Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 10, Number 10, 1 October 1993 — Hui Naʻauao [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Hui Naʻauao

Sovereignty & Self-Determination A Community Education Project

Economics and eeonomie development in a sovereign land

The articles in this series are presented by Ka Wai Ola O OHA as a service to our readers. Hui Na'auao's goal is to present a broad spectrum of kanaka maoli viewpoints on important issues relating to self-determination and sovereignty. Opinions in this article are those of the author. For more information on Hui Na 'auao eall (808) 947-6322. by Charles M. Ka'ai'ai In developing the Hui Na'auao sovereignty education project, we face many obstacles in applying Western concepts to Hawaiian values. What do govemments do? What services and protections are to be provided by govemment? What are the limitations of a government's responsibility and power? The eeonomie system and eeonomie development plan may be a part of govemance. The "elements of sovereignty" detlne a particular sovereign and outline its responsibilities. For the United States, the Declaration of lndependence and the Constitution define its sovereignty and outline government responsibilities. The American Bill of Rights limits the power of ihe United States govemment by declaring certain rights of the people and declaring that all rights not covered in the Constitution remain as rights of

the people. Economics and eeonomie development, as elements of Hawaiian sovereignty and selfdetermination, raise some very interesting and important questions. Economics is the process for management and administration of resources for productivity. Eeonomie development is the management and administration

of resources for increased productivity. How would a sovereign nation be responsible for the eeonomie system and eeonomie development? An eeonomie system would be eontrolled by the power of the sovereign to enact laws and establish mles and regula-

tions that govem commerce, production. costs, prices and marketing. A sovereign nation may make grants and appropriations available to encourage development of certain resources, processes, products or services. A sovereign Hawaiian nation would be a re-establishment of what constituted the nation of Hawai'i before the illegal overthrow of the Kingdom. The basic elaim for Hawaiian sovereignty is that there existed a sovereign Hawaiian Kingdom that would still be in existence if not for illegal acts and aggression by the

United States, and that there still exists the basis for succession and continuation of that kingdom or nation. If it is not a continuanee of the nation of Hawai'i, ean it be called Hawaiian sovereignty? (Note that the constitution that govemed the Hawaiian Kingdom in 1 893 was the "bayonet" constitution, not a particularly good document on whieh to

re-establish a nation.) The ideal Hawaiian eeonomie system would be a continuation of the eeonomie system that was organie, or native to, the nation of Hawai'i. Problems arise when an eeonomie system is presented

that does not acknowledge traditional Hawaiian values. Only recently in Hawai'i's history has the Hawaiian economy become dependent upon tourism and the military. In 1893, Hawai'i was largely a plantation economy. Before the development of the plantation system, Hawai'i was a port of eall for trade between the East and West. The traditional eeonomie system for kānaka maoli was based upon the ahupua'a system. In the ahupua'a system, land was divided into economically self-sufficient units. In this system, the land

provided all that was required. The basic system for distribution of products and services was sharing or giving. There was no profit motive and no need to trade or barter. The well-being of all was placed above individual gain. For most kānaka maoli, eompromise and submission to a foreign system of eeonomie were made for the sake of survival. The foreign system placed the rights of the individual before all other rights. Individual achievement was the highest value. Hawai'i's entry into foreign trade had disastrous results. Sandalwood harvesting disrupted the kānaka maoli subsistence economy and effectively destroyed this national resource. Maka'āinana labored to harvest and transport this resource but the wealth remained with the ali'i. Meanwhile, the people neglected the ahupua'a and subsistence resources were depleted. The plantation economy required pnee control (gained through reciprocity treaties), eheap labor (through immigration), cost and resource control (gained through influence and manipulation of government), and resulted in large benefits accruing to a few individuals. Today, the visitor and military industries likewise are costly in terms of resource use and control. From what point in Hawaiian

history ean we extract a plan for an eeonomie system and eeonomie development? In what ways will we acknowledge Hawaiian cultural values in our eeonomie system? If we do not, what do we sacrifice? How mueh ean be sacrificed before it is no longer Hawaiian? If it is not Hawaiian, ean the elaim be made that this is a continuance of the sovereign Hawaiian nation? Do we create a system that aeknowledges, as its origins, something not Hawaiian? What customary and traditional values will be preserved, protected and supported? Obviously, a compromise solution will have to be made. The present system has not been advantageous for kānaka maoli. As a group, kānaka maoli remain at the bottom of the eeonomie ladder. The assimilation process has not provided the benefits that kānaka maoli enjoyed in a preoverthrow and pre-contact state. If the system does not benefit kānaka maoli by providing for basic needs, then it requires examination, analysis, testing and change. Charles M. Ka'ai'ai is a board member of Hui Na'auao, a homesteader and founding member of the Pahe' ehe' e Ridge Homestead Association, a businessman, and involved in subsistence aquaculture.

Charles Ka'ai'ai