http://www.unkauinoa.org/Aloha mai kakou!What is UnKau I Noa? UnKau I Noa is an attempt to unite those who do not agree with how the project that is "Kau Inoa" is being handled. For some, Kau Inoa was a chance to receive a free shirt. For others it was the illusion that providing your explicit consent to this cause was to build a new nation. Yet, for others, Kau Inoa was that commercial you saw. The one with the singer who said "sign up....JUST BECAUSE!!!"For most, however, Kau Inoa has caused a severe case of confusion. After repeated inquiries, it has never been made clear what Kau Inoa's plan of action is in order to obtain this new nation beyond their extremely vague multi-step plan. But! By consenting and "Kau"-ing your inoa, you've given them support for whatever that action is--may it be something as simple as implementing community based "town-hall" style meetings in order to hear from our community, or may it be something as severe as implementing the heavily flawed Akaka Bill.What's that? You don't support the Akaka Bill? Well, IF that is their plan to create the new government, your name on that list does support it. The Kau Inoa website says that Kau Inoa and the Akaka Bill are not related. However, they do say that if they find Federal Recognition a.k.a. the Akaka Bill in the best interest of the "nation," they will consider it. Furthermore, their end goal is merely this NATION-LIKE group recognized by the State. Notice, NATION-LIKE. Not an independent nation. "To Build a Nation"-- Shouldn't nation building entail building an actual nation, not just a State-recognized entity?This is where UnKau I Noa comes in. Those of us who came up with this idea originally signed up for the shirt, or because it sounded like a good idea. Now...not so much. So we created our own organization to promote "nation building" amongst the most important people in this process: those who make up this nation, na Kanaka Maoli.Hopefully, if we as a community show that we don't support this, we may be able to truly unite and find a solution that EVERYONE can agree on.**For those of you who are confused, "I NOA" is not spelled incorrectly. Kau Inoa means to "place your name" (IN POOR GRAMMAR AS A MATTER OF FACT--PROPER GRAMMAR DICTATES "KAKAU I KOU INOA), but Unkau I Noa means "UnKau so that we are FREE."Yes, it is a play on the word inoa.Yes, we are that clever.Un Kau noa Tshirts are now available. These t shirts look exactly like the OHA Kau inoa shirts but have the word Un before kau inoa, and the phone number to call to get your name off the list. Same color and design. $10. Call Ed to order at- 295 1483.ORCLICK ON BANNER
Comments
Regarding Kau Inoa:
There is so little information on the pro's and con's of Kau Inoa out for the general public. There is a great deal of monies being spent to promote and absolutely no funds available to counter. While the promotion of Kau Inoa tickles the fancy of who would support this concept of "to build a Nation" what is not being tlked about is WHAT NATION. The promoters will tell you that it is to build a nation of our chosing..,. that the Hawaiian's will once again be Sovereign. Of course the sovereignty that the promoters speak about is the same one that the Native American Indians currently have. That sovereignty is under United States domestic law. So how does one achive sovereignty under someone elses Law..? Conflict of terms.
Because of the lack of open equally financed positions regarding a sovereign entity, the lack of discussion as to the merits of the Apology Resolution and the fact that we "never directly relinquished our inherent Sovereignty or our National Lands" we as Na Kupuna Moku O Keawe took the lead and PUBLISHED a position paper in the Hawaii Island Journal in 2003 against the use of "Proxy voting" in an effort to try in create a legal buffer to protect against the use of our names from what ever source for the creation of governent body
for the Hawaiian People without the're expressed permission on every matter.
This does not say that we are against building a nation... it just says that our names cannot be used for this process without expressed permission. Why did we do this... it is because it is the intent to utilize any and all names of those who have been a particpant in any Hawaiian program or function by way of registration forms, attendance list, organization roosters, applcations for services, etc. and use those names claiming that they support Federal recognition in what everform weather or not you agree or have even had knowledge of the action.
This PUBLICATION and others that we have created for our mutual protection is available. We would like to encurage all who want to safeguard you names from being use without your expressed permission to contact us so we can make available this information for you and your family and your Island.
Aloha Oukou,
Hanalei Fergerstrom
Temple of Lono
Na Kupuna Moku O Keawe
Akaka Bill Preview: Tribes Boot Members Keep Loot
Special from Hawaii Free Press
By Andrew Walden, 5/15/2008 9:39:59 AM
Are you Hawaiian?
Perhaps not for long.
California Indian tribes are giving Hawaii a preview of what can be expected under the Office of Hawaiian Affairs’ proposed Akaka Tribe. They are throwing out members—and some say it is all about money.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle on April 20: “From San Diego to Clear Lake, 57 tribes are cashing in on the annual $7.7 billion California Indian gambling boom, and some are throwing out many of their own members - all, critics say, so those remaining can pocket more cash. In many cases, that amounts to monthly allowances of up to $30,000 per person. The numbers of those receiving shares were relatively small to begin with - only an estimated 39,000 of the 350,000 American Indians in this state, according to studies by the state attorney general, the U.S. Census Bureau and others.”
See it here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/04/20/MNJNVJC...
If the Akaka Bill becomes law, Hawaiians will be forced into something King Kamehameha abolished in creating the Hawaiian Kingdom—a tribe. And that tribe will have authority over who is or is not officially allowed to enroll.
At stake will be land and shares in revenues from Akaka Tribe ownership of thousands of acres of valuable Hawaii real estate. Nobody explains this better than the Akaka Bill’s chief proponent in the U.S. House Rep. Neil Abercrombie.
Speaking to the House Committee on Natural Resources on May 2, 2007, Abercrombie explained: “The bottom line here is that this is a bill about the control of assets. This is about land, this is about money, and this is about who has the administrative authority and responsibility over it.”
See it here: http://www.indiancountry.com/content.cfm?id=1096415016
The Chronicle points out: “Because of the tribes' sovereign status, there is little outside oversight of how the money is divvied up and used. Under Proposition 1A, passed by voters in 2000, casino tribes have to contribute to a statewide pot that allocates individual grants of $1.1 million to each of the state's 51 other tribes that do no gambling. But they are not required to give anything for the rest of California's Indian population that is not enrolled in tribes - roughly 89 percent.”
Already the Office of Hawaiian Affairs is embarked on a process by which many Hawaiians will be excluded from the body politic of the Akaka Tribe. By requiring Hawaiians to sign up on the “Kau Inoa” roll—funded and ‘facilitated’ by OHA--those nearly 50% of Hawaiians who oppose the Akaka Bill tend to be excluded. Under the Akaka Bill the Department of the Interior is directed to assemble, "a roll of the adult members of the native Hawaiian community who elect to participate in the reorganization of the native Hawaiian governing entity." The Akaka Tribal electorate in turn determines the requirements for membership in the Akaka Tribe.
How many could be excluded? The Picayune Chukchansi tribe of California has expelled almost half of its 1,500 members. According to the Chronicle, “It's the biggest disenrollment of any tribe in California….The (tribal) council explains it as a readjustment of records to more accurately reflect who deserves to be a Picayune Chukchansi and an official member of the tribe.
"’Each tribe, under sovereignty, has the right to set its own membership, and that may be difficult at times, but it is necessary,’ said Chanel Wright, a spokeswoman for the tribe. ‘It's about doing what's best for the tribe.’
“But (77-year-old former tribal vice-chair Mary) Martinez and the 600 other outcasts say it's all about greed. They blame the Chukchansi Gold Resort and Casino, a gigantic building of neon, slot machines and card tables that for five years has reeled in millions of dollars for those lucky enough to call themselves tribal members.
“‘They kicked me to the curb so they could keep more money for themselves,’ Martinez said, tearing up as she visited the historic grinding rock, used by local Indians for millennia, near the tribe's rancheria. ‘Our ancestors would roll over in their graves if they knew.’"
But the tribal governments aren’t kicking everybody out. Because tribes have sovereignty and government-to-government relations with the US government, they are exempt from state law and many federal laws. One rare exception was the 2006 Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act which according to John Gramlich of Stateline.org, “would give state law enforcers unprecedented authority to monitor child molesters living on tribal land (in six states).”
See more here: http://www.stateline.org/live/details/story?contentId=309820
Gramlich reports in a May 15, 2008 article: “There are more than 636,000 registered sex offenders in the United States, but there are no reliable estimates for how many live on American Indian land, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The Indian Health Service, a federal agency that seeks to improve health in tribal territories, estimates that one in four girls and one in seven boys will fall victim to sex abuse on American Indian lands.”
So what is the response of tribal authorities?
According to Stateline, “Tribal officials are raising objections because they see the provision as an erosion of their sovereignty…. 75 Native American communities in the six states…last year petitioned the U.S. Justice Department (to opt out).” Fortunately for the pedophiles’ victims, an Act of Congress would be required.
Criminals wanted by off-reservation police become especially beholden to tribal authorities. Since tribal authorities could at any moment hand a criminal over to the State police, criminals are likely to do whatever the tribal authorities require of them.
That is just the type of electorate needed to ensure that the authorities get their way. Once enough law-abiding tribal members become ‘disenrolled’, the criminal element becomes an intimidating factor over the rest and the tribal authorities control the criminals.
Previous Post View Blog Posts
More and more people are beginning to publicly question the legitimacy of the Office Of Hawaiian Affair’s Kau Inoa campaign.
Hawaiians who may have been early signers as well as those who did not now question it’s real purpose versus what OHA has been claiming it’s for.
What’s telling of course is OHA’s inability to explain why Hawaiians should support Kau Inoa other than the single word “because…” in their marketing campaign.
And in spite of continued denials by OHA trustees that the list will never be used to promote the Akaka bill, everyone knows differently.
Even former OHA trustees have acknowledged as recently as this last week that signers names will in fact be used in the future by OHA to claim broad based support by Hawaiians for federal recognition.
All of this of course being funded with millions of Hawaiian beneficiary dollars that along with Akaka bill lobbying some in the know are now claiming approaches the 20 million dollar mark.
So what can you do? Is there a way to stop this madness?
Even if you’re one of those who signed on the Kau Inoa registry, but now regret doing so, it’s not too late.
Over the next few weeks on Free Hawai`i TV we’ll be giving you information as well as actions you can take to let OHA know you don’t support their plans.
Stay tuned to Free Hawai`i TV – there’s some amazing things to come soon to show you ways to say “No!” to both Kau Inoa and the Akaka bill.
And if you support our issues on the Free Hawai`i Broadcasting Network, please email this to a friend and see below how you can help us continue our work.
Mahalo to all who have let us know how much the late Kumu John Keola Lake meant to you and ways in which he touched your lives.
We received messages literally around the world from not only formers students, but also admirers of this amazing man and his life. We air our visit with him again this week.
Remember, Voices Of Truth now airs on Maui on a brand new day – Mondays at 6:30 PM on Akaku, channel 53.
And we have a brand new show this week from Hawai`i island we hope you’ll be equally inspired by as well on Voices Of Truth Voices Of Truth – One-On-One With Hawai`i’s Future.
MONDAY, May 26th At 7:00 PM & FRIDAY, May 30th At 5:30 PM – Hawai`i Island – Na Leo, Channel 53
THURSDAY, May 29th At 8:30 PM & FRIDAY, May 30th At 8:30 AM – Kaua`i – Ho`ike, Channel 52
“Keeping The Old Ways Alive – A Visit With Kumu John Keola Lake”
A true living legend, Kumu John Lake, who passed away recently, lived his heritage.
For more than four decades he shared his knowledge of Hawaiian language, hula and chant. And he did it with a geniality that drew people to him, that makes you recall the kupuna of old.
Because of his deep love for the culture, it came out in his personality, the way he taught and shared information. He made you want to be informed and live it that way yourself.
Why then is it so important to bring the knowledge of the past to the present? What messages do our ancestors have waiting for us to learn today?
Join us in our visit with Kumu Lake, an incomparable wellspring of knowledge who made a priceless impact on so many, as he shows us why the lessons of old are the keys to success for our Nation today.
MONDAY, MAY 26th At 6:30 PM – Maui – Akaku, Channel 53
“Eyes Of The Kupuna – A Visit With Aunty Pele Hanoa”
Imagine living next to a beautiful black sands beach, a place you’ve lived your entire life.
Nature is at your door. The ocean, the beach, endangered turtles use the area coming ashore to breed.
Now also imagine tour buses pulling up next to your home and brining one thousand tourists a day. That’s right, one thousand tourists every single day.
Tourists who harass the turtles, steal the sand for souvenirs, leave litter, and behave obnoxiously.
How would you like to put up with that every day of your life?
Aunty Pele does.
Born and raised in Punalu`u, she’s a prime example of old Hawai`i - staying on the land where you were born, because you were taught from an early age to malama the `aina – care for your ancestral land.
All around her things are changing – and not for the better. Multi-national corporations building developments on the shore and then stealing the water from agricultural lands for their projects.
Yet none of this stops her.
Be sure and catch our visit with Aunty Pele. You’ll be as inspired as we were by this remarkable kupuna who stops at nothing and whose message is one you’ll long remember – “We accepted everyone who came to Hawai`i. Now they should reciprocate by protecting and caring for what we have.”
SATURDAY, May 31st At 8:00 PM – O`ahu - `Olelo, Channel 53
“Kukulu Kumu Hana O Punalu`u – A Visit With Sheryl Waimakalani Iona”
“We don’t say no, we just say come.”
With those words Kukulu Kumu Hana O Punalu`u, a two week residential summer cultural immersion program for children of Ka`u district on Hawai`i island was born.
Kukulu kumu hana, which means to pool one’s thoughts to solve common problems, brings children down to the beach at Punalu`u to discover who they are and their connection to the `aina.
Started by the late Keola Hanoa, Sheryl Iona stepped in after her cousin’s passing. She had big shoes to fill, but for Sheryl, that was no problem at all.
She tells us, “We share with them who we see they’ll become. They always end up being it, having pride in themselves, their culture and their ancestors.”
Participants now come from all over the island, even foster children, to learn respect, values, commitments and to malama (care for) each other and the `aina.
With the original students now acting as teachers, the circle keep growing as participants learn the cultural importance of cleaning the land, planting, and rising early each morning, chanting to greet the sun.
You’ll be as moved as we were in our amazing visit with Sheryl as she shares with us the secret of her success - “We love these children no matter what and see them as they are. In the end, they always leave feeling good about themselves and their future.”
Voices Of Truth interviews those creating a better future for Hawai`i to discover what made them go from armchair observers to active participants in the hopes of inspiring viewers to do the same.
Please consider a donation today to help further our work. Every single penny counts.
You may donate via PayPal at VoicesOfTruthTV.com or by mail –
The Koani Foundation
PO Box 1878
Lihu`e, Kaua`i 96766
If you missed a show, want you see your favorites again or you don’t live in Hawai`i, here’s how to view our shows anytime – visit VoicesOfTruthTV.com and simply click on the episodes you wish to view.
And for news on issues that affect you, watch FreeHawaiiTV.com.
Free Hawaii Banner for Maoliworld
Myspace Free Hawaii Banner
CLICK ON BANNER FOR THEIR MAOLIworld PAGE