Bringing you today’s stories on issues important to Native communities. NewsClips is a complimentary service of the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement. Please save the dates for our Fourth Annual Native Hawaiian Conference from August 30 - September 2 2005, at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel. For information and updates on our training workshops and events, please visit our Web site: www.hawaiiancouncil.org.

April 27, 2005

Housing bill plugs a few holes
Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to build 20 homes on Maui
Charter schools see major growth
DHHL’s Home Ownership Assistance Program Well-Received
Kaua‘i charter schools take quest for ‘funding equity' to State Building
Liu out?
Agency looking to fund projects worth $1.69 Mil
Hawaiian master’s degree approved after heated debate
Stream-flow study part of council budget plan
Stryker brigade wins court fight
Hula connection key to Sig Zane success
Piestewa home and Tuba City veterans center get 'Extreme Makeover'
Local theatre group makes strides and acts on social issues
Poi may help fight colon cancer

Posted: April 26, 2005

Housing bill plugs a few holes

by: Mark Fogarty / Today correspondent

WASHINGTON - American Indian housing's first bill has gone through the House of Representatives in the new Congress. And while the Native American Housing Enhancement Act (NAHEA) is not a blockbuster bill, it does plug a few holes housing leaders would rather see closed.

NAHEA, sponsored by Rep. Rick Renzi, R-Ariz., and Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, now goes to the Senate for action there. According to the National American Indian Housing Council (NAIHC), NAHEA (H.R. 797) has support from both sides of the aisle in the Senate as well as the relevant committee.

The legislation will allow Native youth to participate once again in YouthBuild, the federal life skills and home construction plan. It will also allow tribes continued access to federal housing block grants under the Native American Housing Assistance and Self Determination Act (NAHASDA) even if they have not spent all money from previous-year grants.

Finally, the bill also allows ''Indian preference'' status in relevant U.S. Department of Agriculture housing programs, allowing possible overlap with Housing and Urban Development housing programs, where it is already allowed.

The HUD 184 is the most successful Indian mortgage program; but Rural Housing Service section 502 and 504 loans, for new and rehabilitated housing, have been aggressively promoted in Indian country by the Department of Agriculture.

NAHASDA, passed in 1996, disconnected Native participation in YouthBuild; but Renzi argued that Native youth are more in need than most of the program's life-affirming provisions, citing the recent school shootings on the Red Lake reservation in Minnesota as evidence.

Renzi said the ''Indian preference'' status recognizes the sovereign status of Indian nations. In many federal programs, preferring one set of people over the rest is considered just as discriminatory as banning those people from participating.

Finally, Indian housing leaders have argued that the difficulty of Indian construction makes it more likely they cannot commit all their housing money each year, despite demonstrable need. However, they have been warned that the Office of Management and Budget now ''scores'' government grant money for effectiveness. For fiscal 2006, the Bush administration has recommended deep cuts in block grant money.

In other Native housing news, the Hawaiian counterpart to NAHASDA has helped fund construction of 45 housing units on Native Hawaiian homelands in Malu'ohai of the Villages of Kapolei.

Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant money was used on a 38-acre tract, as was technical assistance from USDA's Rural Development agency and NAHASDA. The participants contributed sweat equity and completed the project in 12 months, according to NAIHC.

In Arizona, the HUD 184 program recently saw a statewide territorial expansion, becoming the third state (after Florida and Wisconsin) to see HUD 184's scope grow beyond the reservations within the state.

The Pascua Yaqui tribe petitioned HUD to include the entire state of Arizona in its HUD 184 eligibility area. A source at HUD confirmed that this also applies to all other tribal members in the state.

The HUD 184, which guarantees 100 percent of any private lender's outlay, was designed for the nation's reservations and the Indian areas of Oklahoma and Alaska. These recent expansions are opening up urban areas like Phoenix, Chicago and Miami to the program. Any tribe may petition for territorial expansion - all it has to demonstrate is that it once had a presence in the area or that significant numbers of tribal members live there now.

The HUD 184 is the most successful Indian mortgage program, at $220 million in finance for 2,200 loans.

Outgoing HUD Public and Indian Housing Assistant Secretary Michael Liu told Indian Country Today that the states of California, Nevada and New Mexico are poised for HUD 184 expansion as well.

Finally, NAIHC is about to hold its first stand-alone seminar on homeownership and finance in Denver, May 10 - 12. It is part of a $100 million, 10-year project announced last year.

Topics will include planning, infrastructure, infrastructure, leveraging block grant funds, and credit issues and consumer readiness for ownership.

i-Newswire, 2005-04-23 -

Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to build 20 homes on Maui

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced today it would guarantee its first loan under a HUD mortgage loan guarantee program created specifically to provide more affordable housing and homeownership opportunities to Native Hawaiians.

"Just as I was proud to announce over 3 1/2 years ago the first $10 million grant under the Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant Program, I am pleased to see how the Office of Public and Indian Housing has facilitated another first for Native Hawaiians," said Assistant Secretary Michael Liu.

The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands ( DHHL ) will tap into the Native Hawaiian Loan Guarantee Program Section 184 ( A ) by requesting a $3,043,160 loan. The loan will be funded by the Native American Lending Division of Wells Fargo Home Mortgage to finance the construction of 20 single-family homes in Waiohuli, Maui.

"This is about providing opportunity," said Assistant Secretary Michael Liu. "An opportunity to provide more affordable housing and homeownership possibilities to Native Hawaiians."

The Section 184 ( A ) program was created in 2001. The loan guarantee program places an emphasis on institutional transactions with entities such as DHHL, to leverage millions of dollars of private mortgage resources to provide Native Hawaiians with greater access to mortgage loans for single-family homes located on Hawaiian Home Lands. The Section 184 ( A ) program currently has $157 million in loan guarantee authority.

DHHL has broken ground on the site for the homes and is preparing the land of construction. The dwellings will be available for occupancy in late 2005 by the Native Hawaiian families who purchase the homes.

HUD is the nation's housing agency committed to increasing homeownership, particularly among minorities; creating affordable housing opportunities for low-income Americans; and supporting the homeless, elderly, people with disabilities and people living with AIDS. The Department also promotes economic and community development as well as enforces the nation's fair housing laws. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and espanol.hud.gov.

Posted on: Friday, April 22, 2005

Charter schools see major growth

By Treena Shapiro
Advertiser Education Writer

At a time when overall public school enrollment in Hawai'i is declining, charter schools are expected to grow by nearly 50 percent over the next five years, according to a new report released by the Charter School Administrative Office.

That's on top of growth that has already seen the start-up and conversion schools add 2,000 students in four years, leaving most charters with waiting lists.

Florence Atkins, parent of a first-grader at Connections, a Big Island charter school, said it's easy to see why charters are gaining in popularity.

"It's the teacher-to-student ratio. It's the environment. You have teachers there that actually want to be there, that want to teach. It's a much more positive environment and much more challenging than any public school," she said.

But advocates say charter schools already don't receive the money they're due, and wonder how they would handle half again as many students without funding for facilities and a lifting of the cap on new charter schools.

Connections grew by 21 students this year but had to turn away many more applicants. The wait list is more than 100 students long.

Principal John Thatcher said the list is so long, "I could probably open another school. It's really sad. I really hate to turn people away, but we don't have the space."

Jim Shon, executive director of the Charter School Administrative Office, suggests the projected enrollment gains indicate growing credibility and popularity among the schools, which are part of the Department of Education, but have more flexibility in governance. The majority of the charter schools are now in their fourth year of operation.

The 27 charter schools have long argued they need more money, and advocates will rally at the state Capitol and other areas around the state at 11 a.m. today to send lawmakers the message that the schools deserve at least as much as the law dictates for charter schools.

Right now, both the House and Senate versions of the state budget are $7 million to $9 million short of what charter schools would receive according to the budget formula, Shon said.

"That's part of the concern at the rally," Shon said. Uncertainty about funding makes it difficult for charters to plan for next year, he said.

The charters also worry that any growth in enrollment will lead to significant budget deficits, since even if every charter school statewide increased by only four students, $650,000 would need to be added to the budget, Shon said.

Charters say there is clear demand for increased enrollment.

At Halau Ku Mana, a Hawaiian-based charter school in Manoa, community demand will lead to a small expansion next year, although not significant enough to compromise the integrity and values of the school.

Innovations, a Big Island charter school, will not be able to expand beyond 120 students to maintain its small class sizes, but has seen its wait list triple to 150 since last year.

"We have more people on our wait list than we have in our school," said principal Barbara Woerner.

With every student returning next year, the school has only 24 openings for fall, which to Woerner indicates a need to lift the cap for new charter schools.

"There's a real need, a real interest from parents who want something different," she said.

Kanani Leanio, a parent of two children, one each at Innovations and West Hawai'i Explorations Academy charter schools — both on the Big Island — said moving her kids there has made a world of difference.

Three years ago, her older son, then 8, didn't want to go to school anymore. "I needed to find another alternative to help him," she said.

Innovations, and now West Hawai'i Explorations Academy, have proved to be the right alternative. "Now I have to pay him to stay home from school when he's sick," she said.

Leanio thinks charters appeal to parents because many have small class sizes and more hands-on learning opportunities. The intimate learning environments allow students to discover their strengths and gain in confidence, she said.

Atkins, the Big Island parent whose daughter has been at Connections for two years, suggests that charter schools are growing in popularity by default. "There's a growing disgust with the public school system," she said.

The study released Wednesday shows that about 90 percent of charter school students would otherwise attend traditional DOE schools, in part because of financial constraints and on the Neighbor Islands because of a lack of private school alternatives.

Atkins said finances played a part in the decision to go charter, but added, "Even in private schools, we believe she would be losing out on a lot of social skills."

Reach Treena Shapiro at tshapiro@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8014.

Wednesday, April 26, 2005

DHHL’s Home Ownership Assistance Program Well-Received

Honolulu, Hawaii – Over 300 individuals and families attend Home Ownership Assistance Program (HOAP) workshops sponsored by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) and conducted by the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement (CNHA). Three workshops have been delivered during the month of April on the islands of Oahu, Molokai and Hawaii.

One of the sessions held on April 13, 2005, at the Makaha Resort Golf Club, attracted one of the largest gatherings this month, with participants from the Leeward side of Oahu. Hawaiian Homes Commission Chairman Micah Kane addressed the standing room only crowd about the developments coming to Oahu and the benefit in preparing financially to qualify for a home. Several local nonprofits were on hand to assist attendees in locating down payment programs and to sign up to work on credit scores and learn the process of obtaining a mortgage loan.

“One of the most common barriers to homeownership is qualifying for a home loan,” said Robin Danner, CNHA President. “DHHL has created a powerful program and opportunity for individuals and families to get assistance to do just that.”

The Home Ownership Assistance Program (HOAP) is an innovative program designed by DHHL to match beneficiaries with the thousands of housing opportunities that will be developed over the next five years. Through HOAP, Native Hawaiians will receive access to resources that will improve their understanding of what it takes to achieve homeownership, increase the likelihood of qualifying for a loan and access personalized assistance in repairing credit and reducing debt.

More of these FREE Orientation Sessions will be held statewide from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. on the following dates:

* May 11, 2005 – Kealakehe Elementary School, Hawaii

* May 18, 2005 – Kauai Veteran's Hall, Kauai

* June 1, 2005 – Lanai High School, Lanai

* July 6, 2005 – Lahaina Civic Center, Maui

* July 13, 2005 – Blanche Pope Elementary School in Waimanalo, Oahu

DHHL’s HOAP program is administered by the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement. To register today or for more information, contact the HOAP Call Center from Oahu at 791.3403, or toll-free from the neighbor islands at 866.897.4384. Inquiries can also be made to info@dhhlhoap.org.

CNHA is a national member-based non-profit dedicated to providing support services to agencies and organizations that focus or deliver programs in Native communities. For more information, contact CNHA at 808.521.5011 (toll free at 808.709.2642) or visit CNHA’s Web site at "http://www.hawaiiancouncil.org/"www.hawaiiancouncil.org.

Posted: Saturday, Apr 23, 2005 - 04:17:51 am HST

Kaua‘i charter schools take quest for ‘funding equity' to State Building

By LESTER CHANG - The Garden Island

Leaders and students from three Kaua‘i-based charter schools specializing in Hawaiian culture and language urged state officials yesterday to support legislation to give charter school students the same funding received by public school students

Ensuring "funding equity" will enable Hawaiian students to get the best education possible, charter school leaders said at a rally outside the State Building Friday.

Many of the students who would benefit from equal funding would be the children of Native Hawaiian residents from Ni‘ihau.

Haunani Seward, director of the Ke Kula Ni‘ihau O Kekaha, Hedy Sullivan, director of the Kula Aupuni Ni‘ihau (KANAKA) and Ipo Torio, executive director of the Kaunikapono Learning Center made their request to Tim Mira and Dera Caberto at Gov. Lingle's liaison office at the state Building.

Kamahalo Kauhane, school board president with the Kaunikapono Learning Center, accompanied Torio to the gathering.

Laurie Yoshida, Gov. Lingle's liaison on Kaua‘i, was on O‘ahu and was not available to receive the contingent.

Charter school leaders also presented to the state officials a letter from the Hawai‘i's Unified Public Charter Schools asking that the law related to charter schools be protected and stressing that Hawai‘i's charter schools be funded fairly.

The organization consists of 27 charter schools statewide, including the three Kaua‘i ones.

"We are not asking for more than what public schools receive," Torio said. "We are here to make a plea to our legislators and to the governor for equity in funding so that our charter schools can go on, not just through the end of the year, but next year, and the next decade."

Torio is the daughter of James Torio, who is working with others from Anahola on a 20acre project in Anahola that is attempting to enable Hawaiians to become economically self-sufficient. The federally-funded project is called "Project Faith."

Ipo Torio said much work has to be done to prepare Hawaiian children for the future, and the parity funding will help her school and other charter schools help Hawaiian children reach that goal.

Sullivan said "that whatever public schools are getting, we want that."

Both Sullivan and Seward estimated individual charter school students receive between $3,500 and $4,000 a year for their education while their public school counterparts receive about $9,000 a year.

Because the parity funding is not there for charter schools now, leaders and families connected with such schools have to apply for grants, secure help of foundations and hold fundraisers to raise funds to cover the day-to-day cost of charter schools, Torio said.

"There is not enough in the current allocation to effectively and efficiently operate a charter school," Torio said.

Yvonne Gonsalves, a teacher at Kula Aupuni Niihau, said the staging of rallies in front of the State Building on Kaua‘i, State Capitol on O‘ahu and of government buildings on various islands was "right."

"Money would help the charter schools a lot," she said. "I think the government should be fair and equal with charter schools."

Kawaiola Mawae Jassay, a 10th grade student with the Ke Kula Ni‘ihau O Kekaha, said participation in the school has enabled him to get a better handle on the use of the English language, an achievement that will enable him to lead a fuller life beyond Ni‘ihau.

"We love our charter school, because they (Seward, school instructors and supporters of the program) helped us a lot," he told Mira and Caberto.

In addressing the two state officials, Ka‘ehu Kanahele, an 11th grader at Ke Kula Ni‘ihau O Kekaha, said being with other Hawaiian children from other charter schools on Kaua‘i filled her with pride in being Hawaiian.

"We work together and we are family," she said in Hawaiian, although she speaks English fluently.

The Ke Kula Ni‘ihau O Kekaha and Kula Aupini Niihau (KANAKA) both serve students from Ni‘ihau, although their academic focus is different.

The Ke Kula Ni‘ihau O Kekaha serves students from the preschool level to the 12th grade, and currently has 45 students.

Preschool students are exclusively taught the Ni‘ihau Hawaiian dialect up to the third grade, and beginning in the fourth grade, they are taught English "in a formal way," Seward said.

Ni‘ihau is the last community in Hawai‘i where residents "speak the native language," she said. "We need to malama (to take care or preserve) this, this idea and ideal."

The school operates within the old Kekaha Armory Building.

On the other hand, the orientation of the Kula Aupuni Niihau (KANAKA) is that "we are bilingual, we introduce English from grades K (kindergarten) on," Sullivan said. Both types of school serve Native Hawaiian children and give their parents a choice in the type of education they want for their children, Sullivan said.

The school operates in rented space within a one-time plantation building in Kekaha.

In total, about 80 students from the three charter schools gathered for the rally.

To applause from other students and residents who attended the protest, students from each of the three charter schools performed hula and mele.

Lester Chang, staff writer, may be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 225) or lchang@pulitzer.

Indian Country Today April 08, 2005.

Liu out?

WASHINGTON - The Department of Housing and Urban Development may soon lose its assistant secretary for Public and Indian Housing (PIH), an activist who has achieved big increases in a federal guarantee program for American Indian mortgages.

Michael Liu was still listed as the head of PIH April 3 on HUD's Web site, although the National American Indian Housing Council (NAIHC) said in a news release that HUD had confirmed his imminent departure. He also was continuing to boost Native homeownership in what may be the last days of his tenure. On March 30, Liu was set to participate in an announcement of an expansion of the HUD 184 American Indian home loan guarantee program at the Pascua Yaqui tribe in Arizona.

The second terms of presidencies often see a large turnover in staff, either voluntary or otherwise, and Liu's departure would roughly coincide with them reported resignation of another top HUD official, housing commissioner John Weicher.

NAIHC saluted Liu, noting his efforts with the HUD 184 and Title VI loan guarantee programs, both of which he has ''vigorously promoted to spur homeownership in Indian country.''

On the negative side, NAIHC Executive Director Gary Gordon said, ''Liu has done little to reverse a tendency of the federal government toward unilateral decision-making.''

According to HUD's biography of Liu, he has doubled the volume in the HUD 184 program since he was named to head PIH in September 2001. More than $200 million in HUD 184s are now on the books. Liu, a former banker with Bank of America and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago, instituted bank-like mortgage quotas for each of HUD's six regional Indian offices. A Hawaiian who has some Native Hawaiian heritage, he previously served as an official in the U.S. Department of Agriculture. NAIHC also noted that Liu ''has visited more tribes than any predecessor'' and represented HUD at many NAIHC meetings.

Chester Carl, chairman of both NAIHC and the Navajo Housing Authority, said, ''Liu has also encouraged tribes to improve documentation of their housing activities in order to substantiate their funding requests, and has been relentless in his encouragement to tribes to leverage their basic housing monies.''

Liu's remarks to tribes were notable for their candor: he took care to announce the figures for the HUD 184 program and repeatedly warned tribes to commit their housing block grants quickly to projects or risk being hurt by federal Office of Management and Budget ''scoring'' of the federal grants' effectiveness. Tribes and HUD's Office of Native American Programs moved quickly to account for the status of money given them by the federal government. Liu also acted to increase the geographic scope of HUD 184 and its potential for higher volumes. Designed to stimulate heretofore non-existent mortgage lending in Indian areas, it has been limited to reservations or Indian areas in states without reservations, like Oklahoma and Alaska.

Now, however, tribes can petition HUD to increase the scope of the 184 to off-reservation areas where they have had a traditional presence or where they now have a significant number of tribal members. The Seminole Tribe of Florida became the first to take advantage of this provision.

Now, any Seminole tribal member living anywhere in Florida is eligible for a HUD 184, not just Seminoles on the tribe's multiple Florida reservations. The Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin also has expanded its HUD 184 area, and the announcement of a ''major expansion'' of the HUD 184 for the Pascua Yaqui is probably another.

Liu's apparent departure comes as the Bush administration moves to slash Native housing funding by 15 percent for fiscal year 2006. A more than $100 million proposed cut would come through a reduction in Native American Housing Assistance and Self Determination Act (NAHASDA) block grant funding and eliminating funding for the Indian Community Development Block Grant program.

Some of that money may be recouped during the budget process, in which Congress often returns money the administration wants cut. HUD's Rural Housing and Economic Development program, which usually grants 25 - 33 percent of its $25 million budget annually to Indian projects, has been zeroed out three times by the administration and restored each year by Congress.

The administration has reaffirmed its commitment to fund HUD 184 and the Title VI program, although one Native housing observer noted that reducing the NAHASDA block grant could also serve to hinder the growth of the Title VI program, since those loans are collateralized by NAHASDA money.

Hula connection key to Sig Zane success

Prabha Natarajan

Pacific Business News

Selling a $69 aloha shirt isn't always a profitable or easy business. Just ask Sig Zane.

Zane is a cultural practitioner garbed as an entrepreneur. He's found a way to combine his talent and culture as the foundation of his business -- Sig Zane Designs.

He's also found success in the ultra-competitive resort fashion business by staying away from the malls and department stores and doing little advertising. He only sells out of two small stores on the sleepy main streets of Hilo and Wailuku.

People seek out his designs, Zane says, because they feature the rich hues and lush plants native to Hawaii and significant to Hawaiians.

Zane describes his business as "a love affair," but like any kind of romance, it takes work.

"This is a love affair I created," he said. "It started as something for my love -- my girlfriend -- making pareau and one-of-a-kind gifts for her. Now I make what I can say with confidence is the real thing. We make these clothes by our own hands; it's about our land and all these layers of understanding are embedded into it. Each design is from here and represents the host culture."

Of other brands, he says, "it's lying to say they are Hawaiian shirts."

Since 1978, his customers have gone out of their way to find him. Sig Zane Designs finished 2004 with $1.8 million in sales, a 20 percent growth from the previous year, and 16 employees.

Now, Zane is charting a new course of expansion, employing a different set of strategies.

Strategies for bad times

To get the company on track took a long time.

For nearly 15 years, Zane made a small living out of his store in Hilo, selling the simply designed yet boldly patterned men's and women's clothing he created, along with Hawaiian crafts and artwork.

Several times a year, he closed the store to accompany his wife, Nalani Kanakaole, and her hula halau to dance locally, nationally and internationally.

Hula is Zane's connection to Hawaiian culture and his muse. It was taught to him by his wife's family.

This connection brought him name recognition as Auntie Edith Kanakaole gave him a chance to hold fashion shows as part of the Merrie Monarch Festival in Hilo.

Eventually he found that the time demanded by his professional dancing took a toll on his business, and seven years ago he gave up hula to concentrate on fixing Sig Zane Designs.

Looking around his store, he found a cluttered mess -- shirts and dresses mixed in with crafts and knickknacks from artists he was trying to help. He rearranged the store to display only his designs.

"Each square foot now could sell pieces that were 10 times the value of the Hawaiian stuff and my profit margin was 10 times greater," Zane said.

Zane also stopped selling on consignment at stores on Oahu and Molokai and decided he would do better by marketing them exclusively at his Hilo store.

By the late 1990s, Zane had developed name recognition and attracted repeat customers, many of them Honolulu residents who made a tradition of a Sig Zane shopping trip, especially during the Merrie Monarch.

This year, the festival week brought in $175,000 in sales, Zane said. "Christmas is in April."

Zane now caters to that market by timing the release of his new designs and collections to the annual festival week.

Zane is reinforcing the marketing of his creations as limited editions that may not ever be reissued. Last year, he added handbags to the collection. Zane's dream is to accessorize the collection with shoes, bags and even tableware.

"Not everyone can afford my stuff," Zane said. "But for the numbered few who can, I want to give them as much as possible."

The passion that the Japanese have for hula also has spilled over to Zane's business. He estimates that 40 percent of his customers come from Japan, 25 percent are from Hawaii, 25 percent are visitors from the Mainland and elsewhere and 10 percent order from his Web site.

Educating his employees

Zane ensures that his sales staff understands the significance of his designs so they can describe them to customers. All of his garments are made in Hawaii.

Each year, Zane closes the store and takes staffers on a combination vacation/educational trip to the Neighbor Islands.

For Christmas 2004, Zane rented a house at a Kona coffee plantation for two days and cooked every meal for his employees.

"My employees are my most valuable asset," he said. "These trips are a way to get their bodies rested and minds inspired."

Closing the Wailuku store

After much soul-searching and number-crunching, Zane decided last week on three crucial moves to expand Sig Zane Designs: move to a bigger location in downtown Hilo; move out of Wailuku into a more central location like Kahului; and do marketing blitzes of Japan rather than opening a store there.

Zane opened the Wailuku store five years ago, hoping for a replay of his success in Hilo. It never came.

"Our sales are dropping and we are desperately trying to maintain a store," he said. "How can I be financially responsible when for every hour we are open Hilo gives me 20 times what it costs to do business while Wailuku gives me three times the cost? I don't have enough of a profit margin to play."

Zane says he's looking for a store in Kahului and wants to stay away from the beachfront and resort stores in Wailea and Lahaina. He feels that this new Maui store could be its own destination.

"I love that I am totally removed from the crowd and not left to do what everyone else is doing," he said.

As for opening a store in Honolulu or Japan, Zane said at this point it's too much hassle.

"It would go against my lifestyle in Hilo," Zane said. "Now I get to surf every morning and maintain a regular schedule. I need to do that communion with nature. I depend on that for my inspiration."

Instead, Zane has taken a creative guerrilla approach to the Japanese market. He and employees will spend a total of three to four months a year in Japan promoting his merchandise and driving more customers to his Web site.

The trial run is next month when Zane will travel with some of his employees and his wife's halau on a two-week tour to Nagoya, Japan.

pnatarajan@bizjournals.com | 955-8041

Posted: April 22, 2005

Piestewa home and Tuba City veterans center get 'Extreme Makeover'

by: Brenda Norrell / Indian Country Today

TUBA CITY, Ariz. - Working around the clock, ''Extreme Makeover: Home Edition'' staff and volunteers built not only a new home in Flagstaff for the family of Army Spc. Lori Piestewa, but created the new Piestewa Native American Veterans Center in the Hopi veteran's hometown of Tuba City on the Navajo Nation.

When staff members of the popular ABC reality show knocked at the door of Percy and Terry Piestewa in Tuba City, the family became the first American Indian family selected by ''Extreme Makeover'' to receive a new home.

With the Piestewas given a family vacation, workers completed the new wind-powered home on schedule with cameras rolling. Slated for broadcast as the show's season finale on May 22, the extreme makeover was of epic proportions in north-central Arizona not only in scope, but in terms of building bridges and attracting volunteers.

The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians of California joined the Hopi Tribe, the Navajo Nation and thousands of volunteers and well-wishers to make dreams come true for Piestewa's parents and children, believed to be the first female American Indian killed in combat in a foreign war.

San Manuel Band Chairman Deron Marquez said of all the memorable moments that took place during the week of April 12 - 19, the most cherished was seeing the smiles on the faces of Piestewa's children - Brandon, 6, and Carla Lynn, 5 - when they heard the news.

''Seeing those children bouncing up and down with uncontrollable excitement and joy in their eyes was the start of a gorgeous week,'' Marquez, himself the father of two young children, told Indian Country Today.

Marquez said the highlights of the week included a visit from National Congress of American Indians President Tex Hall and a time of cross-cultural sharing. The San Manuel Bird Singers and Hopi Eagle Dancers performed together at the Hopi-owned Heritage Square in Flagstaff.

Then came the incredible: witnessing the home's construction in less than a week. The San Manuel Band donated $180,000 to purchase land for the new Piestewa home. Those five acres, northeast of Flagstaff on Highway 89 to Page, are beneath the sacred San Francisco Peaks. The Piestewas lived in a trailer home in Tuba City and chose Flagstaff for their new home.

Earlier, ''Extreme Makeover'' staff members came to the San Manuel Band for design and decorating ideas for the new Piestewa home, which combines the California tribe's designs with Hopi and other Native designs. San Manuel basketry designs and native rock are included.

Marquez said his tribe was notified only three weeks before the project began and tribal members were excited to help.

The project was quickly selected because of Piestewa's children. ''Just knowing that these gorgeous children will never have the opportunity to hold their mother's hand and look into their mother's smiles'' was the reason, said Marquez. He said grandparents raising grandchildren, and children losing their mothers, is a reality for much of Indian country.

San Manuel Band members were so moved to help that individuals purchased baskets, pottery and other gifts and came to Flagstaff for the home's April 19 unveiling.

''They are really excited about being here. This is about our tribal members trying to help other tribal members.''

''Extreme Makeover'' Producer Andy Lipson said Piestewa's heritage and culture led to the family's selection.

''Lori was proud of her Hopi heritage and taught all those who knew her about the great riches of her culture. We knew that to ignore that culture in the show would be a great disservice to the Piestewa family and to Lori's memory.

''Recognizing the importance of their heritage, ABC and the 'Extreme Makeover' designers are working with the three tribes to create a home that the family will love and that Lori would be proud of providing for her parents and children.''

Builders Shea Homes and Cavco Industries Inc. provided the home and veterans center. The Navajo Tribal Utility Authority, Arizona Public Service, Navajo Housing Authority and others joined in. ''Extreme Makeover'' team leader Ty Pennington and his cast, with the help of more than 300 Shea Homes employees and 1,000 trade partners, built the new home in Flagstaff.

Meanwhile, Navajo and Hopi officials held a blessing and commemoration to open the Piestewa Native American Veterans Center in Tuba City on April 18.

Navajo Council delegate Omer Begay Jr., representing Cornfields, Greasewood Springs, Klagetoh and Wide Ruins, said, ''It is our Native American service men and women who have the highest per capita percentage out of all ethnic groups who are diligently serving our country.''

Bert Selva, president and CEO of Shea Homes, which donated materials and labor for the new Piestewa home, saluted Lori Piestewa and her parents.

''People have different ways of responding to tragedy, and Lori Piestewa's parents should be held as an example of the right thing to do. They are raising their grandchildren and doing the best they can to give them a good life.

''Lori has personified the loss we all feel during wartime and from one family to another, we really wanted to help them gain a fresh start in a home that will enhance their lives,'' Selva said in a statement.

''She gave her life on March 23, 2003, when her unit was ambushed in Iraq, and has become the international symbol of motherly sacrifice.

''With everything the family has been through in the past two years, we wanted to give them a refuge, with a touch of luxury,'' said Selva. ''We hope to accomplish that, in just a few days.''

In Phoenix, Cavco donated a 2,350-square-foot building for the Piestewa Native American Veterans Center.

Cavco, which had only a two day' notice to accept the challenge, said the building is an engineering marvel and was designed in one day. It was built by a team of 400 dedicated employees - some working around the clock - in four days. The building is valued at more than $125,000.

Besides large open spaces, there's a spacious kitchen and dining room, and two consultation rooms for private meetings with veterans. There's handicapped access and special lighting on the stucco-finished building, which was designed to blend in with the Southwest.

Joe Stegmayer, Cavco president and CEO, said it was a way to recognize the importance of American Indians ''to our culture and their service to our country.''

''This facility will be a place for their veterans to call their own.''

April 15, 2005

Local theatre group makes strides and acts on social issues

by Kotine Schmidt

Samoa News Correspondent

Crossroads Theatre for Youth (CTY) continues to make significant strides in enabling young people to create, develop, devise, and perform a theatre production. But, it is more than that. Involvement with CTY also has enabled young people to develop their self-esteem and confidence, and to control their emotions while also understand serious issues that affect the local community.

"CTY is a great way for young individuals to express a complex and controversial subject and the context of the performance of our first original play "If Only, You Believed," which was renamed 'Silent Cries,' is an eye opener for a lot of people," said Li'a Seui, Executive Director of Intersections, the non-profit organization in Nu'uuli that administers the three-year grant from the Administration for Native Americans that funds CTY. "It has influenced perspectives of young people, they now realize their actions can affect others."

In taking the show on the road, Crossroads Theatre for Youth has reached out to the community in developing new partnerships with other not-for-profit community service organizations as well as social service agencies.

Last month, CTY conducted its first community workshop to increase community involvement at Pago Plaza in Pago Pago. Over 50 representatives including program managers and executive directors from Catholic Social Services, U'una'i Legal Services, and the Department of Human and Social Services participated in the workshop that was conducted by Mr. Daniel Kelin, Director of Drama Education of the Honolulu Theatre for Youth, and the acting group's Director of Theatre Training.

The faith-based community was also represented with pastors from Praise Chapel Christian Fellowship, Alofa Tunoa Pentecostal Church, Sure Word TV Ministry, as well as student representatives from Tafuna High School.

"Silent Cries" was performed at the workshop followed by an interactive hour-long discussion. The group interaction looked at the play from different perspectives.

The play, which runs for 25 minutes, depicts the gradual deterioration of interpersonal relationships within a family, and is further eroded by substance abuse, family violence, suicide and a total breakdown of any hope in seeing or hearing the reality of what the victims are experiencing.

The mothers taking part in the workshop discussion were challenged on how the children could be neglected at home while they spend time away from home. The discussion touched on ways to identify the symptoms of child sexual abuse and suicidal tendencies.

Two individuals in the discussion group disclosed that they were sexually abused as children and they recalled family members, like Luana's, the 15-year-old main character in the play- not believing their stories and the horror of being violated and the deep emotions unknown to them at the time that kept them from ever speaking about it.

"Silent Cries" has acted as a catalyst for many individuals who have in many ways blocked out their past childhood memories and experiences for reasons known only to them. The secrecy, shame and fear associated with being a victim are the lids that are loosened, and in some instances, lifted when individuals, as a group, experience this story.

Some see themselves in the 'victim'. Another experiences the pain of a mother, and still, there are others who struggle with loyalties and betrayal from siblings. And there are those who are willing to speak up and those that continue to suffer silently.

The successful workshop with the community included a challenge to those that attended to cease the passive role that most play by ignoring a child in need and take on a more proactive role to reach out and help American Samoa's youth and children by lending a hand.

Daniel Kelin wrapped up the workshop by giving the audience ways to work with children, the difference between drama and theatre, and how CTY and the process that has been engaged is vital to the educational and social development of the community.

At the end of the workshop, and with the feedback and input from the participants, the youth theatre group walked away with ideas to develop its third original play. The creation of the new play has been inspired by a variety of concerns raised and solutions offered by Tafuna High School student council member, Florence Tuitasi.

CTY is currently producing their second original play called 'Moira's Choice.' It is about a fragile, teenage girl with low self-esteem who sees herself within others. The world is depicted through Moira's perspective and her world crumbles because things aren't going her way. Moira's experiences are not dissimilar to other young girls of her age who are going through a process of establishing a degree of independence while exploring and preparing for the next phase of young adulthood. A time of exploration, a time of taking risks and often a time of great uncertainty. Look for 'Moira's Choice' to make an impact in the same way as 'Silent Cries.'

In its relatively short life, Crossroads Theatre for Youth has made tremendous strides. Those who have watched a CTY performance have come to value the local quality, flair and flavor of the performances and the diversity of local offerings. Success for the theatre group is grounded in the commitment of young Samoans to theatre, to the goals of the project, and their faith in God.

The support that Crossroads Theatre for Youth have received, and continues to receive, is not only for the love of the theatre experience that they find, but because the theatre group offers this experience in an environment that values people, enjoyment, collective effort, and excellence.

The goal for the theatre group is to provide the very best community theatre for youth to American Samoa. According to Ms. Fau Faga'ava, Project Manager of CTY, the response and support received from the public has been overwhelming.

"We're so honored and blessed in getting so much love from our community, and we know and believe this incredible support is partly due to our community being a fun loving and carefree people who strive for excellence," said Faga'ava, who up until December last year was a teacher at Alofau Elementary School. "And that is a value that is embodied in our goals in providing the very best theatre for the youth of American Samoa."

Crossroads Theatre for Youth embraces the input of the community. These are positive ways to reach goals, while sharing the values of hard work, cooperation and respect for others. It is energetic and youthful, and promises to be an enjoyable path for young people to release the burdens of social issues by reaching out through theatre.

For more information on Crossroads Theatre for Youth, please visit the CTY website at www.ctyweb.org or call Fau Faga'ava at 699-5313 or 699-5316.

Posted on: Monday, April 25, 2005

Poi may help fight colon cancer

By Jan TenBruggencate
Advertiser Science Writer

An intriguing new study suggests that poi may have significant anti-colon cancer and pro-immune system qualities — but before you go on an all-taro diet, you should know that the research is extremely preliminary and could be meaningless as a dietary guide.

The steamed and pounded corm of the taro plant, long a staple in the Hawaiian diet, has been likened by culinary detractors to library paste. But it is to Hawaiian palates what rice is to the Asian dinner plate and potatoes are to the Western diet — the essential starch.

In a laboratory experiment, an extract of poi, placed in a test tube with colon cancer cells from rats, inhibited the cancer cells from dividing. The extract, when combined with rat white blood cells, promoted their growth.

But it's way too early to assume that taro products would have similar effects in live rats and mice, much less in humans, said researcher Amy C. Brown, an assistant professor of nutrition at the University of Hawai'i's College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources.

"The next logical step would be to conduct studies in live animals," said biochemist Adrian Franke of the University of Hawai'i's Cancer Research Center of Hawai'i. Franke, who was not involved in the taro project, said lots of products have anti-cancer properties in the laboratory, and that alone doesn't mean much.

International cancer specialists warn against looking for the single dietary "magic bullet."

"It is overall dietary patterns, rather than individual chemical compounds found in food, that should probably be seen as the key factors affecting the risk of major chronic diseases such as cancer," says the comprehensive 1997 report, "Food, Nutrition and the Prevention of Cancer: A global perspective," prepared by the American Institute for Cancer Research and the World Cancer Research Fund.

Brown conducted the poi research with Martin Jadus and Jessie Liu, of the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Long Beach, Calif., and University of Hawai'i medical school student Jonathan E. Reitzenstein. Their report, "The Anti-Cancer Effects of Poi (Colocasia esculenta) on Colonic Adenocarcinoma Cells In Vitro," has been accepted for publication in the journal "Phytotherapy Research."

Previous studies have found that Native Hawaiians have lower rates of colon cancer than other ethnic groups, and Brown, who studies Hawaiian plants, said she thought poi might be involved. Researcher Jadus did the laboratory work that showed a poi extract seemed to cause cell death in rat colon cancer cells, but not in other cells.

It's not known what factor in the poi might be causing the effect, Brown said.

But a worrisome feature in the statistics is that while Hawaiians seem to get colon cancer less frequently, when they do get it, Hawaiian men tend to die of the cancer at higher rates than other ethnic groups. Brown said that may be linked to a failure by many people to get regular medical checkups.

"This is a cancer which people don't talk about," said cancer researcher Brian Issell, a physician and University of Hawai'i medicine professor. "You've got curative options if it's caught early enough."

He said that regular physical exams are critically important for anyone 50 or older, and also for younger people who have families with a history of colon cancer. Brown agreed.

"Whether poi helps in a test tube is interesting on a scientific basis, but the real story is that people need at age 50 and older to see a physician to be checked for colon cancer," Brown said.

Reach Jan TenBruggencate at jant@honoluluadvertiser.com or (808) 245-3074.

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