Native Hawaiian Data Book

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs’ (OHA) Native Hawaiian Data Book is an effort initiated in 1994. The data book is produced as a response to OHA’s fiduciary obligation as written in Hawai‘i Revised Statute (HRS), Chapter 10. The statutes calls for compiling “basic demographic data on native Hawaiians and Hawaiians” and to identify “the physical, sociological, psychological, and economic needs of native Hawaiians and Hawaiians.” [HRS, Chapter 10, § 10–6(1)].

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs’ goals, objectives, and policies were oulined in its Master Plan, at the time, OHA Master Plan (1982) (revised 1988). The plan specified that OHA “Collect, analyze, maintain, and provide extant and new data on Hawaiians so that in five years, OHA is recognized as a major repository for Hawaiian data.” [Goal 4, Objective 4.2, Policy 4.2.c].

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs’ implementing actions to functionally carry out the Master Plan was written in OHA Functional Plans (1991-1997). The plan required OHA. 1) “to serve as a resource for information about the Native Hawaiian population and programs serving Native Hawaiians” [Goal 2]. 2) “to maintain comprehensive, up to date data on the Native Hawaiian population ranging from demographic, social, and economic data …” [Goal 2, Objective 2.1], and 3) “to publish a biennial Native Hawaiian Data Book, …” [Goal 2, Objective 2.1, Implementing Action 2.1.1]

The data book is a work in continual progress. Currently, hard copy versions of the data book are no longer produced. The on-line version is constantly updated as new and updated data becomes available.