Aloha mai kākou,
The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) is undergoing a transformative period marked by pivotal changes in governance, strategy, and symbolism. These signals of change reflect our commitment to the agency’s mission of advancing the wellbeing of Native Hawaiians while aligning our actions with the principles of self-governance and our cultural pride.
One of the most notable developments is the new leadership within the Board of Trustees and the establishment of two new standing trustee working committees: Budget and Finance, and Investments and Land Management. These committees are designed to enhance transparency, accountability, and efficacy in the stewardship of OHA’s financial and land-based assets.
The Budget and Finance Committee focuses on fiscal responsibility and on ensuring resources are allocated effectively to support Native Hawaiian communities. Meanwhile, the Investments and Land Management Committee aims to optimize the management of OHA’s lands and investments, ensuring proper stewardship and alignment with long-term sustainability and growth of the trust assets.
A simple, yet profoundly symbolic change has also taken place at OHA’s main office building. For the first time, the hae Hawaiʻi, the Hawaiian flag, now flies alone in front of the agency’s headquarters.
This action holds deep significance, reflecting OHA’s commitment to Native Hawaiian self-governance and our cultural identity. The decision to only fly the hae Hawaiʻi aligns visually and symbolically with the agency’s statutory mandate under Chapter 10H of the Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes, which emphasizes the recognition and self-governance of the Native Hawaiian people.
Specifically, [§10H-2] articulates the chapter’s goal to “provide for and to implement the recognition of the Native Hawaiian people by means and methods that will facilitate their self-governance…and by further promoting their culture, heritage, entitlements, health, education, and welfare.”
The presence of the hae Hawaiʻi as the sole flag at OHA’s headquarters serves as a powerful statement of ea (sovereignty). It’s a visual declaration of OHA’s role as a champion and advocate for Native Hawaiian rights, self-determination, and cultural identity and preservation. It reflects our stand against historical erasure and asserts the enduring presence of our people.
Every day, as I enter and exit Nā Lama Kukui, I find myself gazing up at our hae, proudly waving in the makani. It fills me with immense pride and serves as a daily reminder of the profound purpose we carry within these walls.
Our hae Hawaiʻi stands as a beacon of hope, signaling to all who pass by that committed, diligent work is underway inside; it marks our unwavering dedication to uplifting a beloved lāhui and advancing ever closer to the realization of ea.
Me ka haʻahaʻa,
Stacy Kealohalani Ferreira
Ka Pouhana | Chief Executive Officer
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