Comment

Comment by Kaohi Mendiola-Kaniaupio on December 21, 2011 at 9:10am

Aloha Ehu,

Mahalo for all your work.  I loath the 'bloodquantum and the roll' with a passion, however what everyone don't get this was discussed back in 1974 among women living on DHHL.  These are not new issues to us.  But, is any Hawaiian Nationals listening?  Only if it includes their necessity.

What most people don't get that--the NH women did organize and they did their research on both subjects in 1974.  They're decisions was to not break the bloodquantum which was NOT their initial intent.  But, after extensive research and risk assessments it was not plausible for native Hawaiian women to live on the land because they were not leasee's, it was only the male partners that could hold the lease.  So, the next best thing was to just ask for small money of the ceded land revenues to give children a better education as a means to leave the Hawaiian Homestead.  OHA and it's nationalist affiliates created the Office of Hawaiian Affairs--check out the who's who on the first list of OHA candidates!

As for the roll, that too was discussed in lengthy meetings and that was a good thing for many because that was the mechanical attachment after the Woman Suffrage vote (OHA), to include all both Native and general public.  For those of us, living on DHHL we said ney!  We just saw the general public benefiting and the less than 50% plus bloodquantum joining in with the general public as they have done all along the way.  Our native children sitting by the roadside, while non native Hawaiians play with their foreign descendants in Anglo-Saxon communities.  

I do not see the 'roll' as our doing--and the Danner's are a product of US bankers and politicians and their  general public friendly nationhood nationalist movement!   People's understanding of the 'roll' came too little too late.  We already have had evicts-and death occurrences on DHHl, the new homes have a revolving door built into their development contract agreements.  

I don't have the answers except to wait for the outcome of 'catch up' and besides the solution might just be beyond my time.  As my Na Kupuna saw back then in the early 70s and that was to give their children an education to live elsewhere, I believe is the solution.   Does that build a Free Hawaii? A Hawaiian Nation--keep the bloodqunatum under the Rehabilitation Act and befriend ones social groupies from the 78 con con!