KS Data Center: Definitions

Hawaiian Ancestry Verification Documentation Information

Hawaiian Ancestry
Kamehameha Schools does not have a minimum blood quantum for admissions purposes. Any level or amount of Hawaiian blood will be considered sufficient, if confirmed through appropriate documentation.

Ancestry Verification
This process attempts to establish that an individual is of Hawaiian or part-Hawaiian ancestry by certifying that submitted documentation provides sufficient evidence that at least one biological (natural birth) parent is of Hawaiian or part-Hawaiian ancestry. If any ancestor (parent, grandparent, etc.) is born after December 31, 1959, certification of documentation of a preceding ancestor to establish that he or she is of Hawaiian or part-Hawaiian ancestry is also required. Ho'oulu Hawaiian Data Center (Data Center) staff must certify the documentation of at least one of the applicant’s ancestors born before December 31, 1959. If the documentation of the parent or grandparent is not conclusive, Data Center staff will accept documentation of preceding ancestors until Hawaiian Ancestry can be certified.

Documentation
The primary document in the ancestry verification process is a Birth Certificate or Abstract from a recognized State Department of Health or agency that maintains these types of records. The birth certificate should be a certified copy of the original. If a primary document is not available (as confirmed with the submission of a “No Record of Certification” issued by the Department of Health) or is determined by Data Center staff to be inconclusive, the applicant may also submit secondary documents in the form of original Certificate(s) of Delayed Birth, original Certificate(s) of Hawaiian Birth, original Marriage Certificate(s), and original Death Certificate(s). In the case of adoptions, Letters of Adoption from the Family Court, State of Hawai'i confirming the child’s Hawaiian ancestry will be accepted.

Birth Certificates (Primary Documentation)
Birth Certificates for births that occurred within Hawai'i must be issued by the State of Hawai'i Department of Health. For births that occurred outside the State of Hawai'i but within the United States, certified copies of Birth Certificates must be issued by that State’s respective Department of Health. For births that occurred outside the United States, certified Birth Certificates should be obtained through the American Consulate of the country in which the child was born.

Delayed Birth Records (Secondary Documentation)
Two types of documents are considered Delayed Birth Records: Certificates of Hawaiian Birth (including all testimonies or notations) and Delayed Birth records. In many cases no other record of birth is available; hence the request for a "delayed" record is made. Witnesses must be provided who can swear under oath that the identity the applicant claims is true.

Marriage Certificates (Secondary Documentation)
In cases where an individual cannot provide a Birth Certificate or Delayed Birth record (as confirmed with the submission of a “No Record of Certification” issued by the Department of Health), a Marriage Certificate from the Department of Health or other duly authorized agency may be accepted to assist in determining Hawaiian ancestry. The applicant is expected to obtain a copy of the Marriage Certificate and provide this to Kamehameha Schools to support other documentation. Data Center staff will review the certificate and make a determination as to whether there is sufficient evidence of Hawaiian blood.

Death Certificates (Secondary Documentation)
The Death Certificate can enter as evidence of ethnic background. This record identifies only the ethnicity of the deceased.

Adoption
The Hawaiian ancestry of the applicant must be made through the bloodline of his or her biological (natural birth) parents only. Claims made through adoptive parents will not be accepted.

Hänai.
Since only the ancestry of the biological parent or parents is considered when determining Hawaiian ancestry of the applicant, claims of Hawaiian ancestry through hänai parent(s) will not be accepted.

Kamehameha Schools | 567 South King St, Suite 200 | Honolulu, Hawai`i 96813 | Fax. (808)541-5305 | Tel. (808) 523-6200