Aloha awakea kakou! Anoai me ka welina a ke aloha pumehana. E hui kakou. E kukulu kumuhana. A e ho‘ohanohano ia Kamehameha ‘Ekahi, ka Mo‘i, ka Na‘i Aupuni. Annually we gather in the U.S. Capitol, thousands of miles from Hawaii to glorify, celebrate and express our aloha for Kamehameha the Great - the mo‘i who unified our islands. We honor him in our traditional ways-with lei, with hula, with mele and chants, and by coming together. On this occasion, it is fitting to honor the power of his vision and be mindful of our kuleana, our responsibility to continue this legacy.
Kamehameha united, what was separated. By bringing governance to his people, he transformed a fledgling nation into a unified society. The fabric of this society was vibrant and rich; as Kamehameha built upon the traditions of his kupuna, yet fostered relationships with other peoples and nations. Native Hawaiians were empowered and had a process to address their needs and perpetuate their traditions.
Navigating the unknown, Kamehameha led by example. In his lifetime, he recognized that some changes confronting Hawaii could NOT be reversed and sought to make things pono, by building the NEW upon the foundations of the old. The ali‘i that followed made their own contributions in continuing his legacy of addressing the needs of the people. This is a proud tradition that the State of Hawaii and our Congressional delegation continue, as we work to respect Native Hawaiians and appropriately address the unique needs of our state.
While the United States on the 100th Anniversary of the overthrow, took a significant step in committing itself to a process of reconciliation with Native Hawaiians, limited progress has been made. UNLIKE our nation's other indigenous people, the United States has NOT authorized a process to extend federal recognition to Native Hawaiians. It is for this reason that our Congressional delegation works to enact the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act, S. 310.
My bill would authorize a process to extend federal recognition to Hawaii's indigenous people for the purposes of a government-to-government relationship. A Native Hawaiian governing entity would be reorganized and allowed to enter into discussions with the state and federal governments. There are many checks and balances in this process and any agreements reached will require implementing legislation at the state and federal levels. Let me be clear. This bill will NOT allow for private lands or businesses to be taken and it will NOT lead to Hawaii seceding from the Union. Instead it will bring about meaningful interaction between Native Hawaiians and non-Native Hawaiians and help us to work toward a resolution of issues. This bill is consistent with federal law and the best traditions of our state to preserve the indigenous culture and traditions of Native Hawaiians.
It has been over 200 years since Kamehameha fulfilled a prophecy. Rather than ponder what the future will bring, let us be inspired by the foresight and deeds of Kamehameha to set the example - to lead by example. Because Kamehameha was dedicated to strengthening and improving himself physically, mentally, and spiritually; he served as an inspirational leader for his people. Kamehameha has set the course for us and influenced where we find ourselves today. We too can work on developing our capacities as Kamehameha did, so that we will be better able to contribute to Hawaii and our great nation. Like Kamehameha, let us prepare to embrace challenges as opportunities to excel in the face of adversity.
I remain committed to working with you to honor his legacy and ensure that Hawaii's indigenous people will continue to be properly recognized by this country. Aloha kakou. Me ka ho‘opomaika‘i a ke Akua. God bless you! God bless America.
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