Hawaiian Caucus Honors Ali’i Nui William Roback Jr.

The Hawaii State legislature will honor Maui’s William Roback, Jr. today, Tuesday, March 09, 2010, for his recent selection as Alii Nui for the Royal Order of Kamehameha I.  Roback was elected by members of the royal society to serve a three-year term as head, or Alii Nui of the organization.

William Roback Jr., Ali'i Nui Royal Order of Kamehameha I. File Photo by Wendy Osher, est. 6-11-2009 Kamehameha Day.

The back-to-back floor presentations are part of the celebration surrounding the 4^th Annual Legislative Hawaiian Caucus Day.

“On behalf of the Legislative Hawaiian Caucus, it is a great honor for me to recognize Alii Nui Roback’s many contributions and to join together in wishing that he and the Royal Order of Kamehameha I continue to persevere in their mission,” said Rep. Mele Carroll (District 13-Kahoolawe, Molokini, Lanai, Molokai, Keanae, Wailua, Nahiku, Hana), Legislative Hawaiian Caucus Chair.

Roback served as a police officer on Maui until 1990 and previously represented the Island of Maui as Moku ‘o Kahekili in the Royal Order of Kamehameha I.

“Brothers, I pledge that I will work very hard alongside you for the good of our Most Noble Order of Kamehameha I,” said Roback in an address to the Royal Order of Kamehameha I.  “I would like to see all of us continue to maintain the dignity as Hawaiian men ever moving forward,” he said.

The Royal Order of Kamehameha I was founded by Lot Kapuawa Kamehameha V in 1865 with the mission of binding together men of Hawaiian decent and good moral character for the purpose of carrying out benevolent work and preserving the Hawaiian culture.

In addition to Rep. Carroll (Chair), other members of the Hawaiian Legislative Caucus are: Sen. J. Kalani English (Vice-Chair), Sen. Suzanne Chun-Oakland, Sen. Brickwood Galuteria, Sen. Clayton Hee, Sen. Michelle Kidani, Sen. Norman Sakamoto, Rep. Karen Awana, Rep. Della Au Belatti, Rep. Lyla Berg, Rep. Joe Bertram, Rep. Tom Brower, Rep. Pono Chong, Rep. Cindy Evans, Rep. Lynn Finnegan, Rep. Fay Hanohano, Rep. Sharon Har, Rep. Chris Lee, Rep. Sylvia Luke, Rep. Joey Manahan, Rep. Angus McKelvey, Rep. Hermina Morita, Rep. Scott Nishimoto, Rep. Marcus Oshiro, Rep. Roland Sagum III, Rep. Scott Saiki, Rep. Maile Shimabukuro, Rep. James Kunane Tokioka, Rep. Gene Ward, and Rep. Jessica Wooley.

(Posted by Wendy Osher; Information courtesy Office of Rep. Mele Carroll)