Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 20, Number 12, 1 December 2003 — Momentum builds for Na ʻŌiwi ʻŌlino student debate, essay and art contest [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Momentum builds for Na ʻŌiwi ʻŌlino student debate, essay and art contest

Ua ao Hawai'i ke 'ōlino nei mālamalama Hawai'i is enlightened, for the hrightness of day is here. By Naomi Sodetani Now in its second year, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs' Nā 'Ōiwi 'Ōlino student debate, essay and art contest has grown in both scope and participation. The eontest, created last fall as part of the Nā 'Ōiwi 'Ōlino (People Seeking Wisdom) native rights education campaign, seeks to increase awareness and discussion of issues impacting the well-being and future of the Hawaiian community among kamali'i, the younger generation. Aunty Mālia Craver, kupuna spiritual and cultural consultant for the Queen Lili'uokalani Children's Center,

named the OHA campaign with the hope and expectation "to have the children and the families be people with knowledge and wisdom in everything they do." Contest finalists will be honored at an awards ceremony held Dec. 6, 1 1 a.m.-2 p.m, at the EastWest Center's Keoni Auditorium on the campus of the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa. Debate teams faced off in three preliminary rounds held in conjunction with Kamehameha Schools' Annual Thanksgiving Invitational on Nov. 29. The two finalist teams will vie for the Nā 'Ōiwi 'Ōlino perpetual trophy at the Dec. 6 event. Debaters will argue both sides of the topic, "Should the United States government recognize Native Hawaiians as indigenous aboriginal Americans?" A total of 253 Hawaiian and English essay and art entries exploring the topic of "Mālama

Kekahi i Kekahi," — to take care of eaeh other, the 'āina and the environment — were received from ten Hawaiian charter and immersion schools. This year's theme builds on last year's topic of "He Hawai'i Au" (I am Hawaiian). The art contest has expanded this year to include photography as a separate category, in addition to poster art, with entries being judged according to five age divisions. The debate and awards ceremony will be taped for later broadcast. ■

^ e l ■ ■ _■_ Kamehameha student Anderson Dun debates at last year's Nō 'Ōiwi Ōlino event, as 'Aiea High participants Jaclyn ōadaoas and Aziz Matute look on.