OHA renewing efforts to boost participation in Hawaiian nation building

News Release from OHA

HONOLULU (Sept. 3, 2014) – In concert with the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission reopening its Official Roll, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs is renewing its focus on widening Native Hawaiian participation in the nation-building process.

A previous April 2014 drive added an estimated 10,000 participants who signed up for the Official Native Hawaiian Roll after its deadline was extended to May 1.

Among the contributing factors to this success were the 20 town hall-style meetings OHA held statewide as well as the volunteers it enlisted to canvass Hawaiian homestead communities.

To accommodate as many Native Hawaiians as possible, the Roll Commission will focus on online registrations, and the Hawaiian Registry Program will focus on in-person registrations.

OHA’s Hawaiian Registry Program provides ancestry verification required for applicants of OHA resources such as loans and college scholarships.

All names on OHA’s Hawaiian Registry Program are allowed by law to be added to the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission’s Official Roll of participants for the nation-building process.

The renewed efforts come less than a month after OHA trustees extended by six months the timetable for the nation-building process they previously committed to facilitate, allowing more time for registration and education to ensure meaningful Hawaiian community participation in the nation-building process.

Native Hawaiians interested in registering with the Hawaiian Registry Program can do so at any of OHA’s seven offices in Hawai‘i:

O'ahu
560 N. Nimitz Hwy., Suite 200
Honolulu, HI 96817
Phone: (808) 594-1888
Fax: (808) 594-1865

Kaua'i & Ni'ihau
4405 Kukui Grove St. Suite 103
Lihue, HI 96766
Phone: (808) 241-3390
Fax: (808) 241-3508

Maui
33 Lono Avenue, Suite 480
Kahului, HI 96732
Phone: (808) 873-3364
Fax: (808) 873-3361

Lāna'i
P.O. Box 631413
Lāna'i City, HI 96763
Phone: (808) 565-7930
Fax: (808) 565-7931

Moloka'i
P.O. Box 1717
Kaunakakai, HI 96748
Phone: (808) 560-3611
Fax: (808) 560-3968

West Hawai'i  (Kona)
75-5706 Hanama Pl., Ste. 107
Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
Phone: (808) 327-9525
Fax: (808) 327-9528

East Hawai'i (Hilo)
162-A Baker Avenue
Hilo, HI 96720-4869
Phone: (808) 920-6418
Fax: (808) 920-6421

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