U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka was honored by friends and colleagues on Wednesday as a gentleman who embodied the spirit of aloha even when the political climate in Washington, D.C., turned dark and unforgiving.

The 88-year-old Hawaii Democrat, who is retiring when his term ends in January, gave his farewell speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate on Wednesday. Back home in the islands, Akaka, who is of Native Hawaiian and Chinese ancestry, was recognized for giving Hawaiians a presence in Washington that reflected island culture and values.

"I think he will be remembered as somebody who personified Hawaiian values," said former Gov. John Waihee. "I think he will also be remembered for trying to secure federal recognition for Native Hawaiians."

Akaka’s most significant achievement was helping to obtain the Apology Resolution in 1993, which was signed by President Bill Clinton and acknowledged the role of the United States government in the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1893. The senator has described the resolution as part of the reconcilation between the United States and the Hawaiian people.

But Akaka’s attempt to gain federal recognition for Native Hawaiians as indigenous people with the right to self-government has sputtered in the Senate since 2000 despite being approved three times by the House. Conservative Senate Republicans have blocked the bill as race-based discrimination, and some Hawaiians say the legislation would undermine the sovereignty movement by preventing a truly independent Hawaiian government.

Akaka’s inability to advance the bill — known as the Akaka Bill — has provided fuel for critics who have praised the senator’s personal qualities but have doubted his influence as a legislator.

Waihee, the chairman of the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission identifying Hawaiians eligible to participate in a Hawaiian government, said Akaka would be credited for his effort when, and if, federal recognition ever becomes a reality. The latest version of the Akaka Bill would authorize the federal government to recognize the Hawaiians listed on the roll.

"As long as federal recognition remains a goal of Native Hawaiians, he will always be the person who laid the foundation for it," he said.

Esther Kiaaina, a former congressional aide to Akaka, said that while U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, the chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, has used his leverage over federal spending to benefit Hawaii, Akaka often worked through committee on the authorizing side, carving out resources to preserve national parks, help federal employees, and provide equity for veterans.

Kiaaina, a deputy director at the state Department of Land and Natural Resources who ran unsuccessfully for Congress this year, said Akaka used the aloha spirit to transcend politics much like his late brother, the Rev. Abraham Akaka, shared the aloha spirit through religion.

"The aloha spirit is in so many facets of Hawaii society, and he transcended it to the highest levels of our government," she said. "That’s something to be cherished because we don’t know if we’re going to get that again. He is the last of his generation."

Kamanao Crabbe, the chief executive officer at the state Office of Hawaiian Affairs, said Akaka left a path on Hawaiian issues for the next generation in Congress to follow.

"From my perspective, Sen. Akaka will be remembered as a trailblazer who, as an elder statesman, provided important validation for Hawaiian issues in the great halls of our federal government," Crabbe said in a statement. "He also embodied the spirit of aloha through his passionate approach, fierceness and persistence in putting issues important to the broader community front and center on the agendas of federal lawmakers.

"As for his contribution to the Hawaiian governance issue at the federal level, he’s plotted a path for the next generation of congressional leaders from our state."

State Senate Majority Leader Brickwood Galuteria (D, Kakaako-McCully-Waikiki) said he hopes Akaka will be a mentor to emerging Hawaiian leaders when he returns home. He does not believe Akaka will be judged harshly by history for not fulfilling the Akaka Bill, but instead will be admired for his resilience.

"I think it would be more symbolic that he was able to stand firm for his beliefs, and be a champion for Native Hawaiians, in such a harsh environment," he said.