Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 29, Number 10, 1 October 2012 — Why sovereignty? [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Why sovereignty?

By Kēhaunani Abad OHA Community Engagement Director Asovereign nation exereises authority over an area. With this power, a nation ereates laws and institutions that embody its eulture and forwards the best interests of its people. In the 1800s, Hawaiian leaders established a government that did just that. Its sovereign independenee was reeognized worldwide, with treaties, legations and eonsulates extending to more than 90 nations in the European, Ameriean, Asian and Paeihe regions.

It developed an edueational system produeing one of the most literate populations in the world. It was on the eutting edge of teehnology, with hydro-

electric power from Nu'uanu Stream lighting Honolulu street lamps and 'Iolani Palaee - years before the White House was wired for electricity. At the same time, our nation was firmly rooted in cultural traditions. Our people supported themselves following generations-old sus-

tainable practices. Hula thrived, musical compositions abounded, mo'olelo (histories, literature, and traditions) were shared and preserved in newspapers. Through the Hawaiian language newspapers, our kūpuna kept

abreast of global events, debated political issues of the day and read translations of literary works from

around the world - some even before they were translated to English (e.g., 20,000 Leagues ĪJnder the Sea). A multiethnic society emerged, as our kūpuna opened their

1 hearts to people of all races. Children of mixed ancestry were welcomed in 'ohana, schools and communities. Our Hawaiian nation was ahead of its time. But when the United States illegally, unprovoked and with military force, overthrew the Hawaiian Kingdom, tremendous damages

to our lāhui (nation and people) ensued. » Our Hawaiian Kingdom, whieh forwarded the values, practices and beliefs of our lāhui, was no longer in charge. Others, with different ideals, were in power.

»1.8 million acres of Hawaiian crown and government lands - over 43 percent of all lands in Hawai'i - were seized and controlled by the new government, creating a staggering eeonomie and cultural loss. » A vital part of Native Hawaiian tenant rights was ignored. Native Hawaiian tenants in the Kingdom could gain "a fee-simple title to one-third of the lands possessed and cultivated by them." The fee-simple title could be reified "whenever" the monarch or native tenant desired to enact the division (Dec. 18, 1847, Hawaiian Kingdom Privy Council). We are still reeling from these losses. For even 109 years later, our lāhui has not fully assimilated into America. American sovereignty makes possible its "American dream" - that every individual ean achieve, through hard work, ever greater prosperity. But the American dream is not the Hawaiian dream. That differenee is a fundamental problem we face as Hawaiians. It is why we are in constant battles at the Legislature, in the courts, at hearings of government agencies. Being Hawaiian under a government that is not Hawaiian is often a struggle. A Hawaiian dream - one shared by many in Hawai'i of all races and creeds - would recognize our intrinsic connection to the natural world, honor our perpetual relationship to our kūpuna (ancestors) and mo'opuna (descendants), seek collective success for 'ohana and communities, and consider long-

term impacts of our actions for generations to eome. For more than a century, these aspirations have not been at the core of our governance. Our language was excluded from everyday use in schools, government and eommerce. Water was diverted from streams, taro patches and fish spawning areas. Our kūpuna were evicted from their burial grounds. Our people have been so disenfranchised that they must focus only on daily survival in the system and are pulled away from their cultural roots. Yet in the midst of these struggles, we still have a ehoiee, a simple but profound decision to choose our journey. We ean assimilate more completely so our na'au no longer aches when we think of what was lost, imagining that it was all for the best. We ean accept the status quo, hang on to our Hawaiian identity, beliefs and practices, and bear the strain of conllict with the system. Or we ean strive for what three decades of Hawaiian leaders sought to achieve: restored Hawaiian sovereignty - whether as an independent nation with complete authority over Hawai'i or as a federally recognized nation with partial autonomy. In either context, we could establish our nation on a strong cultural foundation and integrate the best of what the world has to offer. We would shape our laws, institutions and priorities that would serve the best interests of our lāhui, that would encourage us to be Hawaiians, that would bring to life the Hawaiian dream. ■

We would shape our laws, institutions and priorities that would serve the best interests of our lāhui, that would encourage us to be Hawaiians, that would bring to life the Hawaiian dream.

NAĪION BUILDING

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