Native Hawaiians

Hawai‘i law reaffirms and protects all rights of Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiians) traditionally exercised for subsistence, cultural, and religious purposes. A common example is the right of Native Hawaiians to gather traditional food sources and raw materials for cultural purposes. We will honor our duty to Native Hawaiians and their culture by making government take a more active role in protecting and defending these important rights.

In adopting our constitution, all the people of Hawai‘i wanted to ensure state and local governments would not authorize or fund any project that adversely affects Native Hawaiian cultural resources or practices. To achieve that goal, we must carefully consider possible impacts on cultural practices and resources before projects are allowed to go forward. We will:

• Educate state employees and decision-makers to raise awareness regarding what must be done to comply with existing laws.
• Review current decision-making processes and implement changes necessary to ensure compliance with existing mandates.
• Work with Native Hawaiian practitioners to secure needed information regarding cultural resources and practices in areas potentially affected by proposed projects.

Better-informed decisions will respect the will of the people to perpetuate the Hawaiian culture, while saving taxpayer dollars and limited resources now spent needlessly on litigation.

In 1993, the federal government recognized the illegality of the Overthrow. While we cannot turn the clock back to 1893, we also cannot turn our backs on trying to address this wrong. The people of Hawai‘i, Hawaiians and non-Hawaiians alike, understand the need for a kind of self-governance for Hawaiians and I am confident that, together, we can find the right solution.

Printable version