Former Gov. John Waihee III received a standing ovation after his 2011 State of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs keynote address, in which he stressed self-governance.

"Together, we are a nation, reawakened, reunited and restored. Onipaa (stand firm)!" Waihee said Wednesday.

About 400 people attended the annual event at St. Andrew’s Cathedral in downtown Honolulu. Guests included Lt. Gov. Brian Schatz, University of Hawaii President M.R.C. Greenwood and state lawmakers. Entertainer Henry Kapono performed "Kalama Ku O Kamehameha" during the event. The deep, resonating voices of Palani Vaughan and Kanohowailuku Helm filled the church during their performances.

Waihee, Hawaii’s first Native Hawaiian governor, captivated attendees as he spoke about reorganization. "What we as a commission are committed to and why we’re committed to the work ahead is because we believe that we will lay the foundation on the restoration of Native Hawaiians’ self-determination and governance," said Waihee, chairman of the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission.

During the summer, Gov. Neil Abercrombie signed Act 195, which recognizes Native Hawaiians as the indigenous people of the Hawaiian Islands. In September, Abercrombie appointed the five-member commission to prepare and maintain a roll of qualified native Hawaiians to work toward federal recognition. The commission is expected to present a report to the governor and lawmakers before the start of the 2012 legislative session.

During her speech, OHA Chairwoman Colette Machado called for Native Hawaiians to work together. She shared the first two sentences of an inspirational quotation by Queen Liliuokalani, Hawaii’s last reigning monarch, with attendees: "I could not turn back the time for political change, but there is still time to save our heritage. You must remember never to cease to act because you fear you may fail."

Attendees applauded and cheered as Machado said, "Let us return our kingdom that our queen never had a chance to do."

A recent agreement between the state and OHA to settle past-due amounts owed to OHA from ceded land payments will be one of the agency’s main priorities in the upcoming year, officials said.

OHA administrator Clyde Namuo highlighted some of the agency’s achievements in the past 10 years that include the agency obtaining authority by the state to offer grants to the Native Hawaiian community. In the past nine years, the agency provided more than $100 million to the Hawaiian community.

On Dec. 30, Namuo will step down as administrator after 10 years. "It’s been a wonderful experience," he said. At the start of the year, he will serve as executive director of the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission.