Synopsis: Last week’s celebration of America’s independence obscures the true history of native peoples, particularly Native Hawaiians. Let us not forget the true story!

Auhea oukou e na hoa aloha aina mai æö a æö. He leo aloha keia mai Ko Hawaii Pae Aina. Oiai, he Lahui kuokoa keia mai ka la 28 o Nowemapa, MH 1843 a hiki i keia la, he aha ke kumu e hoolaulea a hoohanohano ai na Hawaii i ka la kuokoa o Amelika ma ka la 4 o Iulai? Ua mau mai ka noho o Amelika ma Hawaii i ka hewa, mai ka MH 1893. He hoohanohano keia la i ke aupuni i luku a hana ino i ko kakou aupuni moi i ka wa a ka Moi Wahine o Liliuokalani e noho alii ana. Mau no ka hoohaahaa ia o ke kulana o ke aupuni Hawaii, aohe wahi kuokoa o kakou e hoolaulea ai. He la luuluu ka la Kuokoa o Amelika ma Hawaii nei.

I ka hookahuli hewa ia o ke aupuni Hawaii e ka hui P.G me ke kakoo o na puali koa Amelika i ka la 17 o Ianuali, MH 1893, e imi ana ka poe P.G i ala e hoohui aina ai me Amelika. Hokai ia ua manao nei o ka P.G ma muli o ko Liliuokalani halawai ana me na elele a Pelekikena Cleveland. Ma hope o ka noii a ninauele ana a James Blount, ua ae maila ka Pelekikena i ka hewa o ia hana a ua hooponopono ia ma o ko ia ala kakoo ana i ka mana o ko kakou moi wahine. He palapala aelike kai pulima ia, ma waena o na poo o na aupuni elua, o Hawaii a me Amelika, e Liliuokalani ma ka la 18 o Kekemapa, MH 1893, a apono ia e ka Pelekikena ma ka la 13 o Ianuali, 1894. Ua kapa ia keia palapala ka “Liliuokalani-Cleaveland Agreement”. Aka aole o Amelika i hoohanohano i ka aelike, oia no ka hewa maoli!

Eia nae ka hana apiki a ka poe P.G. Hoololi ia ihola ko lakou inoa i ka la 4 o Iulai, MH 1894 a lilo mai ai lakou o ka Republic of Hawaii. Ua koho ia keia la hoololi inoa i mea e pili pu ai ia hana me ko ko Amelika La Kuokoa. Aole no i hoolaulea ia keia la e ko kakou poe kupuna. He la hookaumaha nae ia, a he alaina ia i ke ko ana o ua aelike nei. Ua mau ka noho ia o ka aina i ka hewa!

I kela pule aku nei ua hookumu ia he la kuokoa Amelika ma Kailua, Oahu, ma o ke kukulu ana i 1,000 hae Amelika ma ke kaona a puni. I mea nae e poina ole ai i ka lehulehu ka ino o ia hana, ua kukulu kauwahi hoa aloha aina i mau Hae Hawaii e ku kilakila ai ma luna o na hae Amelika. He hana ia e pii ai ke kai o ke alakai o ka hui Kailua Chamber of Commerce (ke KCOC hoi), a ua noi oia i na makai e hopu i ia mau hoa aloha aina, a e uu mai i ko kakou mau hae Hawaii i lalo, aue! A no keia hana hoopailua a ke KCOC, hookani ia ka pu e hoakoakoa ai i na mea aloha o ka hae Hawaii i laila, a o kuu ohana kekahi ma laila e hoolele ana i ko kakou hae aloha a e hai ana hoi i ka moolelo o ko kakou La Kuokoa. Keu ka haaheo i ke ku mai o na opio me na makua aloha aina a aloha lahui ma Kailua. Aole keia o Amelika, aole keia o ka la kuokoa o Hawaii.

E hoolaulea kakou i na la nui o Ko Hawaii Pae Aina. O ka “La Hoihoi Ea”, ka la 31 o Iulai, M.H. 1843, o ia ka la a Beretania i ike ai i ke ea o Hawaii. E nana ia ko kakou La Kuokoa Hawaii ma ka la 28 o Nowemapa, oia ka la i aelike ai o Beretania a me Palani he aupuni kuokoa ko Hawaii. Mahalo ka welo mau ana o ka hae nani o Hawaii nei!

E ho‘ouna ‘ia mai na ä leka iä mäua, ‘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 at Mänoa.