Agency used photo of late Native Hawaiian When the family of the late Jack Saffery saw his photograph in Hana Hou!, a magazine published for Hawaiian Airlines, they weren’t proud and delighted. Instead, they were angry and upset. The picture
Agency used photo of late Native Hawaiian
When the family of the late Jack Saffery saw his photograph in Hana Hou!, a magazine published for Hawaiian Airlines, they weren’t proud and delighted.
Instead, they were angry and upset.
The picture appeared in a political advertisement the Office of Hawaiian Affairs placed in the June/July edition of the magazine.
It will be pulled from future issues, an airline spokesman said.
The family said they didn’t give permission for the picture to be published in the in-flight magazine.
“OHA was extremely remiss in not following cultural protocol, which was to simply ask permission to use the photograph before using it,” said Ann Donovan, a friend of the family.
She said Saffery, who died in 1992, had “a pure and expressive Hawaiian face,” and to “see it used this way is an insult to him and his family.”
Saffery’s family members said they did not give permission to OHA to use the photo for an advertisement supporting federal recognition of Native Hawaiians.
The photo connects Saffery and his family with a political philosophy they don’t support, Donovan said, adding the incident undermines OHA efforts to build credibility among Hawaiians throughout the state.
“Hawaiians are being exploited by everyone. They don’t need to be exploited by their own,” she said.
Hawai’i’s congressional delegation has proposed federal legislation establishing a formal relationship between the United States and Native Hawaiians. The effort is at odds with sovereignty advocates who want to officially resurrect the Hawaiian kingdom.
If signed into law, the measure would essentially allow Hawaiians more control over land and resources, but under the auspices of the federal government.
The measure failed to pass in Congress last year due to lack of support. But efforts have been renewed to introduce new legislation this year for vote and approval.
The Saffery family has asked for a written apology from OHA and Hawaiian Airlines.
Ronald Mun, the administrator of OHA, has sent a formal apology to the family, according to Ryan Mielke, spokesman for OHA.
“We didn’t intend to offend anyone,” Mielke said. “We had no knowledge of (Saffery’s) passing. Upon checking our files for a permission statement, we didn’t have one on file, and ceased use of any and all images of the gentleman.”
OHA thought it was all right to use the photograph because it has been in the agency’s possession for many years, Mielke said.
Running the advertisement in Hana Hou didn’t amount to “any political statement of any kind on the part of Hawaiian Airlines,” said Keoni Wagner, senior director of corporate communications for the airline. “We look at Hana Hou as a forum for information and discussion of issues from a variety of viewpoints, and we tend not to discriminate.”
Wagner said he has been in consultation with the publisher of Hana Hou and “we didn’t find (the ad) offensive in any way.”
“While we reserve the right to refuse ads, this ad was not seen as offensive to anyone,” Wagner said. “We had no idea that the subject was deceased and that the photograph was offensive to anyone. We simply had no idea.”
But Hana Hou will “never run the ad again with that image,” he said.
Pacific Travel Logue has a contract with Hawaiian Air to produce Hana Hou. Representatives of the publication said the magazine had no intention of offending the Saffery family and worked with advertisement materials provided by OHA.
Use of Saffery’s photo caught family members by surprise. His widow, Jenny Saffery, said, “We never know this kind thing.”
The family brought the matter to the attention of state Sen. Jonathan Chun of Kaua’i for review.
Saffery was born Feb. 2, 1920, and died March 16, 1992, at the age of 72.
His daughter-in-law, Kamala Mersberg, said Saffery was a Hawaiians paniolo who worked at ranches on the north shore of the island, including the Princeville Ranch and another one owned by the Robinson family.
Saffery was loved by many because he was gracious and friendly, Mersberg said.
Donovan, a former candidate for Kaua’i County Council, said she did not take up the cause of the family for political gain.
“I am not trying to make trouble for OHA or Hawaiian Airlines. I just want to right a wrong,” she said.
Staff writer Lester Chang can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 225) and mailto:lchang@pulitzer.net
