Page 5 - MidWeek Kauai - Jan 5, 2022

Nonprofit Law Firm Advocates For Native Hawaiian People
Director of litigation David Kauila Copper, 38, learned about NHLC through his brother who had interned with the organization.
She planned to return to school and focus on Hawaiian studies, until someone “re- minded me of how important it was for Hawaiians to suc- ceed in all areas of society, because that is how we can really move the needle for our people,” she recalls. “And with that, I pivoted and decided that law school would be a way to hone the skills I already had so I could contribute to improv- ing the conditions of Native Hawaiians.”
“Natural resources will no longer be threatened by com- mercial overuse or military activities,” Kauila says. “De- scendants will no longer have to worry that a development project will take precedent over ancestral burial sites. Ha- waiian homestead beneficia- ries will not have to wait de- cades to be awarded affordable housing. That is a just Hawai‘i.
“Even today, every time I reread his testimony (which I do from time to time), I am transported and feel like I can see with Uncle Henry’s eyes,” Obrey continues. “And I can’t help but think, ‘Yes, this is why we do what we do. This is who we serve and this is the ʻike we need to protect.’”
“Through him, I learned its decadeslong record of ef- fecting change through land- mark cases, and its focus on supporting the betterment of communities through the exercise of legally protect- ed traditional rights. After working at NHLC part-time as an intake officer, I knew immediately that I wanted to further NHLC’s work and mission as an attorney.”
For legal practice admin- istrator/staff attorney Ashley Kaho‘omino‘aka Kaiao Obrey, 38, working at NHLC was a “dream job” when she was in law school, and she jumped at the chance to apply when the opportunity arose.
The stated mission of NHLC is “to perpetuate, through legal and other advocacy, the rights, customs and practices that strengthen Native Hawaiian identity and culture.” The or- ganization works to achieve this goal through the integra- tion of “native values into the
For Obrey, there is one par- ticular moment that distills the reason why the NHLC team does its work.
Kauila points out that the navigation of the legal sys- tem is just one way to fulfill NHLC’s mission. He explains that the rights, customs and practices of the Native Ha- waiian community are based on being good stewards of the land and each other so that ev- eryone benefits.
traditional knowledge — of the relationship between fresh water while sitting at the table of the Board of Land and Nat- ural Resources board room, surrounded by attorneys and files and controversy,” she recalls. “But his voice — ev- erything he said I could picture as if I were standing with him in ʻEwa, looking mauka at the rain, watching the drops be-
come rivers and fresh water feeding the ocean.
JANUARY 5, 2022
KAUA‘I MIDWEEK 5
FROM PAGE 4
“As a homesteader, I per- sonally experienced the is- sues that many in the broader Native Hawaiian community face, and I can speak to the stability that a homestead is able to provide an ‘ohana for generations. Having ben- efited from the homestead program, I feel that it is now my kuleana to advocate for homestead families and to provide them with educa- tional resources that will help them retain their homestead leases,” he adds.
from successorship and lease cancellation to environmental concerns and internet access.
restriction of access at places such as Mauna Kea.
“The hope is that, if Native Hawaiian voices are consid- ered, our leaders would act in their best interests,” Kauila says. “However, we have seen time and time again that com- mercial interests are chosen over the best interests of Na- tive Hawaiians when the two conflict, and ‘consultation,’ which is often required for projects and actions affecting Native Hawaiians, is often treated as a box check instead of something more meaning- ful. It is clear that a seat at the table is not going to be enough to better the conditions of our communities; there needs to be a new table to accommodate various Native Hawaiian per- spectives that ultimately place more importance on the pres- ervation of cultural practices, values, resources and the com- munities that rely on them.”
planned on becoming an at- torney, but I did know that I wanted to make a difference in my community and be a part of something bigger than myself. Bearing witness to all that had changed in Hawai‘i in just my lifetime and how that change has impacted Hawai‘i’s resources and its people (spe- cifically Native Hawaiians), coming home from college with a journalism degree, I struggled with finding my role in all of this.”
practice of western law and jurisprudence.” Its work helps to ensure Native Hawaiians can navigate the legal system while maintaining their “in- tegrity and their values as an independent native people.”
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Kauila points to self-de- termination as one important issue facing the Native Ha- waiian community.
“For me, it’s about kuleana,” she states. “Growing up, I can honestly say that I had never
“I have a fond memory of my first contested case hear- ing, putting our kūpuna client on the witness stand for his testimony and listening to the way he shared his ʻike — his
Fill in the blank cells using numbers 1 to 9. Each number can appear only once in each row, column, and 3x3 block. Use logic and process of elimination to solve the puzzle. The difficulty level ranges from Bronze (easiest) to Silver to Gold (hardest). Answers are on page 7
RATING: BRONZE
“Many of our cases, past and present, focus on ensur- ing Hawaiian interests are meaningfully considered by government agencies and entities when decisions are made and laws are enacted,” he says.
He points to cases that NHLC has brought against the state that helped provide a voice for Native Hawaiians’ concerns with regards to the disturbance of burial sites and