New Office of Hawaiian Affairs Chair Kai Kahele stated many objectives to improve OHA’s representation for the Hawaiian people.
For example, he is proposing to re-open an OHA office in Washington, D.C., provide housing and serve other Native Hawaiian needs. Some of these are a pie in the sky. My suggestion is to start at the ground level.
OHA has its administrative offices in a small shopping area on Nimitz Highway, yet it owns a vast amount of ʻāina in Kakaʻako. There has been too much ʻōlelo about high-rise buildings being built. I suggest building a Hawaiian cultural center there in Kakaʻako. Other cultures have their respective community centers, like Filipino Community Center, Hawaiʻi Okinawa Center and Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaiʻi.
Where is the Hawaiian Cultural Center for all Kānaka to get together, meet, share their culture and plan for all of us?
– Miriam Kuʻulei Mata
Pearl City, Oʻahu