Aloha Kakou,

My name is Mahealani Wilson and I am a student at the University of Hawaii. I am writing to

you today in support of HB 1931 and its move to reducing the blood quantum for native
Hawaiians in order to receive Hawaiian homelands. The purposed blood quantum would be one
thirty-second instead of one quarter.
As our history has proved, the result of Hawaiians becoming less Hawaiian is due to
incidences that happened in the past out of our control. Because of these certain instances,
finding a person that is at least one quarter Hawaiian is hard. It is sad to think that even in
Hawaii, our home, it is hard to find a full Hawaiian. To support my position, The legislature
emphasizes that many descendants of lessees of Hawaiian homelands do not quality as
successors because interracial marriages and blended families produce descendants who are less
than twenty-five per cent Hawaiian. These disruptions create undue hardships of displacement
and interfere with families abilities to maintain the equity of their homes and businesses.
Not only would this bill be supporting kanaka less than one quarter Hawaiian, but it would also
allow the people that grew up on these lands to keep their houses that their ancestors were able to
get. The place you grew up in will always be home and it is heartbreaking to think that one day
strangers will be in a place that contains so much of your memories.
I come from a family that is composed of over fourteen different ethnicities, but I like to identify
myself as a native Hawaiian. I may not be much in the eyes of the government, but I am proud of
what my people have done and my culture, which is enough for me. I want to live here for the
rest of my life and I want my children to be able to grow up here. As the rate of living goes up in
Hawaii, my hopes of this happening are starting to feel more like dreams than a possible reality. I
dont like to think of any person less than another due to their race or ethnic percentage and I do
not think Hawaiians should be separated either.
Mahalo for your time,
Mahealani