Thousands of Native Hawaiians marched through the streets of Honolulu Wednesday and then rallied at Iolani Palace and the Capitol rotunda to mark the 125th anniversary of the overthrow of Hawaii’s last monarch.
It was an impressive show of unity for a people often labeled as hopelessly divided over the issue of sovereignty.
But Wednesday wasn’t about the nitty-gritty details of governance. It was about remembering Queen Lili‘uokalani, recounting the plot against her and rallying the community against injustices that speakers said continue to oppress a people and their culture.
Downtown traffic was snarled, and parking in the Capitol District was nearly impossible as the state Legislature also held its opening day ceremonies Wednesday morning.
A light rain fell as a couple of thousand adults and schoolchildren, many of whom were bused in from across the island, joined a march from Lili‘uokalani’s burial place, the Royal Mausoleum at Mauna Ala on Nuuanu Avenue, to Iolani Palace.
The group, many dressed in black, chanted and blew conch shells, and carried Hawaiian flags and signs that read, “I’m Hawaiian and I vote,” “I am not an American,” and “This is our mainland.”
At Iolani Palace, the marchers joined another couple of thousand people, and some wept as the Hawaiian flag was raised over Iolani Palace at 10:45 a.m. — the same time of day it was taken down during the overthrow and replaced with the American flag.
The new flag was raised by Western businessmen and missionary descendants who orchestrated the coup with the backing of U.S. Marines.
“We have not and will not forget what happened 125 years ago,” Timothy Bailey of the Royal Order of Kamehameha I told the crowd. “And here today, the world has seen and will be aware that it’s time now to make right the wrong that was perpetrated so many years ago.”
Called ‘Onipa‘a Kakou, the event featured hula, musical entertainment and speeches and was reminiscent of the historic 1993 100th anniversary march and observance at Iolani Palace, known as ‘Onipa‘a, which was attended by 20,000 or more.
Like 25 years ago, there were no reports of arrests or police incidents related to the observance.
Honoring the queen
On Wednesday the group paid homage to the queen by laying hundreds of carnations, flowers and lei at the base of her statue on the makai side of the state Capitol Building. Inside the rotunda, there were Native Hawaiian exhibits, cultural demonstrations, music and speeches.
Also there was Democrat Dennis B. Miller of Bernie Sander’s Our Revolution group, holding a large sign urging “universal health care.” While he was there to remind lawmakers about the issue, he didn’t have a problem with the growing throng of Native Hawaiians.
“I love it, you bet,” Miller said. “This is Hawaii. They’re coming out here to say you SOBs will not forget about us.”
On the rotunda stage, former Gov. John Waihee said he grew up without being taught the truth about the illegal overthrow, and he learned later about the pain it caused the Hawaiian people only in a book.
And while the media likes to dwell on how Hawaiians disagree about the details of governance, he said, they are actually moving forward together.
“We may have disagreement, but we are all one lahui (nation) and we are moving in one direction, and that direction is out the door.” he said. “We are one: One flag, one queen, one lahui.”
During his remarks, University of Hawaii Hawaiian studies professor Jon Osorio condemned “American treachery” in the overthrow and held up Saturday’s bogus missile attack alert as an example of how hazardous the United States has made the world today.
“The weekend scare drives home the dangerous situation we are in as a client military base for the United States,” Osorio said. “It should be clear by now that if any nation is threatening our security, it is the United States.”
He urged Hawaiians to rise up, become active and prepare for the day when they will be running the government.
“How could there be a better time for us to gather as a people and plan for the government we need to malama our lands, to care for our people and remove the military bases that threaten our survival,” Osorio said.
Later in the day, U.S. military jets roared high in the sky as people strained to hear Amy Hanaiali‘i and Willie K. perform on the Iolani Palace bandstand.
Diverse opinions
Not everyone on Wednesday was pushing for a break from the U.S.
Office of Hawaiian Affairs Trustee Kelii Akina said that while Native Hawaiians can take pride in their resilience and for keeping their culture and language alive, “there are undeniable opportunities afforded by being a part of the United States of America.
“Some believe that there should be a return to a separate nation or kingdom status while others, like myself, are proud to be Hawaiian and proud to be American. The main thing is that we all ‘e hana kakou,’ that is, work together to build a bright future for Hawaiians and all people,” Akina said in a statement.
But UH-Maui College Hawaiian studies professor Kalei Kaeo said he views Wednesday’s event as another step in a growing movement to regain Hawaiian political identity and sovereignty.
“For the next 25 years you will see an escalation of conflict between those who want to maintain the oppression of Hawaiians, between those who want to maintain the unlawful control of our lands and resources (and Hawaiians). We will see a stronger organization and resistance to further exploitation,” Kaeo said.
“For our people there is really no other place we can go,” he added.
Gov. David Ige also released a statement calling it a special day in Hawaii’s history.
“A few months ago (at the 100th anniversary of her death), we remembered Queen Lili‘uokalani, who put her people first, before money or power. She chose the common good for a better collective existence. I believe we must follow her example as we move forward together as one people,” he said.
State Sen. Brickwood Galuteria, one of 11 Native Hawaiian state lawmakers who were introduced on the rotunda stage, said that if Lili‘uokalani had ordered her people to resist to the end, the fact is many Hawaiians wouldn’t be here today.
“She stood down, so we can stand up today,” he said.
The event was organized by a variety of community groups including, Hui Ku Like Kakou, the Royal Order of Kamehameha I, the Kalihi Palama Culture and Arts Society, Aina Momona, Kamehameha Schools and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.
