State Rep. Faye Hanohano apologized Thursday and accepted full responsibility for racial and ethnic remarks she made earlier this week after being disappointed with artwork installed in her state Capitol office.
The Hawaii island Democrat also said her office has reached out to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for training to ensure that a similar incident does not happen again. She said she would try to rebuild and improve her relationship with the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, which oversees the "Art in Public Places" exhibit that drew her ire Monday.
Hanohano (D, Hawaiian Acres-Pahoa-Kalapana), who is Native Hawaiian, used the moment during the House floor session dedicated to the Hawaiian word of the day to choose "mihi" — the Hawaiian word for apology — and apologize to her colleagues in Hawaiian and English. The representative later issued a written statement.
"First and foremost, I’d like to express my sincere apology to any individuals or groups who may have been offended by my comments," she wrote. "Clearly comments that were intended to be an impassioned plea for increasing the visibility and support for Native Hawaiian artists were expressed in a manner that did not accurately reflect their intent, sentiment or the integrity of this office. I accept full responsibility for this unfortunate incident and, again, I apologize."
Eva Laird Smith, executive director of the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, called Hanohano’s statement "very, very decent."
Smith added, "We’re moving forward. We feel that she has made sufficient effort. And it’s good. That’s aloha. That’s aloha."
Exhibit specialists said Hanohano went on a tirade Monday after she was unhappy that none of the paintings being installed in her office were from Native Hawaiian artists. According to an account by one of the exhibit specialists, the representative said "any work done by haoles, Japs, paranges, pakes, you can just take away right now."
The meaning of "paranges" was not immediately clear, but is most likely a misheard interpretation of "palagi" (pronounced "palangi"), the Samoan word for someone who is white or European.
Hanohano said she stands firm in her position that people who serve in state leadership should be thoroughly educated on native culture. She said she hopes that what she described as an "unfortunate incident" would serve as a platform for improving dialogue and cross-cultural relationships between state departments.
