Synopsis: The federal government needs to take responsibility regarding the Compact of Free Association. But in the meantime, Hawai’i should not avert its eyes elsewhere and should offer paid health care benefits to Micronesians living in Hawai’i.

Welina e nā makamaka heluhelu. Aia kahi pu’u nui i ke alo o ka po’e Maikonekia e noho ihola ma Hawai’i nei. ‘O ka mea e kau a’e nei ia po’o mana’o i luna, kohu mea lā, aia nō ke pāweo akula ka maka o ke aupuni pekelala. A e pāweo like ana paha nā maka o ke aupuni moku’āina o Hawai’i.

I ka lā mua o ka mahina ‘o ‘Apelila o kēia makahiki nei, ua kau a’e nei ka ‘ōlelo ho’oholo a ka ‘Aha Ho’okolokolo Ka’apuni Ho’opi’i Helu ‘Eiwa o ‘Amelika Hui Pū ‘Ia, ‘o ia ho’i, he hiki i ke aupuni moku’āina o Hawai’i ke ho’omau i ka hā’awi ‘ana aku i ka po’e Maikonekia i nā pono ola kino e emi iho i ko nā kānaka ‘ē a’e ma ka polokalamu Medicaid. Ua ho’opi’i ‘ia aku ia ‘ōlelo ho’oholo, a wahi a ka Loio Kuhina David Louie, ‘oiai e kali ‘ia iho ana ka ‘ōlelo ho’oholo o ia hihia, e ho’omau ‘ia aku ana ka lilo ‘ana aku o nā pono ola kino piha i ka po’e Maikonekia.

A i ka Pō’akolu nei, ua ka’i huaka’i akula nā kānaka Maikonekia mai Kalihi a i ka hale pekelala ma Honolulu no ka hō’eu’eu ‘ana i nā luna ‘aha’ōlelo lāhui o Hawai’i i ka ho’oikaika ‘ana i ka hana e loa’a hou ai ke kālā e pono ai ka ‘inikua ola kino piha.

‘O kahi mea minamina, nui ka hauwala’au a kānaka e ‘ōlelo ana, ‘a’ole no Hawai’i ke kuleana. No ke aupuni pekelala ia kuleana, ‘o ia ho’i na ke aupuni pekelala e ho’okō i kāna ‘ōlelo ‘aelike i hana ai me ke aupuni o Palau, ke aupuni o Mākala ‘Ailana a me nā ‘Āina Maikonekia Hui Pū ‘Ia. A he ‘oia’i’o nō ia, no ke aupuni pekelala nō ke kuleana. Akā, ‘a’ole nō ‘o ia e ho’okō nei i kona kuleana. A no laila, he aha ka hana a nā luna aupuni o Hawai’i nei? E pāweo like aku nā maka, e like me ko ‘Amelika? Inā e like ka hana, e pōpilikia loa auane’i ka po’e Maikonekia.

Ua nui nā kānaka Maikonekia i lo’ohia i nā ma’i like ‘ole ma muli o ‘Amelika Hui Pū ‘Ia. ‘O kekahi kumu, ‘o ia ka ho’opahū ‘ana aku o ‘Amelika i nā pōkā pahū nukelea ma nā mokupuni pālahalaha o Mākala ‘Ailana. A ma muli o kēlā, ua nui loa a’ela nā pilikia o ka po’e kānaka Maikonekia, ‘o ka ma’i ‘ana i ka mea nukelea, ka ne’e ‘ana aku i kekahi mokupuni pālahalaha a pēlā aku. A ua māhuahua a’e nā pilikia ma ia hope mai, a ‘o ke kumu ho’okahi, ‘o ia nō ‘o ‘Amelika Hui Pū ‘Ia. No laila, he mea mōakāka, no ‘Amelika Hui Pū ‘Ia ke kuleana, akā, i kēia wā e ho’okō ‘ole nei ‘o ia i ia kuleana, na Hawai’i nō e kōkua. A na nā luna ‘aha’ōlelo lāhui o Hawai’i a me nā luna aupuni a pau paha o Hawai’i e kūpa’a ma hope o nā kānaka Maikonekia i mea e hō’ike aku ai i nā luna o ‘Amelika Hui Pū ‘Ia i ka hewa o kā lākou mau hana.

E nānā pono kākou i ka mo’olelo o ka po’e kānaka Maikonekia, a e ‘ike auane’i kākou i ka ‘oia’i’o. No ‘Amelika Hui Pū ‘Ia ka hewa a nona ke kuleana e kōkua ai.

———

E ho’ouna ‘ia mai na ā leka iā māua, ‘o ia ho’i ‘o Laiana Wong a me Kekeha Solis ma ka pahu leka uila ma lalo nei:

>> kwong@hawaii.edu

>> rsolis@hawaii.edu

a i ‘ole ia, ma ke kelepona:

>> 956-2627 (Laiana)

>> 956-2627 (Kekeha)

This column is coordinated by Kawaihuelani Center for Hawaiian Language at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa.