{"id":2735,"date":"2014-12-04T15:10:49","date_gmt":"2014-12-04T15:10:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hawaiiankingdom.org\/blog\/?p=2735"},"modified":"2014-12-04T15:10:49","modified_gmt":"2014-12-04T15:10:49","slug":"oha-ka-wai-ola-civic-clubs-gather-for-convention","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hawaiiankingdom.org\/blog\/oha-ka-wai-ola-civic-clubs-gather-for-convention\/","title":{"rendered":"OHA Ka Wai Ola &#8211; Civic clubs gather for convention"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>The Office of Hawaiian Affairs&#8217; Ka Wai Ola newspaper had the following article in its\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.oha.org\/sites\/files\/KWO1214_WEB.pdf\">K\u0113k\u0113mapa (December) 2014<\/a> edition.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/hawaiiankingdom.org\/blog\/oha-ka-wai-ola-civic-clubs-gather-for-convention\/ka-wai-ola-1\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-2741\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-2741 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/hawaiiankingdom.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Ka-Wai-Ola-1.jpg\" alt=\"Ka Wai Ola 1\" width=\"515\" height=\"357\" \/><\/a>The continuity of the Hawaiian Kingdom as an independent and sovereign state became the official position of the <a href=\"http:\/\/aohcc.org\/\">Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs<\/a> during its 55th annual convention on Moku o Keawe (Hawai\u2018i Island) Oct. 26-Nov. 2.<\/p>\n<p>Adopted on a vote of 126-92, <a href=\"https:\/\/hawaiiankingdom.org\/blog\/association-of-hawaiian-civic-clubs-acknowledges-the-continued-existence-of-the-hawaiian-kingdom\/\">Resolution 14-28<\/a> was one of nearly 50 resolutions adopted by the grassroots organization, whose foundation was laid in 1918 by Prince Jonah Kuhi\u014d Kalaniana\u2018ole.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThese sort of acknowledgments, I think, really are good,\u201d said Soulee Stroud, the association\u2019s outgoing pelekikena (president), in a post convention interview.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/hawaiiankingdom.org\/blog\/oha-ka-wai-ola-civic-clubs-gather-for-convention\/ka-wai-ola-2\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-2742\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-2742\" src=\"https:\/\/hawaiiankingdom.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Ka-Wai-Ola-2.png\" alt=\"Ka Wai Ola 2\" width=\"228\" height=\"431\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hawaiiankingdom.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Ka-Wai-Ola-2.png 228w, https:\/\/hawaiiankingdom.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Ka-Wai-Ola-2-158x300.png 158w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 228px) 100vw, 228px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The idea that the Hawaiian Kingdom continues to exist has been gaining followers throughout the Hawaiian community as modern scholarship and education shed more light on the illegal overthrow, so-called \u201cannexation\u201d of Hawai\u2018i via joint resolution of Congress, and a statehood ballot that, according to modern scholars of international law, failed to conform to the letter of international law.<\/p>\n<p>Support for the resolution was immediately buoyed by a <a href=\"https:\/\/hawaiiankingdom.org\/blog\/royal-order-of-kamehameha-i-aligns-with-ahcc-resolution-14-28-acknowledging-continuity-of-the-hawaiian-kingdom\/\">letter of congratulations<\/a> from the Royal Order of Kamehameha I, for \u201ctaking the courageous step to publicly announce its position that the Kingdom of Hawai\u2018i continues to exist,\u201d a position the Royal Order of Kamehameha I proclaimed in 1995.<\/p>\n<p>The AHCC, an officially nonpartisan organization known historically for conservative leanings, has seen a shift in recent years with the adoption of a number of progressive resolutions, including a resolution supporting marriage equality in 2013.<\/p>\n<p>Among the resolutions passed at this year\u2019s convention, held at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort &amp; Spa, were:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>14-18 \u2013 Strongly supporting the establishment of statewide, regulated medical marijuana dispensaries<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>14-19 \u2013 Strongly urging the state to fully implement and fund the Justice Reinvestment Initiative before planning for prison expansion<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>14-35 \u2013 Urging all Hawaiian civic club members, OHA and the larger Hawai\u2018i community \u201cto honor and respect the strong political stance of our kupuna who signed their names\u201d on the petition opposing annexation of Hawai\u2018i to the U.S. in 1897.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Among the most debated resolutions adopted was 14-34, urging creation of a task force, including civic club members, to be appointed by the governor and Legislature, to study the relocation of the Spirit of Lili\u2018uokalani statue of Queen Lili\u2018uokalani, from its location between \u2018Iolani Palace and the state Capitol.<\/p>\n<p>The idea of moving the statue \u2013 interchanging its location with the Eternal Flame memorial on Beretania Street, was debated at the state Legislature in February as Senate Bill 2505 as part of a plan to turn the walkway behind the Capitol into Memorial Mall. The bill also called for a working group to create a monument to former Hawaiian rulers to be placed with the statue. The majority of written testimony, including that of the AHCC, was strongly opposed and the bill was deferred. A companion House Bill did not advance.<\/p>\n<p><strong>New officers<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In their biennial election of officers, delegates chose first vice president Annelle Amaral as their pelekikena.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/hawaiiankingdom.org\/blog\/oha-ka-wai-ola-civic-clubs-gather-for-convention\/ka-wai-ola-3\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-2743\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2743 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/hawaiiankingdom.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Ka-Wai-Ola-3.png\" alt=\"Ka Wai Ola 3\" width=\"546\" height=\"429\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Amaral, of the Waik\u012bk\u012b Hawaiian Civic Club, was elected by majority vote in a three-person race with Leimomi Khan, president of Kalihi- P\u0101lama HCC and a past president of the AHCC, and Skippy Ioane, president of Hui P\u016b Laka HCC.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBraddah Skippy\u201d Ioane, whose nomination, like Khan\u2019s, was made on the convention floor, energized the delegation with a populist speech calling for change delivered in pidgin.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI tell you guys straight up. Us as a people, we no more respect,\u201d said Ioane. \u201cWe gotta adjust da vehicle, because da Model T \u2026 cannot compete on da freeway. You know what I mean? You going get ticketed for impeding progress.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Hailama Farden, of Kuini Pi\u2018olani HCC, was elected first vice president; Daniel Naho\u2018opi\u2018i, of Maunalua Hawaiian Civic Club, and president of AHCC\u2019s O\u2018ahu Council, was elected second vice president; and Paul Richards, Hawaiian Civic Club of Waim\u0101nalo, was elected treasurer.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, the late H.K. Bruss Keppeler, a longtime member and past AHCC president, slack key master Rev. Dennis Kamakahi and master Hawaiian feather work artist Aunty Paulette Kahalepuna were among those lovingly remembered during a tearful Hali\u2018a Aloha ceremony as \u2018ohana and fellow club members brought offerings of oli and lei that were draped upon an \u2018\u014dhi\u2018a lehua tree.<\/p>\n<p>Activities during the week included trips to sacred sites, like Mauna Kea, the piko of the firstborn island of W\u00e4kea and Papa according to Hawaiian cosmology, and Ahu a \u2018Umi Heiau, the shrine of the island\u2019s 16th-century ruler \u2018Umi a Liloa.<\/p>\n<p>Stroud, whose membership spans more than two decades, says he\u2019ll remain involved in the AHCC as immediate past president and anticipates being involved in the nation-building process, possibly as a delegate to a Hawaiian convention in 2015.<\/p>\n<p>A longtime supporter of the civic clubs, OHA was a sponsor of AHCC\u2019s 55th annual convention. In the days leading up to the November general election, the convention also served as the site of a debate of OHA trustee candidates. Hosted by AHCC in partnership with OHA, the debate was streamed live on oha.org.<\/p>\n<p><em>Mary Alice Ka\u2018iulani Milham is a freelance kanaka writer. A former newspaper reporter and columnist from California\u2019s Central Coast, she lives in M\u0101kaha, O\u2018ahu.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Office of Hawaiian Affairs&#8217; Ka Wai Ola newspaper had the following article in its\u00a0K\u0113k\u0113mapa (December) 2014 edition. The continuity of the Hawaiian Kingdom as an independent and sovereign state became the official position of the Association of Hawaiian Civic &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/hawaiiankingdom.org\/blog\/oha-ka-wai-ola-civic-clubs-gather-for-convention\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2735","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-education","category-national"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p31YBQ-I7","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hawaiiankingdom.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2735","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hawaiiankingdom.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hawaiiankingdom.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hawaiiankingdom.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hawaiiankingdom.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2735"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/hawaiiankingdom.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2735\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2747,"href":"https:\/\/hawaiiankingdom.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2735\/revisions\/2747"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hawaiiankingdom.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2735"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hawaiiankingdom.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2735"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hawaiiankingdom.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2735"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}