Synopsis: The emergence of Donald Trump as a serious candidate for president has proved to be more than just showtime. It is likely to increase turnout at the polls, something that has not been seen in a while. This does not bode well for supporters of the Hawaiian independence movement.

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Aloha mai nō kākou e ka po’e puni koho pāloka. I loko nō o ko’u kū’ē ‘ana i ka noho hewa mai o ‘Amelika i ko kākou moku i kēia mau lā, a ‘o ia kū’ē like nō i ko’u ho’okolonaio ‘ia ‘ana e ua ‘o ‘Amelika, eia au ke ho’omākaukau nei no ke koho ‘ana i pelekikena no ia aupuni malihini e maha’oi mai nei ma ku’u ‘āina aloha. E kupu mai ana nō paha kekahi nīnau no ke kumu a’u e la welawe ai i kēia hana, he hana ho’i e kāko’o ana i ua aupuni ho’opunipuni nei. A eia mai nō ka’u pane ma nā paukū i lalo nei.

I ko’u mana’o, ‘a’ole au he maka’āinana no ‘Amelika. Eia na’e, i ka mana’o o ‘Amelika, he maka’āinana nō au nona. Ua koikoi ‘ia mai au e uku i ka ‘auhau no ka pono o ‘Amelika a me ka Moku’āina ‘o Hawai’i, kona ‘ākena a hoa like ho’i. A no laila, ‘oiai ke ‘ae mai nei ua aupuni ho’okano nei i ia pono ‘o ke koho pāloka ‘ana, na wai e ‘ole ka mahalo, a na wai ho’i e kāpae wale aku i ia pōmaika’i ma ka ‘ao’ao? Mai nō na’e a kuhihewa mai ē he koho wale nō ka’u e koho ai. ‘A’ole lā! E koho ana nō au i ka moho i emi loa kona kū’ē ‘ana i ka’u pahuhopu nui e kūlia nei, ‘o ia ho’i, ke kū’oko’a maoli.

Kāhāhā! He kāka’ikahi wale nō ka po’e nāna e mahalo i ka waiwai o kēia makana, o ke koho pāloka. I kekahi mau makahiki ma Hawai’i nei, aia ka pākeneka o ka po’e koho ma lalo loa o ke 50% o ka po’e nona ia kuleana. A pēlā nō ho’i ka li’ili’i o ka pākeneka ma ‘Amelika! Ho’omaopopo a’ela au i kekahi makahiki, ua pa’i a pa’i nā koho i lilo iā Bush a me Gore, a ua puka na’e ‘o Bush ma muli o ka nui aku o nā koho i loa’a mai ma o ka “electoral college”. He po’e ‘elele wale nō ia e like nō paha me nā ‘elele e koho ‘ia nei no Na’i Aupuni!

Ma muli na’e o ke komo ‘ana mai o Donald Trump ma ka holo pāloka ‘ana no ke kūlana pelekikena, ke pi’i loa nei ka hoihoi o ka lehulehu. A pi’i ia hoihoi, pi’i pū nō me ka nui o ka po’e e koho ana ma ke koho pāloka ‘ana o kēia makahiki a’e. No kona ‘ano kaulana paha a no kona nānā ‘ole ‘ana i ka mana’o o ka po’e politika, ke ‘ō’ili mai ‘o ia, ‘a’ole hiki i ka lehulehu ke pāweo maka, a ke ha’i’ōlelo mai, ‘a’ole hiki ke ho’okuli. ‘O ia ke kumu i nui loa ai ka po’e i nānā i ka paio ‘ōlelo a nā moho Lepupalika ma ke kīwī i kēlā pule aku nei a i ia pule aku. Eia hou, ua ili mai kēlā hoihoi ma luna o kona mau hoa paio Kemokalaka i paio ‘ōlelo maila i ka Pō’alua nei.

Eia mai ka’u e hopohopo nei. I ka pi’i ‘ana o ka heluna o ka po’e koho pāloka, e emi ana ka mana o ka’u pāloka pono’ī, a pēia pū ho’i me kā nā hoa aloha ‘āina e ‘a’a nei i ke koho. Ua kā’ili ‘ia ko’u mau pono ma ke ‘ano he kanaka kū’oko’a, a ma muli o Mika Huli, ke kāmau ‘ia nei ka’u pepa ho’okahi i koe ma ka lima.

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E ho‘ouna ‘ia mai na ā leka iā māua, ‘o ia ho‘i ‘o Laiana Wong a me Kekeha Solis ma ka pahu leka uila ma lalo nei:

>> kwong@hawaii.edu

>> rsolis@hawaii.edu

a i ‘ole ia, ma ke kelepona:

>> 956-2627 (Laiana)

>> 956-2627 (Kekeha)

This column is coordinated by Kawaihuelani Center for Hawaiian Language at the University of Hawai‘i.