Hawaiians need to just connect the dots

A Star-Advertiser editorial kindly acknowledged the 12 frustrating years of Hawaiian advocacy for nationhood embodied in the Akaka Bill, noting that the honorable Sen. Daniel K. Akaka is not likely to cap his long and distinguished career with the dream realized before he retires from Congress ("Even pared down, Akaka Bill fulfills goal of Hawaiians," Star-Advertiser, Our View, Sept. 25).

Add to those 12 years the previous decades of Hawaiian political activism seeking redress from the federal government for the now well-documented history of the near genocidal colonization of the Hawaiian people. The political and cultural surge springing from and emotionally framed by the movement to stop the bombing of Kahoolawe, and the Hokule‘a canoe voyaging project, sparked a remarkable linking of arms of Hawaiians across the state and an even more remarkable show of support from the broader community.

In the ensuing years, Hawaiians and their institutions, led by OHA, have been fiercely focused on achieving political sovereignty. It’s unfortunate that we seem not much closer to any form of political sovereignty in 2012 than we were in 1975.

We are now two generations removed from the passion of the ’70s, and I sense a growing emotional distance between Hawaiians and the new generations of Hawaii’s people who have little memory of those early years of the struggle.

As the emotional distance grows, I sense a subtle but consistent rise of impatience with Hawaiians as we continue to press for political redress. There continues an abiding tension between the Hawaiian community and Hawaii’s political and economic institu- tions which will continue to hover over us until we can finally redefine the political relationship between Hawaiians and the rest of Hawaii in ways that allow both to move forward with a common vision.

While I have no crystal ball, one thing I can be sure of is that Hawaiians continue to be the people of aloha. It’s in our DNA. And whatever that common future is, it will be inclusive, for most of us are of mixed ancestry and I cannot imagine that we would abandon our friends and neighbors who may not be Hawaiian, but with whom we share other ancestral ties.

To Hawaiians I would say that as we continue to struggle with the issue of political sovereignty, perhaps we should establish a second but equally intensive advocacy initiative, which I would define as economic sovereignty.

We need to seriously ramp up the dialogue among the leading Hawaiian institutions and see if we can’t find a way to shape a common vision of an economic future, a future that does not require a congressional act or asking anyone’s permission to achieve. The major players would be the Kamehameha Schools, Queen Lili‘uo-kalani Trust, the Queen’s companies, the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, and the state Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Their collective asset base consists of hundreds of thousands of acres of land in fee title and billions in liquid assets.

Consider the compelling picture that emerges and what might be possible if we tried to connect the dots and forge a common vision of a Hawaiian economic future — a virtual economic nation — one that serves Hawaiians in ways that would also contribute to lifting the economy of everyone in the entire state.

Why do we need to beg for the right to exercise nationhood? We are already a nation. All we have to do is to behave and act like one. The time has come. The opportunity is here. We have but to seize it.