Finally a member of the Hawaii Congressional delegation tells the truth about Hawaiian "recognition" and the Akaka Bill:

"Speaking to the House Natural Resources Committee, Hawaii Rep. Neil Abercrombie, also a Democrat, defined the bill this way: 'What we're trying to do in Hawaii is get the government out of the lives of native Hawaiians so that they can make their own decisions. The bottom line here is that this is a bill about the control of assets. This is about land, this is about money'..."
(Source: http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2007/7/26)

"Those of us who wanted to see this issue resolved put in the Akaka bill to enable and encourage the Hawaiians to organize themselves and come to the Interior Department (DOI) to be recognized as a governing entity and take control of the land and money assets that now exist. We're talking about 2.2 million acres of land. And the capital now residing with the OHA is between $350 and $500 million, depending on the stock market, with an income stream from leases on ceded land and so on of tens of millions of dollars. You're talking serious money already in the bank, and millions of dollars coming in every year."
(Interview with Neil Abercrombie, Indian Country Today, March 22, 2005)

Yes, folks, the bottom line in the Akaka Bill is not Hawaiian culture, it's about 2.2 million acres of land and hundreds of millions in cash. So sayeth Congressman Abercrombie.