One of the fiercest critics of the effort to create a new federal relationship with a future Native Hawaiian government offered a gift of lei to the government officials who have been blasted in public hearings this week.

Maurice Rosete, 45, of Kaneohe has been one of the most outspoken critics this week amid a chorus of boos and jeers at federal hearings on whether to start a process that could lead to a formal U.S. relationship with a potential Native Hawaiian government.

In each of the first four sessions, Rosete criticized the very foundation of the Department of Interior’s proposal in his public testimony. But Thursday night, before the three-hour session even began at Makakilo Elementary School, Rosete instead presented ti leaf and white-and-yellow ginger lei to the representatives who are spending two weeks conducting hearings across the islands.

Rosete’s explanation for his gift of aloha was simple and pure.

"That’s the way Hawaiians are," Rosete told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. "We’re respectful people, and we’re proud of who we are."

Pressed to explain why he offered a gift to the same people he has criticized four days in a row, Rosete said, "I wanted to thank them. By being here, they’ve put us on the international stage. Hawaiians have not had a voice for a long time."

Beginning Friday on Lanai, the federal officials will hold hearings on each of the major neighbor islands.

Thursday night’s session was the last on Oahu. It began with heckling and jeering as Esther Kia’aina, senior adviser to the secretary of the Department of Interior, spoke about the history of the U.S. government’s involvement with Hawaii.

And moderator Dawn Chang drew mumbles and jeers when she asked people who have already spoken multiple times at the previous hearings to let others go first at Makakilo Elementary.

"Auntie Lilly" then drew widespread applause when she responded, "I am gracious enough to give up my time to the people of Kapolei."

When the floor was finally thrown open after 40 minutes, the first speaker, Lopaka Asam, started Thursday’s session by reflecting the sentiment of dozens of other speakers this week.

"The best thing you can do," Asam told the panel, "is get up and get out."

The session grew heated moments later when Napua Kahunahana of Ewa Beach refused to heed her allotted two minutes to speak.

When Kahunahana ran past her time, a state Department of Land and Natural Resources enforcement officer pulled the plug on the public address system.

Kahunahana continued to speak into a dead microphone before finally leaving — to both jeers and applause.