While holding a vigil in front of the Federal Court House to support Kamehameha Schools’ admissions policy, students from a small charter school called Hālau Lōkahi were encouraged by an unfamiliar face.

“He thanked us for our support and hoped the grass wasn't getting us dirty,” student
Valerie Cababag said.

The students and teachers didn't realize who they were speaking with until the man had walked away. Those words of encouragement came from U.S. District Judge David Ezra. His opinion, and the opinions of Federal Judges Alan Kay and Susan Mollway who presided over other related cases, were some of the more important opinions the students of Hālau Lōkahi had hoped to sway during the over night vigil held on November 17 and 18.

The federal judge was set to make a decision on the Mohica-Cummings lawsuit sometime this month. However, on November 28 Kamehameha Schools’ Board of Trustees came to a consensus- the school would settle. Less than a week later Judge Ezra approved that settlement.

The small charter school of Hālau Lōkahi was one of the larger groups who attended the vigil, Kumu Hinaleimoana Wong said. Only a few stayed at the court house all night.

During those night time hours, Wong said, she and two other students would wake up every few hours and pray.

“We were out there because most schools just read about history; we wanted to be a part of it. We can say we were there fighting for what we believe in,” Cababag said.

Many of these students are too humble to articulate their role in this movement. But, they know what they did was important for the Hawaiian community and has far reaching ramifications for all Hawaiians.

“I felt important. Not everybody was there. It was just us,” student Pono Anderson said.

“Everything was on our shoulders,” Cababag added.

For these students one of the more exciting events during the two day vigil was the media frenzy that circled Hālau Lōkahi.

Several times the group was misrepresented in the local media as students of Kamehameha Schools, Wong said. That didn't seem to bother the students, she added.

The students made headlines during the vigil. They were shown on the front page of both major newspapers and on all four of the local television news stations.

“We made an impact,” student Kealaula McNeil said, “they (news media) showed us on every television channel. So by showing us, more people would come out because they would see the younger kids are making the decision to help the Hawaiian community.”

But, when several of the students arrived at the court house the next day, they were saddened to find just their small group and a handful of others had shown up.

“Other Hawaiians on the island should come and help. We’re not the only ones pushing the canoe,” said one disappointed student.

“I thought I would see more Kamehameha students,” Cababag said.

According to Kamehameha Schools representatives students and other supporters, on the advice of Kamehameha's legal team, did not attend this demonstration out of concern that the court might feel overwhelmed or intimidated.

For the people of Hālau Lōkahi who participated in the vigil this particular case was about more than the admission policies of Kamehameha Schools. If the Mohica-Cummings lawsuit had been successful all rights and incentives intended to advance native Hawaiians would be in jeopardy, Wong said.

“It wasn't only to fight for Kamehameha. If the door opens with Kamehameha, that would allow anybody else in the community to start taking shots at native Hawaiian entitlements,” Wong said.

Wong's students hope for a day when Hawaiians will be able to determine their own laws, laws that will affirm the values they live with now and are learning about at Hālau Lōkahi.

The charter school, based in Pālama settlement, receives some monetary assistance from Kamehameha Schools as well as the state. According to school administrator, Laara Allbrett, the school received over $100,000 from Kamehameha Schools through the Ho'olako Like program and more than $400,000 from the state this past year.