The United States has a complex relationship with Indigenous groups, filled with violence and forced relocation. Like other Native groups, Hawaii stands as a unique historical monument in U.S. culture and history.

Although not often grouped with other indigenous groups of Native Americans, Native Hawaiians must receive similar recognition to secure federal and state support for their students.

Defining “Indigenous People”

The term “Native American” is seemingly straightforward. Merriam-Webster describes this group as “a member of any of the Indigenous peoples of the western hemisphere,” with a special focus on the United States’ territory. This term isn’t used for Native Hawaiians.

Feelings from Native Hawaiians towards this definition vary on multiple stages, from complete contention to overwhelming support. However, the consensus on the status of Native Hawaiians is that Hawaii was illegally annexed and that Native Hawaiians are now facing a significantly decreased population with disproportional impacts of poverty and homelessness. This is an issue that Native Americans are also known to face.

U.S. Congress Policy and Recognition

Although the debate of sovereignty is still ongoing within Native Hawaiian groups, the United States Congress voiced its support for providing aid to Native Hawaiian groups in 2018. Even under Trump’s administration, Congress has continued to pass over 150 laws, claiming they aid Native Hawaiians. However, in the same report, Congress said, “Data on Native American and Native Hawaiians … are often incomplete, inaccurate, old, nor not tracked by the federal government.”

Most alarmingly for students, only 10.6% of Native Hawaiians over the age of 25 have received at least an associate’s degree. Even Congress concurs that an educational disparity exists for Native Hawaiians.

While Native Hawaiians are divided on whether or not they wish to receive federal recognition to achieve Hawaiian sovereignty, I urge my fellow Native Hawaiian student body to recognize the benefits that come from associating with other Native people.

Besides unity that will stem from shared Native support, the financial aid that Native American students can obtain should be incredibly attractive to Native Hawaiians.

Native Hawaiians are a highly overlooked minority. It’s detrimental for Native Hawaiians to demand financial aid from a government that has failed its people.

The Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act of 2005 has been put into motion regarding federal recognition for Hawaii. It passed the U.S. House of Representatives, but it has since been stalled. Native Hawaiians wishing to support future student aid similar to other Native groups, as well as further steps towards sovereignty, must push support for this bill.

The U.S. government acknowledges its challenges in accurately recording and supporting Native Hawaiian groups, as well as in advancing legislation. States must also take action to support their Native students.

Lack of Support Across the Nation

On the West Coast, the University of California’s Native American Opportunity Plan will cover tuition for all students of any “federally recognized Native American, American Indian, and Alaska Native tribes.” Conveniently, Native Hawaiian groups are left out of those eligible because they don’t belong to a “federally recognized tribe,” even if they follow the other requirements. Similar policies rejecting Native Hawaiians for tuition coverage can be seen within scholarship programs at other distinguished universities like Harvard University and Stanford University.

While Native Hawaiian students do have support through organizations such as the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, financial aid comes from organizations outside of universities instead of the actual schools themselves. Additionally, Native Hawaiians are often simply grouped with Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders, making competition incredibly difficult for Native Hawaiian students.

At the University of Utah, a similar situation is sadly present.

Native Support at the U

At the U, Native American students can receive full tuition waivers by meeting certain requirements. These requirements list that the enrolled student must be a member of a federally recognized Utah tribe. While this practice is a step in the right direction, it still lacks the necessary support for other Native groups like Native Hawaiians.

The exclusionary focus on solely Utah tribes makes it difficult for the other 574 federally recognized tribes and Native Hawaiians, who receive no government-funded aid outside of the University of Hawaii.

Some may argue that other Native people can attend the schools from which their tribe originated for similar tuition waivers to the U. This is a counterintuitive approach. The U is ranked highly for its entrepreneurship program and exceptionally well for its game and simulation development program. Native students desiring to attend a university that best fits their needs should have equal access to attend compared to the funded Utah tribes.

The U’s values statement reads, “We engage local and global communities to promote education, health and quality of life … We zealously preserve academic freedom, promote equal opportunity … [and advance] international involvement.”

The U must be one of the brave few universities that stand for its Native Hawaiian student body by recognizing their discrepancies and uplifting the equal opportunity that it promotes.

As for fellow Native Hawaiian students and aspirants at the U and abroad, I urge you to press forward with your education, engaging with King Kamehameha I’s final words, “E ‘oni wale nō ‘oukou i ku‘u pono ‘a‘ole e pau.” (Continue the good that I have done for it is not yet finished).

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@avery_ichimura