Illegal Occupation of Hawaiʻi

        If I never attended University of Hawaii Maui College, I never would have known about the United States’ illegal occupation of Hawaiʻi. I learned all about the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom and then the prolonged stay here by the US in Kumu Kaleikoa Kaʻeos Hwst 107 class. Here’s a little summary of the events which led to the predicament: In 1893, US personnel conspired with a small group of individuals to overthrow the constitutional government of the Hawaiian Kingdom and prepared to provide for annexation of the Hawaiian Islands to the United States of America, under a treaty of annexation submitted to the United States Senate, on February 15, 1893. Newly elected U.S. President Grover Cleveland, having received notice that the cause of the so-called revolution derived from illegal intervention by U.S. diplomatic and military personnel, withdrew the treaty of annexation and appointed James H. Blount, as Special Commissioner, to investigate the terms of the so-called revolution and to report his findings. The report concluded that the US legation assigned to the Hawaiian Kingdom, together with United States Marines and Naval personnel, were directly responsible for the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom government. The report details the responsibility of the US government in violating laws and the sovereignty of the Hawaiian Kingdom, but the United States Government fails to follow through in its commitment to assist in reinstating the constitutional government of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Instead, the US allows five years to lapse and a new United States President, William McKinley, enters into a second treaty of annexation with the same individuals who participated in the illegal overthrow with the U.S. legation in 1893 on June 16, 1897, but the treaty was unable to be ratified by the United States Senate due to protests that were submitted by Her Majesty Queen Lili‘uokalani and signature petitions against annexation by 21k+ native Hawaiians. As a result of the Spanish-American War, the United States opted to unilaterally annex the Hawaiian Islands by enacting a congressional joint resolution on July 7, 1898, in order to utilize the Hawaiian Islands as a military base to fight the Spanish in Guam and the Philippines. The United States has remained in the Hawaiian Islands and the Hawaiian Kingdom has since been under prolonged occupation to the present, but its continuity as an independent State remains intact under international law.

        I was so shocked at how this treachery has been swept under the rug for so long, that most Hawaiians don’t even know about what happened and what IS happening now. Hardly anybody knows about this! Everyone has accepted the fact that Hawaiʻi is “the fiftieth state” without even looking at the facts in history. I feel that this is unacceptable and that the Hawaiian Kingdom was treated VERY unfairly... but what do we do now? It’s been so long since the illegal overthrow happened, what can we do now that will make any difference? Well, I’m not positive about what we can do, but if I do find out some way that would contribute to getting Hawaiʻi its independent distinction back again, I would help with all that I can. Cause what happened was not right, and I feel that there is a lot of making up to do for the United States. Ua mau ke ea o ka ʻāina I ka pono o Hawaiʻi!

   "A lie told often enough becomes the truth."

                               - Vladimir Lenin

References:

http://www.hawaiiankingdom.org/us-occupation.shtml

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nqDkCzwXeY&feature=related

http://freehawaii.info/

The sacred island of Lahaina: Mokuʻula

Mokuʻula was the island of royalty in Hawaiʻi many years ago. Archaeology confirmed the existence of Mokuʻula, the royal residences, mausoleum, and a large spring that fed natural wetland containing taro patches and fishponds. Carbon dating has revealed some of the earliest evidence of human habitation in Mokuʻula and I believe much more is yet to be discovered. Many environmental and spiritual influences as well as historical events have made Mokuʻula a sacred symbol and religious center. Wai (water) gives life to all existence and implies life, health and is considered sacred by Hawaiians. Areas that contain an abundance of water are considered ʻāina that will bring great wealth and are prized above all others. Consequently, the land which contained the ponds of Mokuhinia and the sacred island of Mokuʻula became the chosen home for nā Aliʻi. While the new Christian churches were being built to replace heiau, Mokuʻula continued to be a traditional sanctuary for the King. As the private residence of Kamehameha III and his court, and a capitol for the Hawaiian Kingdom, the kapu was held at Mokuʻula. But by 1845, the capitol at Lahaina was moved to Honolulu due to all the pressures from missionaries and foreign businessmen. And by 1860, the waters of Mokuʻula were already declining because of all the diversion of fresh water to all the developing sugar cane plantations. It was made into Malu ʻUlu O Lele park; there was a baseball field, basketball courts, jungle jim, and bathrooms for the public. Despite all the efforts of restoration, it sadly now looks like an old broken down ballpark. When Mike talked about the process of making their final presentation (which was on Mokuʻula), he said that he could smell the stench of human wastes from a distance away, up-wind, from the leaking pipes of the bathroom there. I was so disgusted; to hear that a once powerful and sacred place to Hawaiʻi is now being disrespected and tainted right before our eyes. What happened to respecting ones’ culture? What happened to the common courtesy shown to places of great significance to a certain people? I’m so saddened by the lack of respect shown to the Hawaiians’ history and former places of royalty. To the Hawaiians, this place still has GREAT significance and definitely should still be considered a sacred place to everyone. Although there are no more waters in Mokuʻula, I believe that the return of water to that area is very possible. I think that full restoration of the original state of Mokuʻula and Mokuhinia is reachable and actually will be reached in the very near future. Of course, every little contribution of time or money helps and would hopefully speed up the process. Now that I know about this issue, I definitely will be more involved in the efforts to restore this historical site. The heart of Lahaina remains at Mokuʻula, the spiritual and political power center of the Hawaiian Kingdom. “E hoʻi ka nani i Mokuʻula!” (-Tonis group)

References:

http://www.mokuula.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4j-ZVpz9Co&feature=share

http://www.mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/552456/-Spoonful-by-spoonful---Moku-ula-slowly-returns.html

Back to the Roots

Today the class Hawaiian Studies 290V: Maui Aloha ‘Āina presented all of our final presentations. They were all videos that had to be put up on youtube and they were all wonderful!! I really liked one of them because in the video, there was a part where there were keiki speaking in ‘ōlelo hawai‘i, saying how we should mālama ‘āina. To see children probably not even four years old yet speaking Hawaiian fluently made me so proud and happy. Though, at the same time kind of sad because; here these small kids are speaking the language when most of us adults that lived in Hawai‘i our whole lives cannot keep a conversation going. I wish there were more ways that the native Hawaiian people could go and learn how to speak without having to have to pay so much for tuition at colleges. Cause I know so much of my family that really can’t afford to pay the tuition and all the fees that colleges charge. My family doesn’t know how to apply for all the FAFSA, financial aid, and loans stuffs. Most of them are all local average Hawaiians that are akamai loa when it comes to the ‘āina and working hard and ‘ohana, but for filling out all those piles of paperwork; just no can! And I think they really shouldn’t have to. These are the Hawaiians’ land that we live on and that the schools are on, why should anyone conform to the westerners’ ways of doing things? Why can’t Hawaiians learn about their culture and language without having to have to pay an unaffordable price? If there was a way to make classes free for Hawaiians, I would be a supporter all the way! That is why I appreciate all the kumus that teach the Hawaiian language and culture/way and everything they do. I’m grateful for the leaders teaching us the pono way of doing things and basically “going back to our roots,” rising up a new generation of leaders and teachers to educate the people even when we’re all no longer here. I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for us Hawaiians. We all need to keep the Hawaiian way thriving! E ola ka ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i! 

References:

http://maui.hawaii.edu/student/PDFschedules/schedule_spring12.pdf (page 36, Tuition & Fees)

Final Video in HWST 290V by Chaz, Kahalehau, and 'Tita'

‘Aha Pūnana Leo

Humans have one life to live, so does the ‘Āina

We need to take care of the ‘āina, not just leave it in the hands of the next generations to care for. I mean honestly, the generations coming up now days does not even care about the land, taking care of it, and revitalizing it. We live on an island, which makes it even more crucial to treat it more cautiously. There are so many toxic messes, indecomposable crap and just plain dangerous rubbish being put into the ‘āina right now that will end up fatal for the islands. It is up to us right now, in this life, to do something about. Whether big or small like recycling aluminums and plastics, it is still DOING something about it. We need to spread the word about taking care of the land and doing what we can right now to everyone; our families, friends and acquaintances. I’m not sure how we can help to make this island healthier besides recycling and not littering, but I will now research to find out. And I hope I do find something out. Just as we only have a short-lived life here on Maui, these islands only have their one life to live and grow and thrive on this earth. It’s up to us, the islands’ population, to do all we can do to mālama the land. We must do our part and also teach the younger generations that are coming up to do theirs when we are no longer here. Continue the efforts to reuse, reduce, redeem, recycle, and e-cycle for the islands! E ola ka ‘āina!

References:

http://www.mauiweekly.com/page/content.detail/id/502123/Maui-s-Recycling-Programs-Update.html?nav=13

Paul Kaiwi Jr., (Father)

http://www.alternative-hawaii.com/agriculture/index.htm

Hawaiian Cordage

When I took the Hawaiian Ethnobotany class in the spring of 2011, we learned how to make cordage just like how the Hawaiians of old used to make them. We learned how important the cordage and ropes were for them for everything that they did. They used rope daily. For temporary binding, the Hawaiians used vines, unmodified strips of bark, leaves, or grasses. For durability they used cordage, kaula, which they twisted or braided out of plant fibers. Before the arrival of Captain Cook in 1778, the Hawaiians fastened things with cordage; they had no nails, bolts, or screws. They used cordage to bind the parts of their houses and canoes, their two-piece fishhooks and hafted adzes, to mend cracks in wood and gourd articles, and so on. The strongest fiber to make cordage with is Olona. We used Hau (Hibiscus tiliaceus) when we made some in class. We spun and braided the hau to make cordage, usually made for lashing; I made a small bracelet to wear. Kaula was a foundational part of many of the tools and operations of daily life. It was a means of obtaining food, being woven into ‘upena (fishing nets), hīna‘i (fish traps), and individual aho (fishing lines). ‘Aha cords marked the sacred boundaries of ali‘i dwellings. It was essential to the creation of the ‘ahu ‘ula (feather capes) worn by the Ali‘i Nui, providing the material for both the thin, yet strong nets treasured by the bird catchers and the naepuni (cord netting) that held the feathers of these magnificent capes. Cordage protected the warrior in battle, binding the sharp teeth of the manō to a wooden handle and providing a base for the woven mahi‘ole that deflected blows to the head. I really appreciated learning how to make kaula like our ancestors did. I had the privilege to learn to do something the way the Hawaiians did them in the wā kahiko.

References:
http://mauinow.com/2011/07/19/maui-cordage-workshop-explores-hawaiian-use/

Lāʻau Hawaiʻi by Isabella Aiona Abbott

Hawaiian Cordage by Catherine C. Summers