Video by Occupy Hilo, Voice of Stephanie Salazar

HILO, Hawaii – The Office of Hawaiian Affairs has begun a canvassing campaign along with a series of town hall-style meetings to engage Hawaiians in the nation-building process.

OHA says they are trying to ensure as many Native Hawaiians as possible are eligible to participate in the process, which requires that they first sign up onto the official Hawaiian roll.

The roll already has 120,000 names, and the deadline to sign up is May 1st.

Meanwhile, a timeline is being planned for those on the roll to elect delegates to an ‘aha where the direction of the nation-building endeavor will be determined.

OHA has already rolled out a media campaign to promote the initiative.

But on the ground, the whole idea is encountering some resistance from a Hawaiian community that has a variety of concerns with OHA’s current direction. The video above – shot by Occupy Hilo – shows the scene in Keaukaha this past week, where the Hawaiian community questioned the process.

OHA’s next meeting on the Big Island is tonight at Kahilu Townhall in Waimea starting at 6 p.m.

From OHA:

HONOLULU (April 4, 2014) – The Office of Hawaiian Affairs announced today plans to begin canvassing communities across the state and the U.S. Mainland and holding town hall-style meetings as part of a larger effort to ensure as many Native Hawaiians as possible are eligible to participate in the nation-building process.

OHA is recruiting volunteers to knock on doors and make phone calls in hopes of making more Hawaiians familiar with this new opportunity to better manage their future.

“Our focus is on helping encourage Native Hawaiians to participate in the process of building a strong nation,” said OHA Ka Pouhana (Chief Executive Officer) Kamana?opono Crabbe. “As a facilitator, our commitment to this process is to ensure that input is meaningful and that the outcome reflects the will of the Native Hawaiian people.”

Only Hawaiians on the official Hawaiian roll will be eligible to participate in the nation-building process, which OHA has agreed to help ensure runs smoothly and effectively.

Already, more than 120,000 names are on the official roll. May 1 is the deadline for others to sign up.

In addition to a canvassing campaign, a series of town hall-style meetings is planned statewide to help engage more Hawaiians in the nation-building process. Here are the dates and locations:

O’AHU
• 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 9, 2014 at Waimanalo Homestead Association Halau
• 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 15, 2014 at Ka Waihonao Ka Na‘auao Public Charter School in Wai‘anae
• 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 23, 2014 at Stevenson Middle School in Papakolea
• 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 30, 2014 at the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, Hale Pono`i in Kapolei

WEST HAWAI‘I ISLAND
• 6 p.m. Friday, April 11, 2014 at Kahilu Townhall, Waimea
• 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 16, 2014 at Maka‘eo Pavillion, Kailua-Kona
• 6 p.m. Monday, April 21, 2014 at Yano Hall, Kealakekua
• 6 p.m. Thursday, April 24, 2014 at Kohala Intergenerational Center

EAST HAWAI‘I ISLAND
• 6 p.m. Saturday, April 5, 2014 at Pahala Community Center
• 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 8, 2014 at Keaukaha Elementary Cafeteria
• 6 p.m., Tuesday, April 15, 2014 at Queen Liliu‘okalani Children’s Center

MAUI
• 1 p.m. & 5 p.m., Friday, April 11, 2014 at Waikapu Community Center
• 1 p.m. Saturday, April 12, 2014 at Helene Hall in Hana
• 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 15, 2014 at Kihei Community Center
• 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 16, 2014 at Lahaina Civic Center

LANA‘I
• 5 p.m. Thursday, April 17, 2014 at Hale Kupuna

KAUA‘I
• 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 15, 2014 at the Anahola Clubhouse
• 5 p.m. Thursday, April 17, 2014 at the Waimea Neighborhood Center.

MOLOKA‘I
• 10 a.m. Friday, April 18, 2014 at the Lanikeha Community Center.

For information about becoming a volunteer to help with the canvassing, call Kaimo Muhlestein at (808) 594-1811. Office of Hawaiian Affairs media release

Full video from Ocuupy Hilo: