Saturday, July 9, 2011

Hawiian Rights

A L O H A !


" Tis always morning somewhere in the world. "

Richard Henry Horne







     > < } } ( ° >






Wednesday at Washington Place,
  the home of Hawaii's last Queen,
 Queen Liliuokalani,
Gov. Neil Abercrombie  signed a bill into law recognizing Native Hawaiians as the only "indigenous, aboriginal, maoli people of Hawaii."

Queen Liliuokalani & Robert Louis Stevenson

 This is considered the first step in a process for
 Native Hawaiians to form their own government.



Native Hawaiians are the only remaining indigenous group in the United States who haven't been allowed to establish their own government.

  This is ironic, as Hawaii was an internationally recognized nation under Native Hawaiian Monarchs throughout the 19th Century.


Next comes a five-member commission responsible for creating a roll of qualified Native Hawaiians who wish to participate in the new entity.





Not all Hawaiians are in favor of this:

"This is an affront to those of us
 whose nation was stolen."

Pilipo Souza




Protesters outside of the signing ceremony
 issued a statement saying in part:

" This bill continues to violate the sovereignty of the Hawaiian Kingdom, a constitutional, independent nation. . . this is not the proper remedy for the theft of a nation. . . a diabolical plan to help the United States to avoid lawful return to Hawaii of the Hawaiian Kingdom. " 

Some continue the  pursuit of remedies 
at the UN and international courts. 


Poka Lanui

Nevertheless, 
this seems to be a minority opinion
 even among Native Hawaiians.

Former Hawaii GovernoJohn D. Waihee III 

(Himself a Native Hawaiian)

who was 

present at the signing said:

" I feel very good about it obviously. The main reason is

 that it lays a foundation for the Native Hawaiian

 community  to take another step forward. "



 “Aohe hana nui ka aluia.”
'No task is too big when done together. '

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