that would spare the lo`i. Although the redesign was refused, Trask said despite the controversy and intense construction work, the taro in question remains untouched today.

Wednesday, August 14, 1996
KANAHELE ELECTED TO NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD
Dennis "Bumpy" Kanahele, leader of the Waimanalo-based sovereignty group Nation of Hawai`i, was appointed as a member of the Waimanalo Neighborhood Board on Monday. While Kanahele awaits a retrial in federal court on obstruction of justice charges, he's been keeping busy. Although the terms of his release forbid him from visiting any place in Waimanalo except his own home, Kanahele was elected to serve on the Waimanalo Health Clinic Board of Directors. Since the court gave him permission to attend meetings at the clinic, he said he expects to have a similar arrangement to work with the neighborhood board. Kanahele's appointment was approved by a 7-0 vote with one abstention, and other board members are impressed by his desire to work with them. "He wants to help the community, and we want to give him a chance to do that," said neighborhood board chair Greg Field. Field said Kanahele was willing to take an oath of office, and that was all the board would require. The Nation of Hawai`i is one of several organizations dedicated to establishing native Hawaiian self-determination, and this year the group endorsed the controversial Native Hawaiian Vote. Kanahele said he doesn't see a conflict in his working in a county-related role while working with the Nation of Hawai`i to become independent of city and state government. The group's constitution allows for such community involvement, he said, adding that for him, helping his neighbors comes above all else.

Monday, August 19, 1996
COURT EMBARGOES SOVEREIGNTY VOTE RESULTS
A group that claims the Native Hawaiian Vote is unconstitutional won a temporary restraining order against the Hawaii Sovereignty Elections Council on Friday. The order -- while allowing the HSEC to count the mailed-in ballots -- prohibits the council from announcing the results until after the group's primary legal challenge is resolved. Five opponents of the vote have charged that the state's involvement in the vote makes it unconstitutional. That case will come before a federal court on Aug. 30. If that hearing drags on, the HSEC will not be able to announce the vote's results on Sept. 2 as previously hoped. In his ruling, judge David Ezra agreed with the five plaintiffs, who said their case challenging the vote's legality could be compromised by having the vote's results announced beforehand. Ezra was quick to clarify that his granting of the restraining order should not be taken as a hint as to how he will rule in the primary case. Last Wednesday was the deadline for native Hawaiians worldwide to return the ballots, which ask whether the native Hawaiian people should elect delegates to propose an independent government. The Hawaii League of Women Voters will be the group responsible for counting the truckload of ballots received. At present, both the HSEC and the ballot-counters have not disclosed how many of the 82,000 ballots mailed out in June were returned.

LAWSUITS DELAY VOTE RESULT ANNOUNCEMENT
Friday, August 30, 1996
Although all ballots submitted in the Native Hawaiian Vote were counted last week, Hawai`i will not find out the result on Monday as originally scheduled.
Federal court judge David Ezra today heard only the first day of testimony in a pair of lawsuits that seek to nullify the vote. With the case lasting several days, and an appeal of the final decision already expected, it could be months before the vote results are announced -- if they are ever announced at all.
Four of the plaintiffs are suing the state together, arguing that the state-sponsored vote's process is fundamentally flawed. "The state has no business acting as midwife to the creation of a government," said Tom Watts, one of the attorneys representing the group. "This is a matter for the federal government."
Representatives for the state say the lawsuit is without basis, as the vote was designed to address the concerns of all sides. "We argued that there is an adequate basis under the law to uphold the constitutionality of the Native Hawaiian Vote," said Assistant Attorney General John Dellera. Lela Hubbard, one of the plaintiffs, summed up the debate. "We are united on the importance of sovereignty," she said, "but we are divided on how we're going to get it."
Meanwhile, a fifth plaintiff -- a non-Hawaiian -- is separately suing the state for the chance to participate in the vote. "We cannot have state elections in which people are excluded because of their race," said attorney John Goemans.
Earlier this year, over 80,000 ballots were sent out to people of self-declared Native Hawaiian ancestry to determine whether they wanted a state convention where plans for a sovereign Hawaiian government would be proposed. Officials with the Hawai`i Sovereignty Elections Council say most of the ballots were returned, though they will not disclose the exact number. So far, the state has invested nearly $2 million to conduct the vote.

SOVEREIGNTY VOTE RESULT DELAYED
Monday, September 9, 1996
Islanders will have to wait at least a week longer before hearing the final results of the Native Hawaiian Vote.
The announcement of the results -- in limbo until a restraining order was lifted last Friday -- was scheduled today. That plan was thwarted by last-minute appeal filed this morning.
Leaders of the Native Hawaiian community, including Nation of Hawai`i leader Dennis "Bumpy" Kanahele and representatives of the Hawai`i Sovereignty Elections Council, gathered with several dozen supporters on the lawn in front of Iolani Hale to hear the result. Word of the appeal came down less than 40 minutes before the announcement was to be made.
The appeal was filed on behalf of Harold Rice, one of four people who have filed lawsuits in federal court to invalidate the vote. Rice, a Caucasian, has sued to participate in the vote, which only polled those of Hawaiian ancestry.
"We're all disappointed the process has been delayed," said HSEC attorney John Van Dyke. He said the Hawaiian people have no time to lose.
"The election council has another responsibility," Van Dyke said. "If the vote is positive, they are required to provide for the next stage which is planning for the event that will develop the options for the Native Hawaiian nation."
"It's unfortunate that (Mr. Rice) has chosen again to delay the voice of the Native Hawaiian people," Hayden Aluli, HSEC attorney, said.
Rice's action, filed at the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco, is against last Friday's ruling by federal judge David Ezra, in which he determined the state's involvement in the vote process was constitutional.
Nearly 85,000 ballots were sent to Native Hawaiians around the world earlier this year, asking them if they wanted to elect delegates to participate in a convention to propose a system of self-governance.that alleging that the vote is fundamentally unconstitutional.
Although the official announcement of the vote is delayed indefinitely, there has been some hinting on the part of its organizers that the overwhelming result is `ae, or yes.
""We stand firm," said HSEC member Sol Kahoohalahala, one of only two people who know the result of the vote. "We are going to come through, we are going to be victorious.
"These are just a few more steps that we have to go through to claim our victory -- and it is a victory for the Hawaiian people," he said.
KHON-TV2 reported today that Kahoohalahala has already begun soliciting people to help with the next phase of the council's mission should the vote's answer be affirmative: electing convention delegates.
Poka Laenui, appointed as one of the observers in the ballot-counting process, has also reportedly said the vote is in favor of initiating the convention. Despite the embargo on the official numbers, Laenui told the Associated Press, it was obvious at a glance that there were more yes votes than no votes because the ballots were color coded.

OHA TO FUND HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE PROGRAM
Friday, October 25, 1996
The Office of Hawaiian Affairs announced today that it will fund half the five-year cost of running the highest Hawaiian language educational track in the state.
Earlier this year, the University of Hawai`i-Hilo won approval from the Board of Regents to establish a master's degree program in the Hawaiian language, the campus' first graduate program.
OHA has committed $300,000 to the graduate program, and the rest of the funding will come from UH.
Without the help of OHA, university officials said the Hawaiian language program would not have gotten off the ground.
"This is a program that would have probably lain on the table for some time if the university had to find all of the money right now," said UH President Kenneth Mortimer.
The announcement is being heralded as a first-of-its-kind partnership between UH and the state's foremost Hawaiian agency.
"The investment that we're making today is a bargain, and it's an investment that's long overdue," said OHA Chairman Clayton Hee. "I wish we could do more."
UHH officials said the graduate Hawaiian curriculum will be taught entirely in the Hawaiian language, and cover everything from literature to music to mythology.
With OHA's support, Mortimer said students will be able to take their first classes towards the new master's degree next Fall.
To date, there are a dozen students prepared to enter the program.

Return to the Hawaiian Independence Home Page or the News Articles Index