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Home My WebLink AboutRES 130 Draft 01 2020-2022CP'J• 140 44 COUNTY OF HAWAII STATE OF HAWAII orfOf •M' RESOLUTION NO. X34 21 A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION OF THE HAWAIIAN HOMES COMMISSION ACT OF 1920, AS AMENDED. WHEREAS, born on March 26, 1871, in the Kingdom of Hawaii, Prince Jonah Kuhi6 Kalaniana`ole (Prince Kuhi6) became an orphan after his father died in 1878 and was adopted by King David Kalakaua, who named Kuhi6 a Prince with a royal proclamation; and WHEREAS, among his many accomplishments, Prince Kuhi6 studied at the Royal Agricultural College in England, helped to form the first Hawaiian Civic Club, and reestablished the Royal Order of Kamehameha I; and WHEREAS, Prince Kuhi6 was elected as a non-voting delegate from Hawaii to the United States House of Representatives in 1902, where he served until his untimely death in 1922 and where his major achievements included securing funds to build the Hilo wharf and establishing the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park; and WHEREAS, as a congressional delegate, Prince Kuhi6 was responsible for instituting the county system that remains in place today, shaping the foundation for the modern government structure in Hawaii; and WHEREAS, during his tenure as a statesman, Prince Kuhi6 grew increasingly concerned about the fate and living conditions of the native Hawaiian people following the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom Government in 1893; and WHEREAS, with Hawaiians having been identified as a landless and dying people as the result of disease and loss of lands, in a 1920 letter to United States senators, Prince Kuhi6 observed that "...after extensive investigation and survey on the part of various organizations organized to rehabilitate the Hawaiian race, it was found that the only method in which to rehabilitate the race was to place them back upon the soil"; and WHEREAS, on July 9, 1921, after a relentless effort spearheaded by Prince Kuhi6, United States President Warren G. Harding signed the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act of 1920, as amended (hereinafter "the Act"), which set aside approximately 200,000 acres of reserved land to establish a permanent homeland to return native Hawaiians to, while encouraging self-sufficient farming and ranching on leased parcels of land; and WHEREAS, pursuant to provisions of the Act, the State of Hawaii Department of Hawaiian Home Lands was established to provide for the rehabilitation of the native Hawaiian people through administering a government-sponsored homesteading program granting 99 -year leases for residential, agricultural or pastoral purposes at an annual rental of $1.00, helping to ensure the self-sufficiency of Hawaiians; and WHEREAS, the Act also included benefits to Hawaiians such as financial assistance programs through direct loans or loan guarantees for home construction, replacement, repair, development of farms and ranches, technical assistance and the operation of water systems; and WHEREAS, Congressional passage of the Hawaiian Home Lands Recovery Act in 1995, which provided, in part, for the settlement of claims against the federal government through exchange and transfer of lands after the United States' continued retention of properties initially designated as available Hawaiian homes lands, is a demonstration ofthe continued vigilance required to ensure the intentions ofthe Act are held true for future generations; and WHEREAS, Hawaiian home lands of East Hawaii Island are located in Discovery Harbour, Kama`oa, Kaumana, Keaukaha, Kurtistown, Maku`u, Pana`ewa, Pi`ihonua, Pu`u`eo, University Heights, and Waiakea; and WHEREAS, Hawaiian home lands of West Hawaii Island are located in Honokaia, Humu`ula, Kamoku, Kaniohale, Kawaihae, La`i `Opua, Lalamilo, Nienie, Pu`ukapu/Waimea, and Pu`upulehu; and WHEREAS, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands 2020 Annual Report indicated that there have been a total of 2,529 leases awarded to native Hawaiians in Hawaii County as of June 30, 2020, including 1,716 on residential lots and 506 on agriculture parcels, emphasizing the specific impacts of the Act to addressing housing and land use on our island; and WHEREAS, the State Senate adopted Senate Resolution 150 on March 31, 2021, and the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands Hawaiian Homes Commission adopted Resolution 303 at its March 16, 2020 meeting, both recognizing the upcoming anniversary of the signing of the Act; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAII that it recognizes the Centennial Celebration ofthe Hawaiian Homes Commission Act of 1920, as amended, to commence on July 9, 2021 and extend through July 8, 2022. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council shares with the Department of Hawaiian Homes Lands, as the organizer for the Commission's Centennial, the desire and dedication to engage and work with Hawaiian Home Lands beneficiaries and community members and to seek to participate in potential statewide events that both mark the Centennial and honor the contributions of Prince Kuhi6 in establishing the Act, including the Department's suggested partnering with established activities, such as Aloha Week Festivals, Annual Convention of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, Merrie Monarch Festival and King Kamehameha Celebration Parade. 2 BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the County Clerk shall transmit a copy of this Resolution to members ofthe Hawaii delegation to the United States Congress: Honorable Senator Brian Schatz, Honorable Senator Mazie K. Hirono, Honorable Representative Ed Case, and Honorable Representative Kaiali`i Kahele; members ofthe Alaska delegation to the United States Congress: Honorable Senator Lisa Murkowski, Honorable Senator Dan Sullivan, and Honorable Representative Don Young; Jonathan Nez, President, Navajo Nation; Honorable David Y. Ige, Governor, State of Hawaii; Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi, Hawaii State Senate President; Honorable Scott K. Saiki, Speaker of the State of Hawaii House of Representatives; William J. Aila, Jr., Chairperson, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands Hawaiian Homes Commission; the mayors of all counties in the State ofHawaii; Sir Alika Desha, Alii Nui ofthe Royal Order of Kamehameha I; Coline Aiu, Kuhina Nui of `Ahahui o na Mamakakaua; Waikululani Cockett, Iku Ha`i Nui of `Ahahui Hale `O Na Alii `O Hawaii; Pauline Namuo, Pelekikena of `Ahahui Ka`ahumanu; and Hailama Farden, President ofthe Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs. Dated at Kona , Hawai`i, this 16th day of June , 2021 . UCED BY: MEMBER, COUNTY OF COUNTY COUNCIL County ofHawaii Hilo, Hawaii I hereby certify that the foregoing RESOLUTION was by the vote indicated to the right hereofadopted by the COUNCIL ofthe County of Hawaii on June 16, 2021 ATTEST: 0 LERK IRPERSON & PRESIDING OFFICER ROLL CALL VOTE Reference: C-262/GOREDC-12 RESOLUTION NO. 130 21 AYES NOES ABS EX CHUNG X DAVID X INABA X KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER X KIERKIEWICZ X KIMBALL X LEE LOY X RICHARDS X VILLEGAS X 9 0 0 0 Reference: C-262/GOREDC-12 RESOLUTION NO. 130 21