Six candidates vie for three OHA at-large seats

News admin October 15, 2026 0 Comments

Six candidates vie for three OHA at-large seats

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – It’s a crowded race for the three at-large trustee seats at the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

The candidates include well-known politicians and some newcomers, who’ll face off in a panel on Thursday.

There are six candidates vying for three at-large seats. Three are current trustees of the board.

Candidates make their case

Adrian Kealiʻi Akina teaches Hawaiian history at Kamehameha Schools Hawaiʻi campus.

“I feel like the more education that people have with housing, with these different crises, including things like self-determination and understanding that there is no active treaty between the United States of America and Hawaiʻi, it’s a gray matter,” Akina said.

Ikaika Anderson was a Honolulu City Council member for 12 years and served as chair.

“For every decision that came across my desk as a trustee, I would ask myself three questions. Is it responsible? Is it transparent? And will it improve outcomes of our people?” Anderson said.

Kanekoa Crabbe, an educator and community advocate, took aim at OHA’s current direction.

“The land that they have should be helping Hawaiians for housing, for food, for resources, for opportunities. I’ve just seen a giant disconnect with OHA and the people they’re supposed to serve,” Crabbe said.

Brickwood Galuteria was elected to OHA in 2022 and served as a state senator for a decade.

“So one of the reasons I really wanted to be at OHA is to provide opportunities for future generations to stay in Hawaiʻi, because our family is suffering from that,” Galuteria said. “The concrete action would be to take a look at existing programs right now, because I don’t agree with Kanekoa that he’s going to come and clean up the place.”

Current Vice Chair Keoni Souza was elected in 2022 and spoke about the military land leases.

“We’ve strengthened our relationship with Governor Green and his team. And I’d like to say and make the announcement today, we are moving forward together, and our people will have a seat at the table. And of course, like it was said earlier, we’re not renewing the leases as it exists currently, no dollar a year,” Souza said.

John Waiheʻe IV has been an at-large OHA trustee for 26 years and is the son of former Gov. John Waiheʻe.

“Because when I look at the landscape right now, with the attacks on DHHL and Kamehameha Schools, I fear that OHA’s next, and we need to be prepared to defend ourselves from those attacks,” Waiheʻe said.