(c) Copyright 2020
Kenneth R. Conklin, Ph.D.
All rights reserved
INDEX OF NEWS REPORTS AND COMMENTARIES FROM JANUARY 1, 2020 AND CONTINUING
January 1, 2020: Leon Siu, who styles himself the ambassador of the continuing independent nation of Hawaii, publishes yet another "Ke Aupuni Update." This one declares 2020 to be "The Year of the Hawaiian Kingdom", saying the "victory" on Mauna Kea (a 2-month truce for January and February reopening the access road while mayor pledges no telescope construction during the truce) sets the stage for progress toward restoring Hawaii as an independent nation.
Jan 4: Retired newspaper reporter Ian Lind blog entry: "Appeals Court again rules against claim that annexation was illegal" in the case of State of Hawaii vs. Lorenzo, aka Kamehameha VI.
Jan 14
(1) Trisha Kehaulani Watson, weekly columnist on Honolulu Civil Beat online newspaper, enthusiastically describes ethnic Hawaiian activism planned for tomorrow's opening day of the 2020 legislature and how it fits into pattern of racial entitlements and ethnic nationalism.;
(2) Reader commentary in Kona newspaper opposes Congressional candidacy of Kai Kahele because he is member of a group "trying to resuscitate the sovereignty movement, which seeks to try to overthrow the State of Hawaii and reestablish the Nation of Hawaii. So in other words, Kai Kahele supports lawlessness, supports anarchy ... Now he wants us to send him to Washington. Seriously?"
Jan 16: Hawaiian protests move to state Capitol on opening day of business ... Up to 1,000 people poured into the Capitol ... Wednesday’s rally, called Hawai‘i Rising ... There were prayers, chants, hula, talks on “counterinsurgency tactics & Maunakea,” ... and especially protecting Native Hawaiian rights. ... “All you have seen the upside down flag,” Ward [House Republican minority leader] told his colleagues at the start of the Legislative session. “The state of Hawaii is flying upside down. … One of the things of 2019 has been the great awakening of the Hawaiian community.” Hema Watson, 15, a freshman at the Halau Ku Mana charter school, spoke at the rally ... “We need to rise up and act up and do what we need to do to act independently because we are independent,” Watson told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. “We have to get out of the mindset that we are American. This is a new beginning.”
Jan 17: Leon Siu "Ke Aupuni Update": The Hawaiian nation is rising! Jan 15 opening day at legislature; Jan 17 march from royal mausoleum to Palace. "This is the game-changer... This is the certainty of the future of our people and our nation... They will take Hawaiʻi to levels we never dreamed of. ... We are calling every one near and far who loves Hawaii, to celebrate, 2020 – The Year of the Hawaiian Kingdom..."
February 1, 2000: Leon Siu "Ke Aupuni Update": This year "is going to be intense with travel to interact with the global community as we lobby key nations of the world to support our initiatives." Donate money! We're lobbying for U.N. to rescind its decision in 1959 to accept the Statehood vote as proof of self-determination.
Feb 5: News article: "Mauna Kea Ignited A New Wave Of Hawaiian Pride. Where Does It Go From Here? The protests are seen as part of a long push toward more self-determination for Native Hawaiians, but there is little consensus on how best to achieve that." Tribal concept vs. independent nationhood. Efforts to get greater political power inside Hawaii state government.
Feb 15:
(1) Leon Siu "Ke Aupuni Update": The National Sovereignty of the Hawaiian Islands is an international matter, not a domestic one ... The only thing the “State of Hawaii” can do by way of “reconciliation” is to acknowledge, repent and make amends and restitution for the abuses it perpetrated as the collaborator-puppet-government-enforcer of the dictates of the occupier. Send money to help Leon Siu;
(2) 11 states have state-recognized tribes, many of which are not federally recognized. Alaska has had 229 federally recognized tribes for several decades, none of which are state-recognized because of massive opposition! A bill in the Alaska legislature would give them state recognition. (In the 1990s some Hawaiian supporters of the Akaka bill had urged a Hawaii version of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971.)
Feb 21: Honolulu Civil Beat columnist (racist in residence) Trisha Watson says The Stakes Are High For Hawaiians To Get Out The Vote; and Hawaiians should organize a mass voting effort by using the same social media networks that made movements over the past year so powerful.
Feb 29: Leon Siu "Ke Aupuni Update": Confusing self-proclaimed "Year of the Hawaiian Kingdom" June 11, 2020 to June 11 2021 (State celebration of Kamehameha Day) honoring 100th anniversary of unification of Hawaii (April 1810 Kaua'i King Kaumuali'i went to O'ahu to become vassal of Kamehameha).
March 12-14, 2020: The "Aloha 'Aina" political party has been officially certified to place candidates on the ballot in Hawaii's primary and general elections. This party is focused on infiltrating the State government and eventually making Hawaii once again a sovereign independent nation and getting reparations from the USA for overthrowing the monarchy and more than a century of cultural oppression and military occupation. Press release, news report, and Conklin's online comment.
March 21: Leon Siu "Ke Aupuni Update": Siu reports on trip to U.N. Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva where cancelled meetings due to coronavirus gave some delegates unexpected free time to meet with him.
April 13, 2020: Leon Siu "Ke Aupuni Update": Routine, merely keeping in touch.
Apr 20: Important essay by 4 well-known activists lays out detailed historical analysis urging United Nations to rescind its removal of Hawaii from the U.N. list of non-self-governing territories following the 1959 Statehood plebiscite. "A Call for Review of the Historical Facts Surrounding the UNGA Resolution of 1959 That Recognized Attainment of Self-Government for Hawaii"
Apr 25: Leon Siu "Ke Aupuni Update": A restored Hawaiian kingdom will initially look like the State looks now, as the new regime gradually takes charge and makes changes. Analogy to a company under new management.
May 3, 2020: Honolulu Civil Beat lengthy article repeats the usual assertion that ethnic Hawaiians are the most needy group and especially hard-hit by the economic and health effects of the corona virus; AND THAT THEY WOULD GET MUCH LARGER GOVERNMENT HANDOUTS IF THEY WERE A FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBE. Article reviews previous efforts to pass the Akaka bill, and reports Congressman Ed Case's view that Hawaiians should seek tribal recognition. Editor's note says this issue [of federal recognition] will be a major topic in this online newspaper going forward.
May 5-6: U.S. Supreme Court rejects request to hear appeal of 9th Circuit Court decision that the government of Guam is forbidden to hold a race-based election on whether Guam should become an independent nation. Two news reports in Guam newspaper, one news report in the Kaua'i newspaper, and online comment by Ken Conklin posted in the Guam news reports but rejected for posting in the Kaua'i newspaper. Conklin's comment compared the Guam decision with the Rice v. Cayetano Hawaii decision in 2000 and the Na'i Aupuni Hawaii attempted election in 2016.
May 9: Leon Siu "Ke Aupuni Update": Members of the Hawaiian nation should follow "kapu aloha" (be peaceful and respectful to people you disagree with), unlike the behavior displayed by opposite sides in debate about coronavirus lockdown and reopening. And, as always, send money because progress is being made internationally on restoring Hawaiian independence.
May 25: Leon Siu "Ke Aupuni Update": We can Free Hawaii, jump-start and operate the Hawaiian Kingdom. As always, send money because as soon as this pandemic subsides, we expect significant movement in gaining support from the global community.
May 26: Russian government propaganda online newspaper commentary touting ethnic Hawaiian medical and economic victimhood caused by U.S. oppression, and calling for Hawaiian independence. Mentions Leon Siu.
June 13, 2020: Leon Siu "Ke Aupuni Update": "The shocking murder of George Floyd under the knee of policeman ... almost immediately reminded me of a story titled, “Strangling Hands on a Nation’s Throat” published in a San Francisco newspaper on September 30, 1887. It was referring to what America, with its greedy push for annexation, was doing to Hawaii. ..."
June 17: Burt Lake Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians have been unsuccessfully seeking federal recognition for decades. Article describes why they want it and how difficult it is to get. "The odds are against them. Out of the 53 tribes that have petitioned for recognition nationally only 18 have succeeded." This article is a good vaccine against the hundreds of victimhood assertions by OHA et. al. claiming that Native Hawaiians are the only indigenous group that has failed to get federal recognition -- a claim sure to be made again if Trump loses the election and there is a renewed effort to get recognition for a phony Hawaiian tribe.
June 20: Ken Conklin, letter to editor in Hawaii Tribune-Herald [Hilo] says Hawaii should try to implement what racial protesters seek on mainland: Overcome race-supremacist institutions, entitlements, behavior and attitudes by working for unity, equality, aloha for all.
June 21: Attorney Dexter Kaiama, known for defending clients based on theories of Hawaiian sovereignty, has been permanently barred from providing “legal services or any other assistance” to any homeowner whose property is facing actual or threatened foreclosure.
June 24: Honolulu Civil Beat online newspaper report: "Native Hawaiian Activists Turn Into Candidates For The 2020 Elections. An apparent increase in the number of Native Hawaiian candidates in 2020 features many young people involved with resistance movements like the Mauna Kea protests."
June 27: Leon Siu "Ke Aupuni Update": Touting SR159, a proposed state Senate resolution urging the Native Hawaiian convention to convene a working group to develop recommendations and strategies to create Hawaiian nationality as a protected class for purposes of Hawaii's anti-discrimination laws.
==================
FULL TEXT OF ITEMS LISTED IN THE INDEX, FROM JANUARY 1, 2020 AND CONTINUING
http://freehawaii.blogspot.com/2020/01/ke-aupuni-update-january-2020-keeping.html
Free Hawaii blog, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 01, 2020
KE AUPUNI UPDATE - JANUARY 2020
Keeping in touch and updated on activities regarding the restoration of Ke Aupuni o Hawai`i, the Hawaiian Kingdom.
Ua Mau Ke Ea O Ka `Aina I Ka Pono.
Hulo! Hulo! Kū Kiaʻi Mauna!
It was a huge victory for Kū Kiaʻi Mauna last week. Hulo! Hulo! Congratulations to the leaders and all who responded to the call to protect the sacredness of Mauna Kea and to stop the despoiling of our ʻāina.
While itʻs not completely over (we still must remain vigilant), the decision of the county/state to back off for now means the chances of TMT ever being built on Mauna Kea is slim to none. It is a 180 degree turn from where things stood in July. Thatʻs a victory!
Celebrate 2020… “The Year of the Hawaiian Kingdom”
The events of this past year culminating with the victory on Mauna Kea have been truly amazing! We can clearly see that the decades of persistent, sacrificial kūʻē by generations of Aloha ʻĀina (those who love Hawaii nei) has brought us to the reawakening of our nation as a sovereign, independent country.
What a great way to lead into The Year of the Hawaiian Kingdom, its timely celebration of the reawakening of the Hawaiian nation and its bright future.
We are calling every one near and far who loves Hawaii, to celebrate, 2020 – The Year of the Hawaiian Kingdom... “Facing the Future”
Centered in the Hawaiian Islands, but global in scope, the celebration will focus on our national identity and build awareness that the Hawaiian Kingdom is here, in Hawaii nei... alive and growing in stature and capacity... to resume its role as an innovative and inspiring member the world community.
Not your ordinary celebration…
As Mauna Kea and Kapu Aloha demonstrated, this event can take on a whole new dimension as we come together to celebrate the next step... from saving the Mauna to the rebirth of our country! Driven by aloha ʻāina at home, reaching out to the world with the positive, uplifting, upbeat, happy, inspiring ʻwe can do itʻ attitude, we can bring Aloha to the world in a global cyber celebration of the rebirth of a nation.
This is going to be exciting!
Stay tuned...
Hawaiʻi loa kū like kākou! All Hawaiʻi stand together!
NOTE – We are in a critical time of moving to the next stage of rebuilding our country. Your kokua is needed! Imua!
We cannot do this crucial work without your help… your kokua.
Your KŌKUA large or small is greatly appreciated and will help greatly to move this work forward.
To contribute, go to - GoFundMe.com/FreeHawaii
Also...
Check out the great FREE HAWAII stuff you can purchase HERE
http://www.robkajiwara.com/store/c8/Support_Human_Rights.html
All proceeds go to help the cause.
Malama pono,
Leon Siu
Hawaiian National
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https://www.ilind.net/2020/01/04/intermediate-court-of-appeals-again-rules-against-claim-that-annexation-was-not-legal/
Ian Lind blog, January 4, 2020
Appeals Court again rules against claim that annexation was illegal
Posted on January 4, 2020 by Ian Lind
On the morning of December 11, 2019, three judges of the Hawaii Intermediate Court of Appeals convened in the Supreme Court Courtroom in downtown Honolulu to hear oral arguments in an appeal in the case of State of Hawaii vs. Windyceslau D. Lorenzo, also known as Kamehameha VI.
Yes, you read that right.
Since at least the early 1990s, Lorenzo has claimed to be “His Majesty Kamehameha VI, King of the Hawaiian Islands, seventh Great Grandson of Kamehameha I, duly recognized and confirmed by the Alii Nui Konohiki Council of Chiefs under the Constitution of 1840, in the Kingdom of Hawaii.”
Of course, despite the pretensions, he’s only one of many claimants competing to speak for a kingdom that in hard reality ceased to exist with the overthrow in 1893.
In 2013, Lorenzo filed warranty deeds in the Bureau of Conveyances transferring title to three parcels of Waimanalo land, a total of approximately 335 acres, to his wife. The source of Lorenzo’s ownership of the property was identified as an earlier 1998 deed:
Deed of Rose P. Lukela, “Grantor”, to Windyceslau Donato Lorenzo, dated August 26, 1998 and recorded at the Bureau of Conveyances as Document No. 98-126382, conveying all claims of the grantor in and to the lands of the Hawaiian Kingdom.
Lukela was also known as Rose P. Lorenzo. The basis of Lukela’s claim of ownership in the Waimanalo properties was not identified.
The state later challenged the 1998 deed in court and succeeded in having declared frivolous. It was expunged from the state’s records.
The state then challenged Lorenzo’s 2013 deeds, which were based on the on the deed that had already been throw out. Following a June 2015 hearing before Judge Victoria Crandall, title was found to be properly vested in the State of Hawaii. The three deeds were found to be frivolous and ordered to be expunged from the state’s land title records. In addition, Lorenzo was fined $5,000, and was enjoined from filing any further related deeds without prior authorization from the court.
Lorenzo then filed an appeal to the Intermediate Court seeking to reverse Crandall’s ruling.
Lorenzo was represented in this appeal by Williamson Chang, a professor at the University of Hawaii’s William S Richardson School of Law, who has become a widely quoted advocate of the theory that Hawaii was never legally annexed by the United States, one result being that therefore post-Kingdom land titles granted under the authority of the territory and state are invalid.
Chang had touted his opening brief in the appeal for its presentation of evidence of “the failure of the United States to acquire Hawaii….”
The judges of the Intermediate Court initially said oral arguments would not be held in the case, but Chang strongly objected. In a legal motion filed on September 30, 2019, Chang pressed the court to reinstate oral arguments because there were, in his words, “numerous issues that had not been covered.” Chang said he was prepared to address the legislative intent of the 1959 Admissions Act by which Hawaii became a state, as well as details of the Congressional debate over annexation in 1898.
In response to Chang’s motion, the court reversed itself, and on November 14 issued a notice setting the oral arguments for 10 a.m. on December 11. The stage was set for Chang to expound his theories.
But when the case was called, neither Williamson Chang or his client, Windyceslau D. “Kamehameha VI” Lorenzo, responded. Neither was present for the hearing that had been scheduled specifically at Chang’s request.
Less than two weeks later, the three-judge panel issued a summary disposition order rejecting each of the arguments raised by Chang and dismissing Lorenzo’s appeal.
https://ilind.net/misc%20/2019/summary_disposition.pdf
The court found that the idea “that the 1898 Joint Resolution did not actually convey the islands of Hawaii to the United States, has been considered and rejected by the Hawaii Supreme Court,” citing the recent decision In re Conservation Dist. Use Application HA-3568.
https://law.justia.com/cases/hawaii/supreme-court/2018/scot-17-0000777.html
In that case, the Hawaii Supreme Court explicitly rejected Williamson Chang’s position that annexation was faulty because it was not accomplished through a treaty of annexation.
Citing relevant cases, the court held: “The United States Supreme Court has thus indicated that the process by which Hawaii was incorporated into the United States was lawful and binding, and we are bound by this determination.”
And as to the ownership of the Waimanalo parcels that were the subject of Lorenzo’s deeds, the court noted the history of the properties prepared by E. Mahoe Collins, the state’s abstractor, which traced the title back to the Great Mahele. The court noted that the history had not been challenged.
“Collins did not find any transfers or conveyances made by the State or its predecessors to Lorenzo or Rose P. Lukela (aka Rose P. Lorenzo), from whom Lorenzo claims he received transfer of the Parcels,” the court wrote in its decision. “Other than Lorenzo’s argument that the 1898 Joint Resolution failed to transfer the lands of Hawaii to the United States, which has been rejected by the Hawaii Supreme Court…he does not assert any challenge to Collins’s affidavit.”
Williamson Chang was ordered to pay $100 for his failure to appear for the December 11, 2019 oral arguments without good cause.
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https://www.civilbeat.org/2020/01/trisha-kehaulani-watson-hawaiians-ready-to-descend-on-capitol/?mobile=1
Honolulu Civil Beat, January 14, 2020
Trisha Kehaulani Watson weekly column
Hawaiians Ready To Descend On Capitol
A strong [ethnic] Hawaiian presence on opening day of the Hawaii Legislature has become a bit of a tradition.
Much of the steady growth of contemporary opening day activities can be traced back to 2008, when hundreds of Hawaiians and local farmers camped out on Iolani Palace grounds and gathered in the Capitol rotunda on opening day with indigenous food activists like Winona LaDuke to pressure the Legislature to pass measures to stop the genetic modification of kalo (taro).
While the fervor around kalo purity may have waned, the push for elected officials to pass legislation that better protects Hawaiian rights and cultural resources has only grown. This year, thousands are expected to descend upon the Capitol on opening day to participate in an event called “Hawaii Rising,” which is described as an effort to “shift the political landscape and shape a new future rooted in Aloha Aina.”
A range of grassroots groups from across the state have come together to organize this event. In addition to the Hawaiian organizations leading the effort to further initiatives to address conflicts over Mauna Kea, Hunananiho (also known as Sherwood Forest), the Kahuku wind farm and Maui water rights, progressive and environmental groups are lending their support and resources in hopes of raising the visibility of important issues like increasing the minimum wage and support for a Green New Deal.
This effort to bring Hawaiians together with environmental activists is not new. In 1971, Save Our Surf-Kokua Hawaii mobilized with HULI – Hawaiians United for Liberation and Independence — a powerful Hawaiian nationalist group that advocates for Hawaiian independence.
A generation later, children of that movement have stepped forward. One of the key leaders of the community resistance at Hunananiho is Kuike Kamakea-Ohelo, son of HULI leader Kalani Ohelo.
The elder Ohelo was one of the 32 people arrested in May 1971 in an effort to stop the evictions of Hawaiians and farmers in Kalama Valley. The Kalama Valley evictions were one of the critical junctures of the modern Hawaiian movement. Just as his father spoke at the Capitol in 1971, the younger Ohelo will be one of the speakers on the stage in the Capitol Rotunda on opening day nearly 50 years later.
A Day Of Activism, Culture And Education
Just as on Mauna Kea, protocol will take place three times on opening day: one in the morning at 8 a.m. to open the day’s events, again at noon, and finally an opportunity to give offerings will begin at 3:15 p.m. and final protocol, closing the day’s events, will take place at 4:30 p.m. Speakers and panels will take place between protocols.
Puuhuluhulu University, the educational program which includes opportunities for the public to hear from educators and leaders, will take place throughout the grounds. The university was developed by the kiai (guardians) on the mauna as one means of decolonizing education. There will be five different sites where classes will be held throughout the day: Capitol Room 224, Capitol Room 229, Capitol Room 414, and two sites on the lawn between the Capitol and Richards Street.
A lot of the day’s focus will be on registering Hawaiians to vote. Whereas Hawaiians have long been skeptical of the voting process and resistant to participating in government processes they consider to be both unjust and illegal, the surge in community activism over the last year has convinced some Hawaiians to consider voting, many for the first time.
Hawaiians have one of the lowest voter turnout rates in Hawaii. Some of this can be attributed to strong political beliefs that Hawaii remains illegally occupied by the United States; therefore, to vote would be a head nod toward legitimizing an illegal occupation. Other Hawaiians simply believe the government to be largely corrupt, so it’s not worth their time or energy to vote, as the vote would have little impact in resolving systemic government problems.
Well-known Hawaiian activist Walter Ritte is leading much of the effort to get Hawaiians to vote. For weeks Ritte has been wearing shirts with the online voter registration website and talking to Hawaiians about the need to vote, despite their reservations.
“We need to vote. We need to change the system,” he said. “We need to vote out these politicians who support projects that destroy our lands and our resources. These guys support the rich while all the local people are struggling to just get by.
“This doesn’t mean we will stop our work to restore the Kingdom or stop fighting at the international level, but we can do two things at once,” Ritte said. “One doesn’t hurt the other, and we have an obligation to stop this out of control government now or there’s not going to be anything left to protect in the future.”
Critics of the kiai often noted that Hawaiians should be focusing on other issues and taking their message to legislators. Now that it’s clear that Hawaiians and their allies are in fact turning their gaze towards the Capitol and aiming to address systemic problems, it will be interesting to see if those vocal critics will now lend their voices to support this bigger effort.
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https://www.westhawaiitoday.com/2020/01/14/opinion/my-turn-make-sure-gabbards-replacement-is-worthy-of-job/
West Hawaii Today [Kona], January 14, 2020, Reader Commentary
Make sure Gabbard’s replacement is worthy of job
By Doug Herkes
As a registered voter of the second congressional district of the State of Hawaii, I was absolutely delighted to hear that Tulsi Gabbard has decided not to run for reelection.
Although I admire her military service, she has absolutely abandoned her responsibilities to her district to pursue her delusions of grandeur in seeking the highest office in the land. She stood about as much chance as a snowball in a lava flow. The downside is that we are stuck without representation until the next election at the end of the year.
Now we have Neil Abercrombie stepping in to call for her removal and to hold a special election. You remember Neil, the first governor since 1962 to not win reelection due to poor job performance and a bad attitude. Of course Neil wants to rush this process. He wants his boy, State Sen. Kai Kahele, to be able to run for this seat before any actual legitimate candidates step forward and get their campaigns up and running. This must not be allowed to happen.
Of the current candidates, one is an unknown. The other is a political neophyte in Sen. Kahele. Again, I respect his military service. Now I am pretty sure that every elected official in the State of Hawaii makes a pledge to uphold, defend, and protect the Constitution of the State of Hawaii.
Kai has made his devotion to, and support of, the group of protesters currently occupying the access road to Maunakea clearly known. This group is trying to destroy a project that has passed all the legal hurdles and will provide countless benefits to the people of the island and State of Hawaii as well as all of the people of planet Earth.
Members of this group are also trying to resuscitate the sovereignty movement, which seeks to try to overthrow the State of Hawaii and reestablish the Nation of Hawaii. So in other words, Kai Kahele supports lawlessness, supports anarchy, and supports a group that includes members that seek the overthrow of the State of Hawaii. Now he wants us to send him to Washington. Seriously?
The second congressional seat is one of the most important seats in the state government. The governor and our four Washington officials are vital to the state in bringing federal funding and emergency support. We can only hope and pray that someone, who is actually qualified for this important position, steps forward and that the political insiders don’t steal the process from the people.
Personally, as far as I am concerned, Kai is not the guy.
Doug Herkes is a resident of Waikoloa.
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https://www.staradvertiser.com/2020/01/16/hawaii-news/hawaiian-protests-move-to-state-capitol-on-opening-day-of-business/?HSA=f84ffec01db101dcadef1267cb67a37333683c43
Honolulu Star-Advertiser, January 16, 2020
Hawaiian protests move to state Capitol on opening day of business
By Cassie Ordonio and Dan Nakaso
Months of frustration on the part of Native Hawaiian activists at Mauna Kea, Kahuku and Waimanalo coalesced in a passionate rally at the state Capitol on Wednesday for the opening day of the 2020 Legislature, but key lawmakers said they were unclear about the rally’s message.
Up to 1,000 people poured into the Capitol, but even a few of the activists were uncertain about what they were trying to accomplish.
“There is a diversity in political perspective in the Hawaiian community,” said Hinaleimoana Kwai Kong Wong-Kalu, 47, of Liliha.
Hundreds of people joined in a song that Wong-Kalu wrote called “Ku Ha‘aheo e Ku‘u Hawaii” — or “Stand Tall My Hawaii.” The song ends with the lyrics, “Until our dignity and independence is restored.”
Lawmakers and staff gathered at the Capitol railings to watch the start of the daylong demonstration, with some shooting cellphone video and photos.
But Senate President Ron Kouchi and House Speaker Scott Saiki both said they had not received any requests from the activists.
Saiki said neither he nor his staff were contacted by anyone associated with the rally.
“I haven’t received any communication from the organizers regarding what it is that they’re requesting from us,” Saiki told reporters after the opening session while the rally was still going on. “So I … really don’t know who is organizing the rally or what their objectives are.”
However, Saiki said, “as you know, Native Hawaiian issues are complex and they’re really complicated and people have very different perspectives on how to handle all of them.”
Personally, Saiki said, he supports the TMT construction.
“Astronomy is an area where Hawaii plays an international role,” he said. “We are the leading venue for astronomy. Astronomy is an industry that we should be really proud of that it’s here, and we should do what it takes to facilitate the program.”
A one-sentence bill introduced last session that never got a hearing — House Bill 1067 — would prohibit any development on conservation land on Mauna Kea from 6,000 feet above sea level to the summit.
Wednesday’s rally, called Hawai‘i Rising, focused predominantly on opposition to the $1.4 billion Thirty Meter Telescope proposed for Hawaii island’s Mauna Kea. Organizers billed the event as “a new beginning.”
There were prayers, chants, hula, talks on “counterinsurgency tactics & Maunakea,” protecting Hawaii’s natural resources, climate change and many speeches about protecting Mauna Kea — and especially protecting Native Hawaiian rights.
Many participants wore red and yellow scarfs, T-shirts and other attire that mark them as opponents of the Thirty Meter Telescope, a project that sparked months of peaceful protests on Mauna Kea and fueled a statewide Hawaiian movement that many consider the revival of “Lahui,” or the Hawaiian nation.
On July 17 the protests triggered the arrest of 39 TMT opponents, many of them elderly Hawaiians who describe themselves as “protectors” of the mountain. So far the protests have blocked construction of the telescope — and the state has spent an estimated $15 million deploying police and law enforcement officials to cope with the protests.
Even though top Democratic leaders said they had not been approached by the rally’s organizers, state Rep. Gene Ward, (R, Hawaii Kai- Kalama Valley), referred to the event in a speech on the House floor.
“All you have seen the upside down flag,” Ward told his colleagues at the start of the Legislative session. “The state of Hawaii is flying upside down. … Some of you have gone to the mauna, some of you have gone to Kahuku, some of you heard the voices of the Hawaiian community crying out. One of the things of 2019 has been the great awakening of the Hawaiian community.”
Waimanalo resident Joseph Espinda, 64, called the rally “the first time in Hawaiian history that people are coming together — Hawaiian and non-Hawaiian.”
“It’s baby steps like any great nation,” Espinda said. “We cannot run before we walk and we cannot walk before we crawl. It’s going to take time.”
Hema Watson, 15, a freshman at the Halau Ku Mana charter school, spoke at the rally and represented the next generation of activists.
“We need to rise up and act up and do what we need to do to act independently because we are independent,” Watson told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. “We have to get out of the mindset that we are American. This is a new beginning.”
Honolulu Attorney Sam King, 36, who is a Hawaiian TMT supporter, applauded Wednesday’s activism, but was concerned that it seemed to focus on opposition to TMT.
King showed up at the rally, curious whether the “event was about Native Hawaiian issues, or whether it’s about one specific group’s interpretation of the issues. It was the latter.”
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http://freehawaii.blogspot.com/2020/01/ke-aupuni-update-january-2020-keeping_18.html
Free Hawaii blog, January 17, 2020
Ke Aupuni Update
Keeping in touch and updated on activities regarding the restoration of Ke Aupuni o Hawaii, the Hawaiian Kingdom.
Ua Mau Ke Ea O Ka Aina I Ka Pono. The sovereignty of the land is perpetuated in righteousness
Hawaiʻi Rising... The Nation Rising!
It was huge! First, on Wednesday, January 15, over a thousand Aloha ʻĀina jammed the rotunda of the State Capitol Building on the opening day of the State Legislature on January 15 to show the state government (in case they had not noticed) that Hawaiʻi is Rising... and warn them (in case they don’t already know) that the day of reckoning is coming.
Then, today, the 17th of January thousands more marched from Maunaʻala to ʻIolani Palace. Hulō! Hulō! Hurrah! Congratulations to all who organized and to all who responded to the call to represent ourselves, our ʻohana, our ʻāina, our lāhui and our aloha. Hundreds of thousands (maybe millions) were there with us in spirit!
The Nation Rises!
It was an awesome and joyous time to witness the outpouring of aloha ʻāina by the lāhui rising... People not only streamed down from Maunaʻala, but were live-streamed around the world in the spirit of solidarity and in the certainty of the power of Aloha ʻĀina to overturn the hewa and return to pono.
The most powerful proof of the nation rising is the representation of generations of the keiki o ka ʻāina… from all ages and all walks of life. But especially inspiring was the astounding number of children who marched, not as ʻpropsʻ dragged by their parents, but as fully aware, firmly rooted aloha ʻāina! ... This is the game-changer... This is the certainty of the future of our people and our nation... They will take Hawaiʻi to levels we never dreamed of.
Mahalo nui loa for the aloha ʻāina who have stood steadfast or years, and to this makua generation who stepped up to serve as visionaries and leaders ramping up to Kū Kiaʻi Mauna and so forth. Mahalo nui to the families, the organizations, the communities, and friends who are standing in kuleana and pono.
The nation is rising, kapu aloha is rising. Now we need to shape it.
Hoala hou Hawaiʻi!
Celebrate 2020… “The Year of the Hawaiian Kingdom”
We are calling every one near and far who loves Hawaii, to celebrate, 2020 – The Year of the Hawaiian Kingdom...
Centered in the Hawaiian Islands, but global in scope, the celebration will focus on our national identity and build awareness that the Hawaiian Kingdom is alive and eager to resume its role as a positive and innovative member of the world community.
The Year of the Hawaiian Kingdom is an opportunity to celebrate the former and future greatness of our country and to share with the world the Spirit of Aloha.
This is going to be exciting! Stay tuned...
Hawaiʻi loa kū like kākou! All Hawaiʻi stand together!
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NOTE – We are in a critical time of moving to the next stage of rebuilding our country.
Your kokua is needed! Imua!
We cannot do this crucial work without your kōkua … your help.
Your kōkua, large or small, is much appreciated will help greatly to move this work forward.
To contribute, go to https://GoFundMe.com/FreeHawaii
Also Check out the great FREE HAWAII products you can purchase at...
http://www.robkajiwara.com/store/c8/Support_Human_Rights.html
All proceeds go to help the cause.
Mahalo Nui Loa!
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Malama Pono,
Leon Siu
Hawaiian National
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http://freehawaii.blogspot.com/2020/02/ke-aupuni-update-february-2020-keeping.html
Free Hawaii blog, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 01, 2020
KE AUPUNI UPDATE - FEBRUARY 2020
Keeping in touch and updated on activities regarding the restoration of Ke Aupuni o Hawai`i, the Hawaiian Kingdom.
Ua Mau Ke Ea O Ka `Aina I Ka Pono.
The Nation Rising... Internationally
As the nation rises here in Hawai`i nei, the interest level on the international stage is also rising. Ten years ago most of the response from diplomats, experts and officials at places like the United Nations, the European Union, the Pacific Islands Forum, the Melanesian Spearhead Group, the African Union, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, etc. went something like, “You have our sympathy... we wish you all the best...” In other words... “Forget it.”
Then, around five years ago, it became, “Do you really think it is possible?” Some trial balloons were sent up... like when Pakistan suggested in a human rights review of the USA that the situation of Hawai`i (along with Alaska and ʻthe Dakotasʻ) are still under international law. Coupled with recent international courts rulings and our consistent assertions of sovereignty, the international community began to see flaws in the U.S.ʻ narrative.
A few years ago we turned the corner and the response has been more like, “How do you think we can help?” Since then, our discussion with these various international actors has been to devise a way to dismantled the United Statesʻ false claim to our homeland; to discredit the United States claim that “Hawai`i, the 50th State” is an integral part of the United States.
For the past few years, our work at the United Nations (and at other international venues) has been focused on dialogs with countries and experts friendly to our cause to find a way that they can help us without putting themselves on the chopping block of retaliation.
Two years ago, we identified and developed a strategy which we are now in the process of implementing. It focuses on what the United Nations did, not what the United States did.
It is a simple question being posed to the UN General Assembly of whether it followed proper procedure when it passed a 1959 UN resolution that accepted the U.S. report that the people of the Hawaiian Islands had consented to become part of the United States. We anticipate that if we can get them to conduct the review, the UN will discover for itself that Hawai`i statehood was/is a scam. That it (the UN) had made a procedural error in adopting the resolution confirming the U.S. claim.
At that point, the U.S.ʻ claim of legitimacy to Hawai`i evaporates and the UN and no country in the world will be able to justify recognizing Hawai`i as the 50th State of the U.S. That opens the door wide to go on the legal offensive to demand remedy for the 127+ years of wrongs against the Hawaiian Kingdom and its people.
Bang! The Hawai`i Nation Rises! Hoala hou Hawai`i!
The next year is going to be intense with travel to interact with the global community as we lobby key nations of the world to support our initiatives. Your kokua is vital to this effort... (see below about contributing through GoFundMe)
Celebrate 2020… “The Year of the Hawaiian Kingdom”We are calling every one near and far who loves Hawai`i, to celebrate, 2020 – The Year of the Hawaiian Kingdom... is an opportunity to celebrate the former and future greatness of our country and to share with the world the Spirit of Aloha.
More coming soon...
Hawaiʻi loa kū like kākou! All Hawaiʻi stand together!
NOTE – We are in a critical time of moving to the next stage of rebuilding our country.
Your kokua is needed! Imua!
We cannot do this crucial work without your help… your kokua.
Your KŌKUA large or small is greatly appreciated and will help greatly to move this work forward.
To contribute go to - GoFundMe.com/FreeHawaii
Also... Check out the great FREE HAWAII stuff you can purchase HERE
http://www.robkajiwara.com/store/c8/Support_Human_Rights.html
All proceeds go to help the cause.
Malama pono,
Leon Siu
Hawaiian National
-----------------
https://www.civilbeat.org/2020/02/mauna-kea-ignited-a-new-wave-of-hawaiian-pride-where-does-it-go-from-here/
Honolulu Civil Beat, February 5, 2020
Mauna Kea Ignited A New Wave Of Hawaiian Pride. Where Does It Go From Here?
The protests are seen as part of a long push toward more self-determination for Native Hawaiians, but there is little consensus on how best to achieve that.
By Anita Hofschneider
On July 17, rows of Native Hawaiian women, men and their supporters stood linking arms on the road leading up to the summit of Mauna Kea. The throng of activists was blocking police officers dressed in riot gear from escorting telescope construction equipment up the mountain.
“We are not American,” yelled Jamaica Osorio, a poet and activist who stood in the front row facing off with law enforcement.
She was quoting a speech from renowned Hawaiian activist Haunani-Kay Trask given at the 1993 commemoration of the Hawaiian overthrow. “We will die as Hawaiians, we will never be Americans!”
The nationalistic expression encapsulated the emotional tenor of the protest against the Thirty Meter Telescope. The demonstration, involving months of camping on the mountain, has proven successful so far at preventing construction of the telescope.
Although a recent poll indicates the Native Hawaiian community has mixed feelings about the project, opponents have successfully stalled the start of construction and inspired similar protests against developments on Oahu.
But Mauna Kea is also a symptom of a much deeper problem, the latest manifestation of the unaddressed frustrations with the century-old overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom. It’s clear the protests are about more than just the telescope — they highlight the broader unresolved historic injustice against the Hawaiian people. And they raise questions about how exactly those grievances can be resolved.
Even leaders of the Mauna Kea movement have drawn a distinction between their work and the fight for independence.
Kaho’okahi Kanuha, a spokesman for the demonstrators on Mauna Kea, didn’t reply to messages seeking his input on this story. But at an event in Honolulu last fall, he told attendees that even though he strongly supports sovereignty, he avoids talking about it when speaking to the media and public about Mauna Kea.
“No matter how much I care about that, the truth of the matter is that not all of us are on the same page on that issue,” he said. “There’s been talk of de-occupation for years now … up until this point that has never galvanized and united our people the way that (Mauna Kea) has.”
“I’m not going to talk about it,” he continued. “Because up until this point it hasn’t been something that has brought our people together. It’s been something that put us on a different side of the fence … But what I want to see here is our lahui coming together.”
An Aug. 2019 Civil Beat poll found Hawaii’s Native Hawaiian community is split on the TMT, with just a slight plurality opposing it. And some Native Hawaiians have been outspoken in their support of the telescope.
But the issue has still resulted in a visible outpouring of support for those seeking to stop development on the mountain. Veteran Hawaiian activists say Mauna Kea has not only united many Hawaiians but also resulted in broader awareness of Hawaiian issues both in the islands and beyond.
“It has awakened our spirit to stand up for ourselves, not in an angry way, in a knowledgeable way,” says Robin Danner, who advocates on local, state and federal public policies affecting the Native Hawaiian community.
“I think Mauna Kea has basically educated more people in regard to political, economic and cultural rights of Native Hawaiians,” says Dennis “Bumpy” Kanahele, who leads a group called the Nation of Hawaii on Oahu. “It’s got a lot more attention than we’ve had in a long time.”
The question is what happens next — on the mountain, in Hawaii and more broadly for self-determination for Hawaii’s indigenous people.
Political sovereignty is a controversial issue that continues to divide the Native Hawaiian community as a whole.
And even veterans of the sovereignty movement who are the subject of this story have long been split about the best way to achieve it. Some are focusing on practical steps they can take to improve their influence within the existing political system.
Walter Ritte is a longtime Hawaiian activist from Molokai who says the U.S. is illegally occupying Hawaii. He says the first step to independence is building power within the state.
“We have this great wave that is building in the Hawaiian community, what is the next step?” says Ritte. “The immediate next step is to get Hawaiians to realize political power only happens if you register to vote and if you vote.”
“Our obligation is to protect all of those things that were left to us by our ancestors,” he adds. “The immediate goal is to unify and participate in the existing government so as to protect what we need to survive.”
Divisions And Disagreements
In recent decades, the Hawaiian sovereignty movement has been characterized by waves of activity.
“It’s something that’s always there, sort of percolating, and periodically it surfaces,” says Mahealani Wendt, a Maui resident who founded the nonprofit Native Hawaiian Legal Corp. “It’s like a volcano, certain things come together and cause it to activate.”
Hawaii’s modern sovereignty movement was spurred by the Hawaiian cultural renaissance that emerged in the 1960s and 1970s. Scholars and activists saved the Hawaiian language from the edge of extinction, pushing for Hawaiian language schools and promoting pride in the language. Hawaiians reclaimed knowledge of traditional navigation from a Micronesian master navigator and created the Polynesian Voyaging Society in 1973.
Throughout the 1970s, many Hawaiians participated in protests against evictions and new developments, including successfully opposing the Navy’s use of Kahoolawe as a bombing range.
Political progress has been rocky.
In 1978, several Hawaiian delegates and their supporters persuaded constitutional convention delegates to establish the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, which was seen by some as a precursor to re-establishing a Hawaiian nation. But in the 1990s, OHA supporters were disillusioned by the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Rice v. Cayetano that allowed non-Hawaiians to vote for OHA trustees.
Since the 1990s, Hawaiians have held two constitutional conventions for a potential government. They’ve collected lists of names of voters for potential constitutions. Still, no draft constitution has yet been put to a vote.
Many activists like Wendt who started protesting for independence are now in their 70s. Some feel as if sovereignty is closer than ever. Others fear it is further away than before.
A major challenge is finding common ground, given that nearly 300,000 people in Hawaii identify as at least part-Native Hawaiian, according to the most recent census data available.
Even within the pro-sovereignty movement, there are many differing opinions.
Some want recognition by the U.S. government as a nation within the U.S., similar to Native Americans; others have pushed to restore the monarchy that was overthrown. Still others like Ritte are advocating for the end of what they see as the U.S. occupation of the Hawaiian islands and the beginning of a new independence.
Kanahele believes the 1993 congressional resolution apologizing for the overthrow effectively recognized the Hawaiian government. This year he will be signing up people for citizenship in the Nation of Hawaii.
“I’m hoping we hit in the tens of thousands,” he says.
But Kanahele’s is only one of several groups that hope to lead the restoration of the kingdom.
Former Gov. John Waihee believes that while many may disagree on how to get to a vote on self-governance and what they want when they get there, overall the Hawaiian people are moving in the same direction. He thinks more people support Hawaiian sovereignty now than ever before.
“The kids today talk about a Hawaiian nation openly,” he says. “Thirty years ago they didn’t even know what that was.”
Still, with President Donald Trump in office, Waihee doesn’t think there’s much that Hawaiians can do in terms of federal recognition.
A Draft Constitution, But No Vote
Mahealani Cypher remembers when Trask gave her powerful speech. It was Jan. 17, 1993 and Cypher walked alongside her daughter, who was pushing Cypher’s granddaughter in a stroller, from Aloha Tower to Iolani Palace. They were part of a march commemorating the 100th anniversary of the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom.
Cypher felt hopeful and excited. The dream of self-determination for Native Hawaiians felt like a potential reality. But decades later, she feels like the goal is even further away. In contrast to other activists, she thinks public support for Native Hawaiian issues has faded.
While Mauna Kea evokes pride within the Hawaiian community, she doesn’t see that reflected in the broader public. She remembers seeing polls in the 1990s showing support among Hawaii residents for Native Hawaiian issues. Now, she says there’s a divide between those Native Hawaiians who oppose the TMT on Mauna Kea and other Hawaii residents who largely support the telescope.
Cypher thinks the most practical course is to seek a status akin to Native Americans — an idea that is popular among some policymakers but is also highly criticized by Kanahele, Ritte and others.
Five years ago under the Obama administration, the U.S. Interior Department held a series of hearings in Hawaii about providing a pathway to federal recognition. It was the first such major effort since the collapse of the so-called Akaka bill, the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act of 2009 named after Hawaii’s only Hawaiian senator.
At one hearing in June 2014, the vast majority of people who showed up to testify were vehemently against that route.
In 2016, more than 100 Hawaiians participated in a constitutional convention, known as the aha, where they drafted a new governing document. It wasn’t an easy process with so many different opinions in the room. Some critics even opted out of participating because they thought the process was rigged in favor of federal recognition, and a few even participated in a rival aha.
“The first two-and-a-half weeks all we did was argue with each other,” says Kuhio Lewis, the head of the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement. “There were beefs, there were screaming matches, there were flying chairs.”
But the delegates ultimately overcame their disagreements and came up with a draft constitution which was approved with a vote of 88-30, with one person abstaining. After a lawsuit stopped OHA from funding an election to ratify the constitution, Lewis helped raise more than $1 million in donations to pay for the election privately.
Then Republican President Donald Trump was elected.
“If somebody else, anybody else frankly, had gotten elected, it would make sense to go to the next step,” Waihee says. But “there is no practical step now.”
Whether or not the Hawaiian people pursued federal recognition, Lewis says self-governance would require some kind of buy-in from the U.S. government.
“You can’t go around America, you’ve got to go through them. Going through them would involve going through Trump no matter which option you look at. That kind of just killed the steam,” Lewis says.
The money is sitting in an account managed by the San Francisco-based Tides Foundation, a charity focused on social justice, waiting for the right time, Lewis says.
The delay is disappointing to Wendt, who worked to sign up more than 100,000 Native Hawaiians for the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission, a registry of Hawaiians to vote on political self-determination.
Wendt supports what’s happening on Mauna Kea. But at age 72, she wishes she could be building a nation instead of protesting one.
“Are we going to be forever relegated to political struggle and protest?” she wonders.
Searching For More Practical Gains
The debate over self-governance — and what form that would take — is very familiar to Jonathan Osorio, who leads the University of Hawaii’s Hawaiian Studies program. But he says that now in his 70s, he doesn’t care as much as he used to about what form a Hawaiian nation might take.
Sovereignty to him is not just a political status.
“I actually think that the sovereignty we have been working toward … it’s really about our language, it’s about becoming more politically (engaged), it’s about being able to practice our culture, being able to identify ourselves not as Americans but as Hawaiians,” he says. “The government part of this in many ways is not as important as the patriotism, the belief that our people are a separate people, are not Americans and that has become more and more prevalent.”
Part of what gives him pause is watching other Pacific countries that obtained independence struggle with the challenges of self-sufficiency. Governments like Fiji and Vanuatu have engaged in deep-sea mining for economic gain despite environmental concerns. Some Pacific countries like Tonga have ended up taking on large debt from China.
Even countries that technically are sovereign are still in some ways dependent on colonial powers. In Micronesia, three island nations that achieved independence after World War II ended up signing treaties with the U.S. to give the U.S. military control over their region in exchange for money and migration rights.
“There’s so many things to be dealt with in Hawaii that if we suddenly have a new government … I just have a strong suspicion that it wouldn’t be independent of anything,” Osorio says.
As it stands now, he says, Hawaii is a wealthy place, and independence won’t shield Hawaii from the realities of global economics.
All of that makes Osorio think that even though he supports eventual independence, there’s no reason Hawaiians should rush into it.
“I don’t think I’m in any kind of hurry to come to a solution of how we govern ourselves,” he says. In order for Hawaiians to truly control their own future, “we need to transition slowly into a different kind of economy that preserves our own ability to control our own destiny.”
Osorio isn’t alone in wanting to be cautious. Lewis worries bringing up nation-building now could be divisive in a moment when opposition to the TMT has unified many Hawaiians. Besides, he already sees in today’s protest elements of sovereignty.
“What you see going on right now is in some respects nation building. Since when could any Native Hawaiian leader send out a couple of texts and post on social media and you get thousands of Hawaiians to show up?” he says. “The nation is being awoken and it is being risen. The formality of it is yet to take form but you see it happen, Hawaiians are coming together.”
Building Power Within The State
In contrast to Osorio, Ritte sees independence as more urgent in part because of current and future threats to Hawaii’s land and environment.
“The system that we have now is hell bent on making money out of the environment to the point that the environment is not going to be capable of providing a lifestyle for future generations,” he says. “I cannot see how we can just slow down and take our time while everything is disappearing so that future generations will not have what is necessary.”
But even Ritte agrees the first step is getting more political power within the current system.
“So we have to participate in the system now because we have an obligation to the future generations to pass on the things that allow us to survive in the middle of the Pacific. That’s our kuleana,” he says.
That refrain is part of a common theme among Hawaiian community leaders — that whether or not independence is the end goal, there’s a need to build a stronger political presence within the existing system by increasing voter turnout, helping Hawaiians get elected into political office and obtaining more federal funding.
“There’s got to be a nexus to a more systemic approach to us addressing some of the concerns we scream about,” says Lewis. He’s a big proponent of getting Hawaiians into political office and is also working on a big push to get Hawaiians counted in the 2020 census so they can access more resources.
“We have to elevate ourselves in the current system in order to have a greater stake in our future. It’s about showing political mana or muscularity,” he says. “It’s about shifting power so that we have a greater stake in how we want to live.”
On the first day of this year’s legislative session Native Hawaiian groups filled the Hawaii State Capitol in a show of solidarity. The effort focused on increasing voter registration among Hawaiians and putting pressure on lawmakers to address longstanding issues. Some legislative goals include more funding for Hawaiian home lands and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.
Osorio hopes lawmakers will listen. In his view, Mauna Kea has already demonstrated the kind of power Hawaiians already have.
“When you get right down to it we are just waiting to see where this Hawaiian leadership takes us next,” he says.
“The one thing I want to be sure of is that we don’t actually fight each other over what it should be. When we are still basically discovering for ourselves how powerful we can be.”
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http://freehawaii.blogspot.com/2020/02/ke-aupuni-update-february-2020-keeping_15.html
Free Hawaii blog, February 15, 2020
Ke Aupuni Update,
Keeping in touch and updated on activities regarding the restoration of Ke Aupuni o Hawaii, the Hawaiian Kingdom.
Ua Mau Ke Ea O Ka Aina I Ka Pono. The sovereignty of the land is perpetuated in righteousness
Dodged a Bullet… (or missile)
With the kūʻe for Mauna Kea, Hūnananiho and Kahuku still fresh in our spirit, we’ve been gearing up for another monumental battle… the proposed installation of a new US missile tracking system at either Kaena Point, Oʻahu or Kekaha, Kauai. A few days ago the US Defense Department abruptly announced they were dropping that project, ostensibly because they don’t have the budget... But hidden in the report was the term, “host nation issues” as a factor. Aha! What we are beginning to see is they don’t want to mess with us. This is the powerful cumulative effect of Ku Kiaʻi Mauna and all the kūʻe, Aloha Āina actions over the decades. Weʻre gaining clout. Imua!
Reconciliation Commission?
Speaking of cumulative effect... There is a resolution in the fake-state legislature calling for Governor Ige to form a “Blue Ribbon Reconciliation Commission” relating to “Native Hawaiian issues.”
Let’s not lose focus… The operating term is “Native Hawaiian,” not “Hawaiian National.” This proposed commission is yet another diversion (like Fed Wreck) to avoid the consequences for the wrongful taking of our nation, by diminishing the wronged party to Native Hawaiians. However, it is generally pointed the right direction... a crime was committed that needs to be remedied. Letʻs just make sure we keep pointing out the real crime.
The proposed fake-state “commission” will not address the real issue: the National Sovereignty of the Hawaiian Islands.
National Sovereignty is not a Fake-State of Hawaii issue. It is actually an international dispute between the United States and the Hawaiian Kingdom over the sovereignty of the Hawaiian Islands Archipelago. While an international settlement for the wrongful taking of the Hawaiian Islands would include remedy for the criminal maltreatment of Native Hawaiians, the over-arching issue is the blatant hi-jacking by the United States of the Hawaiian Kingdom’s international boundaries, its jurisdiction, and its internal and foreign operations.
The National Sovereignty of the Hawaiian Islands is an international matter, not a domestic one. It is a matter that concerns, involves and affects the entire international community. If the Fake State of Hawaii wants to raise the issue of reconciliation, we can use that to add to our Free Hawaii campaign at the international level.
The only thing the “State of Hawaii” can do by way of “reconciliation” is to acknowledge, repent and make amends and restitution for the abuses it perpetrated as the collaborator-puppet-government-enforcer of the dictates of the occupier.
We have them on the defensive... letʻs keep up the pressure.
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The next year is going to be intense with travel to interact with the global community as we lobby key nations of the world to support our initiatives. Your kokua is vital to this effort... (see below about contributing through GoFundMe)
Celebrate 2020… “The Year of the Hawaiian Kingdom”
We are calling every one near and far who loves Hawaii, to celebrate, 2020 – The Year of the Hawaiian Kingdom... is an opportunity to celebrate the former and future greatness of our country and to share with the world the Spirit of Aloha.
More coming soon...
Hawaiʻi loa kū like kākou! All Hawaiʻi stand together!
-----
NOTE – We are in a critical time of moving to the next stage of asserting our country. Your kokua is needed! Imua!
We cannot do this crucial work without your kōkua … your help.
Your kōkua, large or small, is much appreciated will help greatly to move this work forward.
To contribute, go to https://GoFundMe.com/FreeHawaii
To contribute in other ways (airline miles, travel vouchers, clerical help, etc...) email us at info@HawaiianKingdom.net
Also...
Check out the great FREE HAWAII products you can purchase at...
http://www.robkajiwara.com/store/c8/Support_Human_Rights.html
All proceeds go to help the cause..
Mahalo Nui Loa!
Malama Pono,
Leon Siu
Hawaiian National
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** Ken Conklin's explanation of the significance of the following article: 11 states have state-recognized tribes, many of which are not federally recognized. Alaska has had 229 federally recognized tribes for several decades, none of which are state-recognized because of massive opposition! A bill in the Alaska legislature would give them state recognition. (In the 1990s some Hawaiian supporters of the Akaka bill had urged a Hawaii version of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971.)
https://newsmaven.io/indiancountrytoday/news/alaska-legislation-would-finally-recognize-the-existence-of-tribes-lZEqNVm7y0G-Q4bhe69coA
Indian Country Today, Sunday February 16, 2020
Alaska legislation would finally recognize the existence of tribes
by Joaqlin Estus
‘This bill is simply honoring and recognizing our Alaska people that have been here since time immemorial, an ancient people with an ancient past, a proud people’
A bill before the Alaska House Tribal Affairs Committee is simple: "The state recognizes all tribes in the state that are federally recognized ..."
The legislation gets more complicated after that line.
There are disclaimers about what the legislation doesn’t do. There would be no changes to state jurisdiction. Or the status of land. And it does not create any new state responsibilities. Nor does the proposal diminish the federal government’s trust responsibility or other obligations, specifically acknowledging the special relationship between the federal government and tribes.
"This bill is simply honoring and recognizing our Alaska people that have been here since time immemorial, an ancient people with an ancient past, a proud people. It's to give honor and respect to those for the same reason that we would to any self-determined people," said Rep. Chuck Kopp, a Republican from Anchorage “I think every human spirit cries out for freedom, for self-determination.”
Richard Peterson, Haida, is president of Southeast Alaska’s Tlingit and Haida, a regional tribe for 31,000 citizens. He said tribal recognition would not threaten anyone. “It does not give us any special standing over any other Alaska, but it recognizes our special place in Alaska.”
Natasha Singh, Athabascan, is general counsel for the Tanana Chiefs Conference, a tribal entity representing 39 villages in Interior Alaska. She said the legislation shouldn’t even be necessary.
“The existence of a tribe or tribal government does not require a federal or state determination and tribal sovereignty does not originate with the federal or the state government. Before the United States, before the state of Alaska, there were tribes,” Singh said.
The House bill, 221, has 17 bipartisan co-sponsors (out of 40 House members).
The legislation is in line with Alaska’s history, said Holly Handler, a staff attorney for Alaska Legal Services Corporation.
“The main point I'd like to convey today is that since the Alaska purchase in 1867, state recognition of tribes in Alaska has been the norm," she said. "So for more than 150 years, what this bill proposes to do has been the accepted truth in Alaska—that Alaska sovereign tribes exist here, and have existed for 10,000 years.”
However, Handler said, since the 1980s, there’s been a battle with the state of Alaska over recognizing Alaska tribes.
“And it has been a painful and very expensive aberration. The state has expended time, money, resources, fighting against this reality and this truth. It has been a failed investment, and it's also been extremely painful to the people who live here. Going to conferences and meetings on tribes in Alaska you can hear people speak up and say, “The state of Alaska doesn't even recognize that we exist.” And so that's been a very painful history for people in Alaska for decades.”
Handler said the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971, or ANCSA, gave anti-tribal advocates a rationale for denying tribal sovereignty.
“The Native regional corporations created under ANCSA were created alongside tribal governments. People aren't citizens of their corporation, they’re shareholders. The corporations are chartered to create economic development and profit and business, whereas tribal governments exist for the benefit of their people, working on social services, law enforcement, public safety and things of that nature,” Handler said. “So that is the background for where tribal litigation really took off.” She said anti-tribal advocates tried to twist the passage of ANCSA and other laws to say that Alaska tribes were extinguished.
She said the state of Alaska launched lawsuits challenging the authority of tribes to protect tribal children, sovereign immunity, and to govern their own citizens. The litigation, especially a handful of particularly onerous cases, was costly to the state, and to tribes, Handler said.
“In these four cases, which all took close to a decade to litigate, we're talking about hundreds and hundreds of man and woman hours of the Alaska department of law, tens of thousands of dollars for outside counsel. Because in some of these cases, the department of law tried to litigate all the way to the US Supreme Court,” Handler said.
“All of this investment turned out to have a very poor rate of return because all of these cases failed,” Handler said. “The department of law with all its outside legal power, failed. All these four cases were decided in favor of the tribes because history and research and truth were on their side,” Handler said. “And, the state Supreme court and federal courts all agreed that nothing in ANCSA extinguished the sovereignty of tribes to exist in Alaska and to continue to exercise jurisdiction over their own people.
“So not only were these cases expensive and painful, but we had this huge opportunity cost where for these decades, the state of Alaska lost out on opportunities to partner with tribes on projects,” Handler said. “They lost the opportunity to partner with the tribes on grant opportunities and federal programs. And it is only now, since 2016 when the state stopped actively litigating against the tribes in these cases that we've seen this blossoming of opportunity.
“From the legal perspective, what this bill does is nothing really revolutionary in terms of law. it recognizes what legal scholars have known to be true for more than 150 years,” Handler said. “But it's revolutionary in terms of solidifying the state's commitment to work with tribes, and to solidify as a state that we won't revert back to these periods of very expensive and painful litigation against the state's own people."
Natasha Singh said, “I would just like to point out that the real lack of understanding, the lack of education regarding tribes by Alaskans was purposeful. It was a decision made by policy makers to attempt to wipe tribal governments from the history books. And that's why Alaskans really have a misunderstanding of tribes,” Singh said.
“This education was a part of Alaska's termination policy” and based on a lack of understanding of the history of the role of Alaska Natives in the state, Singh said. “And as long as this termination era continues, we are going to be continuing this battle, going back to when a governor who doesn't have this proper history decides they would like to litigate this again. That's why this legislation is so important and critical and it's really not a time where we are able to wait because Native people are suffering,” Singh said.
“When the state of Alaska tells our tribes, our Native people that ‘no, you don't exist. You don't have the authority to fix your own problems for yourself’. … you start to see inaction and you start to see children suffering,” Singh said.
As Kopp’s legislative aide Ken Truitt, Tlingit, said, “One of the great ironies that the tribes have in dealing with the state is that on one hand, the state denies the existence of tribes, but on the other hand will not issue you a grant without requiring you to waive sovereign immunity.”
“It’s time to end an adversarial relationship between tribes and the state ...and recognizing tribes is not unique per se. You know, many of the states down south [in the lower 48 states] have formal relationships with tribes,” said Frederick Olsen, Jr., Haida, of Sitka. “In fact, 11 states have state-recognized tribes, Alabama, Connecticut, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Vermont, and Virginia.”
Tlingit and Haida president Peterson said empowered tribes benefit all Alaskans by bringing federal dollars into the economy, much of it for services the state would otherwise have to fund. Tribes “save the state of Alaska hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars,” Peterson said.
Alaska has 229 federally recognized tribes. Truitt said accepting the plain fact that they exist will only benefit Alaska.
“Through this government-to-government relationship, Alaska tribes are able to administer highly sophisticated programs through contracts and compacts and to truly exercise their inherent sovereignty,” Truitt said.
Enacting this legislation, said Truitt, “declares the end of, the termination era of thinking as the official state policy.”
The Alaska House Tribal Affairs Committee has another hearing on HB 221 scheduled for Tuesday Feb. 18 at 8 a.m. Alaska Standard Time.
Joaqlin Estus, Tlingit, is a national correspondent for Indian Country Today and a long-time Alaska journalist.
---------------------
https://www.civilbeat.org/2020/02/trisha-kehaulani-watson-the-stakes-are-high-for-hawaiians-to-get-out-the-vote/
Honolulu Civil Beat, Friday February 21, 2020
The Stakes Are High For Hawaiians To Get Out The Vote
Hawaiians should organize a mass voting effort by using the same social media networks that made movements over the past year so powerful.
By Trisha Kehaulani Watson
Hawaiian political activity has been consistently growing and evolving over the last few years. In the past few election cycles, Hawaiians have rallied around “no vote, no grumble” or similar Hawaiian voting campaigns that target increasing the numbers of Hawaiian voters.
Yet, something unique is potentially on the horizon this year.
The unique tenor of Mauna Kea, which has consistently held fast to aloha and non-violence, has created a particularly fertile political ecosystem for Hawaiians. Specifically, there are large grassroots communities that appear not only willing, but eager, to vote in the upcoming 2020 elections.
This is a new, potentially exciting opportunity to elevate the role of Hawaiians in a real political force, but will require Hawaiians to become a mindful voting block. This potential elevation is about much more than just voting, it is about identifying and agreeing on issues important to Hawaiians.
This is where the Office of Hawaiian Affairs plays an important role. It recently sent out a survey to beneficiaries seeking input on identifying priorities within the Hawaiian community. Hopefully, OHA will share the results broadly, because the results become a critical opportunity for Hawaiians to begin to rally around specific political issues, like affordable housing, health care, or education.
This step forward also provides an important response to entities like the University of Hawaii, whose leadership has been critical that Hawaiians have been willing to heavily engage in issues like the TMT but appeared less concerned about broader issues impacting the Hawaiian community.
It is simply incorrect to think that Hawaiians, like many others in the state, are not deeply concerned about affordable housing, livable wages and education — of course Hawaiians care. What remains more challenging and elusive is what “average people” can do about these systemic problems. The reality is that large institutional problems require institutional solutions – and these are, quite frankly, often elusive to identify.
While nonviolent direct action is certainly not easy, it is often quite possible to identify discrete acts of civil disobedience that respond directly to a specific, quantifiable problem.
This simple fact, that critical issues like class inequity or racism do not have obvious targets for resistance, surely contributes to the gross demoralization of a community that feels in large part that their actions, including their votes, do not count. The sentiment has been simple but poignant: why vote if it won’t matter?
This is again why Mauna Kea has been so spiritually and psychologically important for Hawaiians. For a group that has often been left to feel marginalized and even invisible in their own homeland, the movement that Mauna Kea has started has created opportunity to be both seen and heard.
To truly build upon the opportunity at hand, Hawaiians need to successfully do the following:
* Register to vote en masse. The reality is that many Hawaiians are still not even registered to vote. First and foremost, organizations should focus on getting Hawaiians, both young and old, to register.
* Identify issues of importance. What matters to Hawaiians? OHA’s survey should go a long way to identify key issues, and it will be important to start dialogues in communities across the islands about these issues. Equally important will be dialogues about how to address and solve these problems. It’s very easy to talk about problems, but it’s much harder to identify and implement solutions. Hawaiians should begin to build a cache of white papers on what they believe are the solutions to critical problems and how they would implement these solutions.
* Identify and support viable candidates. Hawaiians should begin to identify candidates that care about their issues and commit to supporting their solutions. This is a critical point, because Hawaiians will sell themselves short if they only look to identify Hawaiian candidates. Rather, it would be far more strategic and potent to identify and work with candidates and legislators who can be powerful allies on Hawaiian issues, whether or not he/she/they are in fact Native Hawaiian.
* Hawaiians need to vote. They need to strive to be the group with the highest voter turnout. Hawaiians should commit to ensure that every single member of their family who is eligible votes in the upcoming election.
It’s unclear what the new mail-in election system will mean. It’s Hawaii, so chances are better than not that something is going to go wrong. Still, Hawaiians should use the same social media networks that made social movements over the past year so powerful to organize and execute a mass voting effort. It doesn’t need to be formal, nor does it need to be perfect, but it does need to be effective.
Failure just isn’t an option. Failure to send a powerful message in the upcoming election will have two incredibly dangerous outcomes for Hawaiians.
First, first-time Hawaiian voters who are entering this election cycle with existing skepticism will become demoralized if they feel like their tenuous willingness to vote mattered. It needs to matter so people can see how voting makes a real difference in elections. People should feel good coming out of Election Day.
Second, Hawaiians need to send a powerful message to legislators that this community is not only mobilized around social issues but has mobilized to be a political force. We need to send a strong message that Hawaiian voters can influence the outcome of an election, and therefore need to be taken seriously.
Hawaiians are very vocal on many issues. There is no doubt in their ability to mobilize to raise their voices when needed, but it’s time to go for the longer play. There is opportunity to create a tectonic shift in Hawaii, one that can benefit the islands for generations to come, but it will take many people stepping up to take the small but bold step to vote.
-----
** Ken Conklin's attempted online comment, which the editors/censors refused to publish (I suspect there were plenty more comments like mine which were all rejected):
Trisha Watson is shouting for a race war at the ballot box. Civil Beat is her accomplice, giving her the megaphone of this weekly commentary.
Suppose someone else writes a commentary with the same call to action, but substituting "people with no Hawaiian blood" in place of "Hawaiians." The editors would refuse to publish it because it's "uncivil", divisive, or even racist.
We who lack Hawaiian blood must resist the onslaught. We must win the war Trisha is starting. She has told us what we must do. Here are our marching orders, in her own words:
Register to vote en masse. Identify issues of importance. Identify and support viable candidates who care about unity and equality and commit to supporting their solutions. We who lack Hawaiian blood need to vote. We need to strive to be the group with the highest voter turnout. We should commit to ensure that every single member of our family who is eligible votes in the upcoming election. It is our kuleana to defeat the Lahui.
----------------------
http://freehawaii.blogspot.com/2020/02/ke-aupuni-update-february-2020-keeping_29.html
Free Hawaii blog, February 29, 2020
KE AUPUNI UPDATE - FEBRUARY 2020
Keeping in touch and updated on activities regarding the restoration of Ke Aupuni o Hawai`i, the Hawaiian Kingdom.
Ua Mau Ke Ea O Ka `Aina I Ka Pono.
“The Year of the Hawaiian Kingdom”
June 11 2020 – June 11 2021
What is this about?
The Year of the Hawaiian Kingdom is going to be a year-long celebration of the anniversary of the birth of our nation 210 years ago, and a celebration of the re-birth and re-generation of the Hawaiian Kingdom as a sovereign nation.
In April of 1810, Kaumualiʻi the aliʻi nui of Kauai and Niʻihau, traveled to Oʻahu to give fealty to Kamehameha the Great, thus ending a 15-year stand-off with Kamehameha and completing the unification of the Hawaiian Islands under the sovereign rule of Kamehameha. With that, what became known as the Kingdom of the Hawaiian Islands, was born.
Although there will be some preliminary observances in April honoring Kaumualʻi’s noble action, the actual start of the Year of the Hawaiian Kingdom celebration will be, appropriately... King Kamehameha Day, June 11, 2020.
King Kamehameha Day was first proclaimed by King Kamehameha V on December 22, 1871 as a day to honor his grandfather, Kamehameha the Great, the founder of our country.
The first observance of the holiday happened in 1872. It was an immediate success and grew to become the biggest holiday in Hawaiʻi nei. By the late 19th century, the celebrations featured elaborate parades, carnivals and fairs, foot races, horse races and other festive events. King Kamehameha Day is the only Hawaiian Kingdom holiday that survived intact through “the fake territory” and “the fake state” of Hawaii.
With the Year of the Hawaiian Kingdom celebration, we are going to not only reclaim Kamehameha Day as a Hawaiian Kingdom national holiday, but use it as a festive and positive reminder to everyone that this is still the Hawaiian Kingdom! ... and the people of this nation... natives, subjects, nationals... still live here.
We donʻt have to start from scratch...
We are excited! Many great ideas are being proposed to make this an incredible celebration.
The Year of the Hawaiian Kingdom can piggy-back on upcoming international events like the Pacific Arts Festival starting June 10 in Honolulu; the Tokyo Olympics in July, along with our own national holidays (Kamehameha Day, La Hoʻihoʻi Ea; Onipaʻa, La Kuʻokoʻa...) We can use other platforms such as Aloha Festivals, Hula Bowl, Merrie Monarch... and, of course we can also, as we have done in the past, commandeer U.S. holidays (like the 4th of July, Statehood Day, etc.). We can do amazing social media stuff, like live-streaming concerts and other events globally; have some invigorating messaging on instagram, twitter, etc. (“Aloha, Iʻm so-and-so and I live in the Hawaiian Kingdom”) and all kinds of fun merchandizing...
But we still need someone to spearhead a committee to coordinate and promote the events for celebration. If you are (or if you know of someone who is) interested in being a facilitator for this project, please contact: Info@HawaiianKingdom.net
Things are intensifying... this year is going to see some breakthroughs as we travel and interact with the global community to support our initiatives.
Your kokua is vital to this effort... (see below about contributing through GoFundMe)
Your kōkua, large or small, is much appreciated will help greatly to move this work forward.
To contribute, go to GoFundMe.com/FreeHawaii
To contribute in other ways (airline miles, travel vouchers, clerical help, etc...) email us at Info@HawaiianKingdom.net
Also...
Check out the great FREE HAWAII products you can purchase HERE
All proceeds go to help the cause.
Mahalo Nui Loa!
Malama Pono,
Leon Siu
Hawaiian National
------------------
http://www.hawaiifreepress.com/ArticlesMain/tabid/56/ID/25094/Aloha-Aina-Party-Qualifies-for-Ballot-Status.aspx
Aloha Aina Party Qualifies for Ballot Status
By News Release
HAWAII HAS A NEW POLITICAL PARTY: THE ALOHA AINA PARTY
News Release from Aloha Aina Party
Hilo, Hawaii, March 12, 2020 at 5:00pm - Today, the Aloha Aina Party (AAP) became Hawaii’s newest political party and is now eligible to field candidates for the 2020 elections.
The State Office of Elections has certified the AAP as legitimate and official after satisfying every requirement to be a political party in Hawaii. This includes over 1,600 signatures, far exceeding the 757 signatures of registered voters required, on a Petition. This also includes a mandatory 20-day review/objection period that ended today at 4pm.
The AAP was founded by three native Hawaiians who are members of the Royal Order of Kamehameha (Don Kaulia, Pua Ishibashi, and Desmon Haumea). It is founded on traditional Hawaiian values such as living Aloha, being Pono, and advocating for Hooponopono (to make things right). In this context the AAP may be considered a Hawaiian political party. The first Hawaiian political party in over 107-years. However, “the AAP is open and inclusive to everyone and will address the needs and concerns of all the people in Hawaii” said Pua Ishibashi, AAP founding member.
The AAP may be summarized by its 5-foundational principles. This includes recognition of the Divine, to Aloha the People, Malama (care for) the Aina (land), demand government Accountability and Transparency, and advocate for Hooponopono, to make right what is wrong, regarding the Overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1893.
“The nation and Hawaii are experiencing a growing trend of historic lows (23%) in political satisfaction. That includes political parties, elected officials, and State and Federal governments. In this regard, the AAP represents a new and better way that will challenge and change how politics and governments currently do business” Ishibashi continued.
Regarding its immediate goals, Ishibashi said “Now we secure candidates for every elected office in the state of Hawaii for the 2020 Elections. This includes County, State, and Federal level elected offices. Then we begin the needed change from the inside out to benefit our keiki, ourselves, our kupuna, and future generations”
For more information about the Aloha Aina Party please visit
alohaainaparty.com.
-------------------
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2020/03/14/hawaii-news/founders-announce-creation-of-aloha-aina-party/
Hawaii Tribune-Herald (Hilo), Saturday March 14, 2020
Creation of Aloha Aina Party announced
and
https://www.westhawaiitoday.com/2020/03/14/hawaii-news/meet-the-new-third-party/
West Hawaii Today (Kona), Saturday March 14, 2020
Meet the new third party
By MICHAEL BRESTOVANSKY
A newly formed political party, the Aloha Aina Party, hopes to run candidates in every election statewide on a platform of Hawaiian sovereignty and cultural values.
Pua Ishibashi, co-founder of the Aloha Aina Party, announced the creation of the party at the King Kamehameha statue in Wailoa Park Friday and declared the party’s intentions to represent Hawaiian issues that have gone unaddressed by other political parties.
“Current surveys here and nationwide show that more than 70% of people are not satisfied with their current political parties, their political candidates,” Ishibashi said, citing complaints of “widespread corruption” in the major political parties and a lack of genuine community input. “Enter the Aloha Aina Party.”
The party is founded on five core principals, Ishibashi said: recognition of the divine and the right for people to worship as they believe; the need to aloha the people; to malama ‘aina, or care for the land; the need for government transparency and accountability, and to advocate for ho‘oponopono, or a redress of grievances stemming from the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom.
The party’s website goes into further detail about its platform, emphasizing the need to improve wages, health care, education, environmental sustainability and more throughout the state.
This is not the first time Ishibashi and fellow co-founders Desmond Haumea and Don Kauliahave attempted to form a new party. Their first attempt was in 2016, but they failed to obtain the 757 signatures necessary for recognition by the state Office of Elections.
They tried again in 2018, but Ishibashi admitted their efforts were “half-hearted,” as they were still dejected by their failure in 2016. However, they tried a third time in 2019 and were able to receive more than 1,600 signatures, allowing them to be formally recognized.
“A lot of the feedback we got in 2016 was from people who said they didn’t vote, and they don’t want to get involved,” Ishibashi said. “But in 2019, people started saying the exact opposite.”
The greater support for a Native Hawaiian political party — Ishibashi said the Aloha Aina Party is the first Native Hawaiian political party in the state for 107 years — in 2019 likely stems in part to the backlash against the planned construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope on Maunakea, which is considered by some to be sacred. Accordingly, Ishibashi said the party is opposed to the construction of TMT and advocates for the timely decommissioning of all other facilities on Maunakea’s summit.
Although the party has a strong focus on Native Hawaiian issues — all three founders are members of the Royal Order of Kamehameha — Ishibashi emphasized that the party remains open to everybody who shares its views, and encouraged people to not vote based on party, race or nationality, but by whether a candidate truly represents one’s values.
To that end, Ishibashi said the Aloha Aina Party intends to offer political candidates in every level of this year’s elections, although he added that none have yet been declared.
If no candidate can be found for certain races, Ishibashi said the party may choose to endorse another candidate.
The Aloha Aina Party is the fifth political party to be recognized by the Office of Elections for the 2020 elections.
It will be joined on the ballot by the Democratic and Republican parties of Hawaii, the Libertarian Party of Hawaii, and the Green Party of Hawaii.
-----
** Ken Conklin's online comment:
The "Aloha 'Aina" party is nothing more than the successor to the Hawaiian race-nationalist "Home Rule" party founded by Robert Wilcox in response to the annexation in 1898, which successfully elected Wilcox in 1900 to be Hawaii's first Territorial Delegate to Congress. He did such a lousy job that the ethnic Hawaiian majority voted for Republican Jonah Kuhio who won the election for Territorial Delegate in 1902, and re-elected Kuhio to Congress for the next 20 years. By the way, the phrase "Aloha 'Aina" does not simply mean love for the land. What it meant in 1900, and again today, is "patriotism" toward a race-supremacist independent nation of Hawaii. Back then, and again today, "aloha 'aina" is a salutation -- a greeting the "patriots" use at the beginning of an email, or when passing each other on the street or starting a political rally -- sort of like we see in old movies about Germany in 1935-1945 when citizens were expected to routinely raise their hands while saying "Heil Hitler."
---------------------
http://freehawaii.blogspot.com/2020/03/ke-aupuni-update-march-2020-keeping-in.html
Free Hawaii blog, SATURDAY, MARCH 21, 2020
KE AUPUNI UPDATE - MARCH 2020
Keeping in touch and updated on activities regarding the restoration of Ke Aupuni o Hawai`i, the Hawaiian Kingdom.
Ua Mau Ke Ea O Ka `Aina I Ka Pono.
At the UN
I arrived in Geneva as Switzerland was beginning to react to the Coronavirus emergency. The day before I got there, thousands of people who had traveled to attend the famous International Geneva Motor Show were abruptly told, on the eve of its opening, the week-long event was canceled. Within two days, Geneva hotels, hostels, BNBʻs, etc. plummeted from 100% occupancy to 15%!
The UN also began to make adjustments, canceling all of the panel events that make up the bulk of the activities at the Human Rights Council. Civil society delegates who had come from all over the world, some at great cost and sacrifice, were told they could not make their presentations. It was devastating to many. After two weeks of schedule and venue changes and other disruptions, the last week of the 43rd Session of the Human Rights Council was cancelled. It was time to “Get out of Dodge.”
I left Geneva a day earlier than originally planned, just a few hours before the Europe “travel ban” went into effect. I intended to stay in New York for a couple of weeks, but things were shutting down there also. So I flew back to Honolulu. Good to be back home.
What happened at the UN
As you know, I go to the UN headquarters both in New York and Geneva several times a year. We are not trying to join the UN. We are there to point out that one of its principal members, the United States, is committing international wrongful acts with regard to the Hawaiian Islands; and that the United Nations needs to stop aiding and abetting these criminal acts.
Foreign affairs is also called foreign relations. The building of friendly relations is crucial to the interest of our nation. The disruptions in the UN agenda in Geneva meant that many of the diplomats had some unexpected spare time. Thus, I was able to use the opportunity to have face-to-face, talk-story with several ambassadors and officials to update them about our situation and to discuss strategy. For this reason, I consider this trip as one of the most productive for our purposes.
Having these extra one-on-one talks was a God-send, and will prove extremely beneficial to our cause when things settle down a bit and the UN resumes its meetings… and we are able to launch our initiatives to Free Hawai`i.
Year of the Hawaiian Kingdom
If you are (or if you know of someone who is) interested in being a facilitator for any aspect of the Year of the Hawaiian Kingdom Celebration, please contact:
info@HawaiianKingdom.net
Things are intensifying... this year is going to see some breakthroughs as we travel and interact with the global community to support our initiatives.
Your kokua is vital to this effort... (see below about contributing through GoFundMe)
Your kōkua, large or small, is much appreciated will help greatly to move this work forward.
To contribute, go to GoFundMe.com/FreeHawaii
To contribute in other ways (airline miles, travel vouchers, clerical help, etc...) email us at Info@HawaiianKingdom.net
Also...
Check out the great FREE HAWAII products you can purchase HERE
http://www.robkajiwara.com/store/c8/Support_Human_Rights.html
All proceeds go to help the cause.
Mahalo Nui Loa!
Malama Pono,
Leon Siu
Hawaiian National
---------------------
http://freehawaii.blogspot.com/2020/04/ke-aupuni-update-april-2020-keeping-in.html
Free Hawaii Blog, April 13, 2020
Ke Aupuni Update
Keeping in touch and updated on activities regarding the restoration of Ke Aupuni o Hawaii, the Hawaiian Kingdom.
Ua Mau Ke Ea O Ka Aina I Ka Pono. The sovereignty of the land is perpetuated in righteousness.
Kapu Aloha going “viral”
The corona virus situation has abruptly forced people to confront and reconsider their priorities… that it is just as important to value the well-being of others as much as you value yourself. In the past few weeks commercial messages in print, broadcasts and social media have changed from the usual obscene, “What’s in it for me?” to the virtuous, “We’re all in this together!”
Everywhere we turn, the message of caring for each other, for family and community is being spread faster than the virus. Suddenly the world is waking up to the notion that it’s not about the rat-race, it’s about the human race. It’s about taking care of one another. That if we want to survive pandemics and even worse, we have to make it a kakou (together) thing… to malama (care for) each other and everything around us… even the air we breathe.
This past year, we saw Kapu Aloha miraculously transform and defuse the volatility of TMT on Mauna Kea and how that spirit spread to numerous other tense situations such as Kahuku and Hunananiho. Now, we see the world spontaneously embracing this spirit — in essence, Kapu Aloha — to get through the corona virus crisis.
Just think, this amazing power of Kapu Aloha is what will carry us through the rebirthing and rebuilding of our nation. Eō!
----
Year of the Hawaiian Kingdom
If you are (or if you know of someone who is) interested in being a facilitator for any aspect of the Year of the Hawaiian Kingdom Celebration, please contact: info@HawaiianKingdom.net
---
Things are intensifying... we expect some breakthroughs in gaining support from the global community. Your kokua is vital to this effort... (see below about contributing through GoFundMe)
—
Your kōkua, large or small, is much appreciated will help greatly to move this work forward.
To contribute, go to https://GoFundMe.com/FreeHawaii
To contribute in other ways (airline miles, travel vouchers, clerical help, etc...) email us at info@HawaiianKingdom.net
Also...
Check out the great FREE HAWAII products you can purchase at...
http://www.robkajiwara.com/store/c8/Support_Human_Rights.html
All proceeds go to help the cause.
Mahalo Nui Loa!
Malama Pono,
Leon Siu
Hawaiian National
----------------------
https://www.transcend.org/tms/2020/04/a-call-for-review-of-the-historical-facts-surrounding-the-unga-resolution-of-1959-that-recognized-attainment-of-self-government-for-hawaii/?fbclid=IwAR1nbwxAfUBg1FWAwOgIJxOYTDJ-BPKA4riD62scMSS9AwnPBXhC2kwENas
Transcend Media Services,
A Call for Review of the Historical Facts Surrounding the UNGA Resolution of 1959 That Recognized Attainment of Self-Government for Hawaii
20 Apr 2020
by Pōkā Laenui, Kioni Dudley, Leon Kaulahao Siu and Alfred de Zayas
April 2020 – In 1959, the territory and the people of the formerly independent nation/state of Hawaii was declared a State of the U.S. union and Hawaii was removed by the UN General Assembly as one of those places subject to further reporting by the United States in the progress toward Hawaii’s self-governance under Article 73 of the U.N. Charter. This document calls upon the UN General Assembly to review its actions taken in 1959.
The authors of this document are without official position and therefore no standing within the UN General Assembly. Any forward movement of this call for review will have to be moved from those individuals or bodies within the UN system.
Contact with these authors may be accomplished through TRANSCEND member Poka Laenui at his email address plaenui@hawaiianperspectives.org or through TMS.
** Note from website editor Ken Conklin: This is a very lengthy, detailed, well-written essay. I recommend you read it at
https://www.transcend.org/tms/2020/04/a-call-for-review-of-the-historical-facts-surrounding-the-unga-resolution-of-1959-that-recognized-attainment-of-self-government-for-hawaii/?fbclid=IwAR1nbwxAfUBg1FWAwOgIJxOYTDJ-BPKA4riD62scMSS9AwnPBXhC2kwENas
----------------------
http://freehawaii.blogspot.com/2020/04/ke-aupuni-update-april-2020-keeping-in_25.html
Free Hawaii blog, April 25, 2020
KE AUPUNI UPDATE - APRIL 2020
Keeping in touch and updated on activities regarding the restoration of Ke Aupuni o Hawai`i, the Hawaiian Kingdom.
Ua Mau Ke Ea O Ka `Aina I Ka Pono.
What will the Kingdom look like?
Not only has the corona virus situation forced all of us to contemplate our values and priorities, it is making Hawaii’s future as a free and independent nation not such a far-fetched idea.
For years we have been decrying not only the inherent illegality of the “State of Hawaii” but that it basically operates as a criminal enterprise disguised as a benign and progressive political/economic system. But in recent years, the flaws and abuse of power (e.g. TMT, The Rail, Kahuku, etc.) have become so obvious that even those in the system are saying, “We can’t go on with business as usual.”
During this corona time-out, many in the State are calling for reevaluating and making plans to over-haul Hawaii’s economic structure so that when re-opening for business, they’ll start to head in a better direction.
This is a great time for us to get into the mix to steer things to transition toward the Hawaiian Kingdom. There are literally decades of studies and ideas formulated by a lot of thoughtful people on how Hawaii’s economic, social and political condition can be improved. And there are hundreds in our midst today with great ideas and hard at work to malama their kuleana, actually implementing the Hawaii of the future. This is the time to have a full discussion to create a roadmap for the reawakening of the Hawaiian Kingdom.
I am often asked, “What would the Hawaiian Kingdom look like?” I tell them that initially there would no noticeable change: the outward appearances, the infrastructure, the basic functions would be the same. But the manner in how it’s run would change. It’s like a company that comes under new management. It’s still the same company providing the same services, but it will reflect the priorities, values and style of the new manager and his team.
So what is our style? Kapu Aloha! Imagine how different things would be if Kapu Aloha were to replace the current style of selfishness and greed?
It is this amazing power of Kapu Aloha that will carry us through the rebirthing and rebuilding of our nation. Eō!
Year of the Hawaiian Kingdom
If you are (or if you know of someone who is) interested in being a facilitator for any aspect of the Year of the Hawaiian Kingdom Celebration, please contact:
info@HawaiianKingdom.net
Things are intensifying... this year is going to see some breakthroughs as we travel and interact with the global community to support our initiatives.
Your kokua is vital to this effort... (see below about contributing through GoFundMe)
Your kōkua, large or small, is much appreciated will help greatly to move this work forward.
To contribute, go to GoFundMe.com/FreeHawaii
To contribute in other ways (airline miles, travel vouchers, clerical help, etc...) email us at Info@HawaiianKingdom.net
Also Check out the great FREE HAWAII products you can purchase HERE
http://www.robkajiwara.com/store/c8/Support_Human_Rights.html
All proceeds go to help the cause.
Mahalo Nui Loa!
Malama Pono,
Leon Siu
Hawaiian National
----------------------
https://www.civilbeat.org/2020/05/native-hawaiians-are-losing-out-on-millions-of-covid-19-dollars/
Honolulu Civil Beat, Sunday May 3, 2020
Native Hawaiians Are Losing Out On Millions Of COVID-19 Dollars
Native Hawaiians do not have a centralized government formally recognized by the federal government.
By Nick Grube
WASHINGTON — An ongoing battle over $8 billion in federal coronavirus relief money for America’s indigenous people is missing a key participant — Native Hawaiians.
When Congress passed the $2.2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act in March the intent was to set aside at least some funds for tribal entities so that they could respond to the growing COVID-19 pandemic in their communities.
American Indians and Alaska Natives are particularly susceptible to the spread of disease and — like other people of color in the U.S. — are believed to be more vulnerable to the coronavirus due to higher rates of chronic illness, lower incomes and overall lack of access to health care. The same is generally true for Native Hawaiians.
Federal relief aid in the CARES Act was supposed to ensure the country’s indigenous peoples were not forgotten. Instead, tribes have been embroiled in a legal fight with the Trump administration over attempts to send the money to for-profit Native corporations in Alaska.
While a federal judge sided with the tribes last week, the U.S. Treasury Department has yet to release any of the funds.
When the money finally does flow, however, Native Hawaiians won’t see any of it. That’s because despite decades of trying, Native Hawaiians are not fully recognized by the U.S. government as a sovereign entity in the same way hundreds of American Indian tribes and Alaska Natives are.
They don’t have a centralized government that can receive federal money, which means that in the midst of a global pandemic Native Hawaiians might miss out.
“This is a direct consequence of the lack of federal recognition,” said Hawaii Congressman Ed Case, who sits on the House Appropriations Committee. “I’ll say it straight, if Native Hawaiians were federally recognized the likelihood of higher funding is there.”
Other Money Available
That’s not to say Hawaiians won’t benefit from the federal relief programs.
Like most everyone else, they can still receive a one-time direct payment from the government, qualify for billions of dollars in small business loans and take advantage of government and other nonprofit services, such as for health care and education, through federal stimulus deals.
State and local governments received $1.2 billion in direct coronavirus relief aid and can also choose to allocate those dollars to Native Hawaiians through grants and other discretionary spending programs.
There’s also the possibility for some Native Hawaiian organizations to get direct allocations from the federal government through other provisions in the CARES Act.
Such was the case for Alu Like Inc., a Honolulu-based nonprofit that received $62,270 through the legislation and provides a wide range of services to Native Hawaiians from job training to elder care.
For the most part, however, the lack of direct federal funding means nonprofit organizations and agencies, such as the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, must lobby Hawaii Gov. David Ige and other state officials to work on behalf of Native Hawaiians.
On April 3, shortly after President Donald Trump signed the CARES Act into law, OHA and several nonprofits representing Native Hawaiian interests, such as Papa Ola Lokahi and the Native Hawaiian Community Development Corp., sent a letter to Ige and top officials at the state Department of Education urging them to apply for millions of dollars in federal emergency education funds through the CARES Act and dedicate at least 25% for Native Hawaiian children.
The letter said the funding was critical due to the disproportionate effects COVID-19 was having on Native Hawaiian youth, most of whom depend on free and reduced lunch and are less likely to have access to computers and the internet to participate in distance learning while schools were closed.
“To make a dire situation worse our keiki will also face lasting challenges due to impacts of COVID-19 on their family members,” the letter said. “Many Native Hawaiians possess characteristics that place them in the high-risk category for COVID-19. More than one in four Native Hawaiians suffer from asthma in comparison with the 15.4% rate amongst non-Hawaiian individuals in the State. Approximately 13.3% of Native Hawaiians suffer from diabetes in comparison to 8.1% of non-Hawaiians in the State.
“Any assistance to lessen the burden upon Native Hawaiian families at this critical time of need will not only improve education outcomes for Native Hawaiian students but improve holistic outcomes for Native Hawaiian families as well.”
Sterling Wong, a spokesman for OHA, said there’s little more the agency can do other than urge state officials to apply for federal relief aid and allocate it accordingly to Native Hawaiians. He did not want to comment on the topic of federal recognition.
“We understand that Washington, D.C., is a challenging place for Hawaii,” Wong said. “We’re appreciative of our congressional delegation’s efforts to get Hawaii the funding that we’ve received, and our focus right now is trying to figure out what monies are available and how to get it to our community.”
Kuhio Lewis, who is the CEO of the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, was more blunt in his assessment.
“The unfortunate reality right now is we are subservient to the state and county government, we have to go through them,” Lewis said. “Really, Hawaiians need to come together to figure out their future and the structure of that future so we can start getting these funds.”
Native Hawaiian organizations, such as his, are reliant on government dollars, but Lewis said there’s barely been a trickle from the feds despite there being trillions of dollars on the table.
Prior to the pandemic, the council had hundreds of applicants for a program that gave one-time payments of $1,500 to Native Hawaiians experiencing a temporary hardship, such as job loss or unexpected medical bill, that made it difficult to make their next month’s rent or pay their utilities. Once the virus took hold on the islands the numbers jumped into the thousands.
“We know there are many ongoing attempts to push money to us, but right now there’s not a lot,” Lewis said. “Things are coming at us fast and furious, and what we’re seeing is our federal, state and county governments trying to figure out how to deploy their resources, but everything is moving so quickly. I don’t think it’s because of a lack of interest or support.”
The lack of a centralized Native Hawaiian government also causes a problem, Lewis said. Had Hawaiians completed the federal recognition process the government would have a direct repository for relief aid.
As it stands, Hawaii’s congressional delegation must instead pump money into multiple different program budgets administered by multiple different agencies to get federal dollars to the Native Hawaiian community.
“Honestly, we keep kicking the can down the road because we don’t get along or we can’t figure it out,” Lewis said, “but really it’s a conversation that we need to have.”
A Long History Of Disagreement
Native Hawaiian federal recognition and forming a government-to-government relationship with the U.S. has a long, controversial history in Hawaii, one that’s most often linked to late-U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka, himself a Native Hawaiian, who fought for many years to pass legislation that would put his people on the same footing with the federal government as American Indian tribes.
Akaka, who retired from Congress in 2012 and died in 2018, failed in his endeavor. But in 2016 the Obama administration’s Interior Department finalized a rule that would allow Native Hawaiians to form their own government. Hawaiians, however, could never agree on what self-governance should look like under U.S. rule, which ultimately sunk the process.
The pathway to self-governance still exists, but Native Hawaiians have yet to complete the journey. In terms of federal funding, Hawaii’s congressional delegation has needed to be creative.
Over the decades, language has been inserted in various laws and programs that carve out allocations for Native Hawaiians for housing, health care and education.
For example, when the Native American Housing Assistance and Self Determination Act was first passed in 1996 it only served the affordable housing needs of American Indians and Alaska Natives.
Four years later a new provision was added to the law that allowed grants to Native Hawaiians through the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.
Securing funds for Native Hawaiians has been a perennial challenge for Hawaii’s congressional delegation, especially with Republican President Donald Trump in the White House.
For years, conservatives, with the backing of special interest groups like the Heritage Foundation, have pushed to eliminate federal programs benefiting Native Hawaiians, arguing that they were a racial classification rather than an indigenous people with their own governing structures analogous to American Indians.
Among those who supported this view is U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who Trump appointed to the high court in 2018. Kavanaugh has argued that any benefits for Native Hawaiians should be “subject to strict scrutiny and of questionable validity under the Constitution.”
Hawaii Sen. Brian Schatz knows the dance all too well. Schatz is a Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, and each year must reinsert money into the federal budget for Native Hawaiian health care, education and housing programs that the Trump administration zeroes out.
Schatz said that any arguments that Native Hawaiians don’t already have a trust relationship with the U.S. government are undercut by hundreds of statutes, decades of funding and numerous lawsuits.
“There’s some continuing animosity toward recognizing the trust relationship the federal government has with Native Hawaiians, but most of the work gets done on the Appropriations Committee,” Schatz said, “and as the old saying goes, ‘There are three parties in Washington, D.C. — Democrats, Republicans and Appropriators.’”
“The appropriators tend to take care not to mess with each others’ states, and so on that basis we’ve been able to not just maintain funding for Native Hawaiians but increase it in the last seven years.”
Native Hawaiians will still receive millions of dollars through the coronavirus relief packages, he said, it just won’t go directly to a specific government entity because it hasn’t been set up yet. Until that happens, Native Hawaiians will continue to miss out on certain pots of money, including the $8 billion set aside in the CARES Act.
“We need a new president,” Schatz said, “and then we need for the Native Hawaiian community to move through the process of determining what a Native Hawaiian governing entity would look like.”
Editor’s note: Before you go . . .
During a crisis like this, it’s more important than ever to dig beyond the news, to figure out what government policies mean for ordinary citizens and how those policies were put together.
For the first time, Civil Beat has become a seven-days-per-week news operation, publishing new stories and a new edition each Saturday and Sunday as well as weekdays.
This is perhaps the biggest, most consequential story our reporters will ever cover. And at no other time in Civil Beat’s history have we relied on your support more. Please consider supporting Civil Beat by making a tax-deductible gift..
** Ken Conklin's note: Read that last paragraph again. Looks like Civil Beat plans to start pushing (again!) for federal recognition of a Hawaiian tribe.
-----------------------
https://www.postguam.com/news/local/arnold-davis-wins-final-victory-and-justice-in-plebiscite-appeal/article_63606a24-8e15-11ea-a537-f7a6e957e167.html
Guam Post, May 5, 2020
Arnold Davis wins 'final victory and justice' in plebiscite appeal
Daily Post Staff
After nine years, Arnold "Dave" Davis has "final victory and justice," as the U.S. Supreme Court denied Guam's appeal of a 9th Circuit Court decision that found Guam's plebsicite law was a race-based voting restriction, according to his attorney J. Christian Adams.
On May 4, the appellate court denied the government of Guam's writ of certiorari request.
Davis has been challenging Guam's plebiscite on the question of whether Guam should seek independence, statehood, or free association from the United States.
Guam law permits only those who meet the definition of “native inhabitants of Guam” to vote in the plebiscite. It was this definition that Davis and the Center for Individual Rights alleged excluded Davis and other individuals who live on Guam and are otherwise registered to vote in Guam elections.
"It is a shame that so much energy was devoted to a divisive, racially discriminatory voting qualification," said Davis' attorney J. Christian Adams. "The legislature could have years ago opened up the plebiscite to all citizens living on Guam. Those status questions could have been resolved by now, but instead money and time were wasted."
The 9th Circuit found Guam's plebiscite law was a race-based voting restriction in violation of the Fifteenth Amendment.
The government pursued an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court arguing the planned plebiscite should not be considered a “vote” because it will not result in “direct legal or political consequences.”
Davis and his lawyers argued Guam's argument would have significant consequences for voting laws on the mainland. If advisory votes do not qualify as “votes” under the Fifteenth Amendment, then even some state primaries would not meet the definition of a “vote,” as delegates are not necessarily bound by the results of the primaries in their states, plaintiff's attorneys said.
Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero hired a private law firm "pro bono" or at no cost, but additional attorney's fees will be charged to the government because it lost the case.
As of the 9th Circuit ruling, GovGuam was already on the hook for almost $1 million in the award of legal fees to the plaintiff's attorneys. The governor previously said she was responding to a call for her to continue the legal fight.
The governor has said: “We value everyone that has made Guam home, but a plebiscite is meant to remedy a historical injustice—and that remedy belongs to the native inhabitants of Guam... I cannot deny our people the right of an appeal so long as others may be willing to champion it."
With the denial from the U.S. Supreme Court, Adams stated, "Now is the time for everyone to come together and settle these issues in a realistic Constitutional way that respects the dignity of every citizen on Guam."
The governor reacted to the decision on Tuesday calling it a "disappointment."
Leon Guerrero added, "It is what it is. I am going to be meeting with the legal people to further discuss it."
----------------
https://www.postguam.com/news/local/governor-supreme-court-decision-a-disappointment/article_7b3fe9b0-8e99-11ea-9031-c723c7bedcc9.html
Guam Post, May 6, 2020
Governor: Supreme Court decision a 'disappointment'
'We are going to move on with the plebiscite'
Daily Post Staff
After nine years, Arnold "Dave" Davis has "final victory and justice," as the U.S. Supreme Court denied Guam's appeal of a 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision that found Guam's plebiscite law was a race-based voting restriction, according to his attorney.
On May 4, the appellate court denied the government of Guam's writ of certiorari request.
Davis has been challenging Guam's plebiscite on the question of whether Guam should seek independence, statehood or free association with the United States.
Guam law permits only those who meet the definition of "native inhabitants of Guam" to vote in the plebiscite. It was this definition that Davis and the Center for Individual Rights alleged excluded Davis and other individuals who live on Guam and are otherwise registered to vote in Guam elections.
"It is a shame that so much energy was devoted to a divisive, racially discriminatory voting qualification," said Davis' attorney, J. Christian Adams. "The Legislature could have years ago opened up the plebiscite to all citizens living on Guam. Those status questions could have been resolved by now, but instead money and time were wasted."
The 9th Circuit found Guam's plebiscite law was a race-based voting restriction in violation of the Fifteenth Amendment.
The government pursued an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing the planned plebiscite should not be considered a "vote" because it will not result in "direct legal or political consequences."
Davis and his lawyers claimed Guam's argument would have significant consequences for voting laws in the states. If advisory votes do not qualify as "votes" under the Fifteenth Amendment, then even some state primaries would not meet the definition of a "vote," as delegates are not necessarily bound by the results of the primaries in their states, plaintiff's attorneys said.
Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero hired a private law firm "pro bono" or at no cost, but additional attorney's fees will be charged to the government because it lost the case.
As of the 9th Circuit ruling, GovGuam was already on the hook for almost $1 million in the award of legal fees to the plaintiff's attorneys. The governor previously said she was responding to a call for her to continue the legal fight.
She had said she could not deny the people the right of an appeal while others were willing to champion the cause.
With the denial from the U.S. Supreme Court, attorney Adams stated, "Now is the time for everyone to come together and settle these issues in a realistic Constitutional way that respects the dignity of every citizen on Guam."
'It is what it is'
The governor reacted to the decision on Tuesday calling it a "disappointment."
"It is what it is," said Leon Guerrero. "I am going to be meeting with Melvin Borja, who heads my Commission on Decolonization, and regroup and see whatever options we have to move forward on. We could do legislation. We could amend the legislation. We could do something with the legislation that would address the 9th Circuit's concerns about the legislation, but we are going to move on with the plebiscite."
---------------
https://www.thegardenisland.com/2020/05/05/hawaii-news/us-supreme-court-declines-to-take-up-guam-plebiscite-case/
The Garden Island [Kaua'i], Tuesday, May 5, 2020
US Supreme Court declines to take up Guam plebiscite case
By Associated Press
HAGATNA, Guam — The U.S. Supreme Court announced it will not review a case that could affect the political status of Guam.
The order issued Monday means a July 2019 federal appeals court ruling will stand and Guam’s native inhabitants cannot participate in a political status plebiscite, The Pacific Daily News reported.
The Guam government in December appealed a July 2019 ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which said the island’s political status plebiscite is race-based and violates constitutionally protected voting rights.
The non-binding vote would determine whether native inhabitants prefer statehood, free association or independence from the United States.
Guam is a U.S. colony and the results of the plebiscite could have helped shape the island’s future actions involving decolonization.
The government’s appeal was considered a long shot, as the Supreme Court typically agrees to consider only about 3% of appeals. The court did not issue its reasoning for rejecting the Guam case.
Guam resident Arnold Davis filed a 2011 federal lawsuit against the Guam Election Commission after the panel denied his request to register for the plebiscite because he did not meet the legal definition of a “native inhabitant.”
Guam’s plebiscite law defines native inhabitants as people who became U.S. citizens because of the Organic Act, which establishes U.S. territories, and their descendants.
The government argued the Ninth Circuit incorrectly held that Guam’s plebiscite law is considered a “vote.” The plebiscite is instead a targeted public opinion survey that does not impact public policy, the government argued.
Davis’ attorneys asked the Supreme Court to reject the government’s petition, saying the plebiscite is not simply a non-binding survey and would commit the government to take a position on the island’s political status.
-------------
** Online comment by Ken Conklin, got posted in both of the Guam news reports but the Kaua'i editor apparently rejected posting the comment.
The decision in the Guam lawsuit mirrors earlier decisions regarding attempts to hold race-based elections in Hawaii, and is an important confirmation that civil rights activists in Hawaii will continue to be successful in blocking any such elections in Hawaii.
In Guam there was an attempt to hold an election about whether Guam should be an independent nation -- an election sponsored by the Guam government , in which the right to vote would be limited almost entirely to ethnic Guamanians (Chamorros) through an eligibility requirement based on being a resident of Guam many decades ago or being a descendant of someone who was (similar to proposals to hold an election in Hawaii restricted to descendants of people who were subjects of the Hawaiian Kingdom before 1893). Over a period of nine years the Davis lawsuit worked its way through the federal courts. Mr. Davis repeatedly cited the Hawaii precedent in Rice v. Cayetano, where the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 7-2 in year 2000 that the right to vote for OHA trustees must be open to all registered voters regardless of race.
Despite the Rice decision OHA and ethnic Hawaiian race-partisans have repeatedly tried to hold such elections, and the federal courts have repeatedly forbidden it. During 2015 OHA, a state government agency, created and funded a scheme where a vote restricted to ethnic Hawaiians would elect delegates to a constitutional convention to write a constitution for a proposed Hawaiian tribe, so that ratification of such a constitution in a planned race-based election could be used to satisfy a requirement under Obama's Department of Interior regulation 43CFR50 to get federal recognition for a Hawaiian tribe. Thanks to a lawsuit by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, the U.S. Supreme Court by 5-4 vote upheld Justice Kennedy's emergency order blocking publication of the results of the delegate election. OHA circumvented that ruling by declaring that all the candidates to be delegates were winners; the convention was held in February 2016 and produced a proposed constitution which has remained in limbo since then. Racial partisans have remained dormant for 4 years because they realized that President Trump's Department of Interior and Department of Justice would never allow creation of a Hawaiian tribe. But presumably they have secretly been raising millions of dollars for a privately run election to ratify the proposed tribal constitution and submit it to wannabe President Biden's Department of Interior.
Read about the history of the race-based constitution by googling
43CFR50 Na'i Aupuni Hawaiian constitution
Full text of the Na'i Aupuni proposed constitution for a Hawaiian tribe is at
http://big09.angelfire.com/NatHwnConstitAdopt022616.pdf
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http://freehawaii.blogspot.com/2020/05/ke-aupuni-update-may-2020-keeping-in.html
Free Hawaii blog, May 9, 2020
KE AUPUNI UPDATE - MAY 2020
Keeping in touch and updated on activities regarding the restoration of Ke Aupuni o Hawai`i, the Hawaiian Kingdom.
Ua Mau Ke Ea O Ka `Aina I Ka Pono.
A time to practice Kapu Aloha
In our last update, we pointed out s stark contrast in styles of governance… how we expect the soon-to-be restored Hawaiian Kingdom would operate differently from the current US/State of Hawaii, using Kapu Aloha… treating people with respect and aloha even if we do not agree with them.
When Gov. Ige visited the Mauna Kea puʻuhonua last July, all the news media reported in how he was received by the kupuna and the kiaʻi. Hawaii News Now said: “The governor received a remarkably warm welcome ― with lei, chants and embraces ... in his first visit to the TMT protest.” It was essentially the same in all the news accounts as well as the live-streamed and eye-witness postings.
In spite of the fact that the two “sides” were diametrically opposed on the TMT project, Kapu Aloha prevailed and was maintained by the kiaʻi all the way to the successful suspension of the TMT project and the noa (ending, putting to rest) of the puʻuhonua.
This was the peaceful and orderly narrative at the ʻofficialʻ levels — government, developers, protectors, community, media.
But in the arena of public opinion, it was harsh... and some people — on both sides — got completely out of hand... especially on social media... making accusations, recriminations and threats. Definitely not Kapu Aloha.
This is the area that really requires our personal, individual attention. Each of us in the nation, if we are to be a lāhui that governs with Kapu Aloha, we have to be people who strive to llive in Kapu Aloha... personally... and in a culture that upholds Kapu Aloha.
The current crisis over the coronavirus has caused Gov. Ige to adopt draconian measures, shutting down practically everything. Even those that donʻt present any health hazard. Everyone his hurting. It is already an economic disaster. Those demonstrating for re-opening certain activities and businesses are being arrested and villified in social media. (Sound familiar?). This crisis is an opportune to take Kapu Aloha to the next step... making it personal in your own life and putting it into practice!
This crisis will pass, but what will be on the other end? What kind of a people will we be? What kind of a nation will we model? If not one showing Kapu Aloha, then it will be pohō, a wasted opportunity.
It is this amazing power of Kapu Aloha that will carry us through the rebirthing and rebuilding of our nation. Eō!
Year of the Hawaiian Kingdom
If you are (or if you know of someone who is) interested in being a facilitator for any aspect of the Year of the Hawaiian Kingdom Celebration, please contact:
info@HawaiianKingdom.net
Things are intensifying... this year is going to see some breakthroughs as we travel and interact with the global community to support our initiatives.
Your kokua is vital to this effort... (see below about contributing through GoFundMe)
Your kōkua, large or small, is much appreciated will help greatly to move this work forward.
To contribute, go to GoFundMe.com/FreeHawaii
To contribute in other ways (airline miles, travel vouchers, clerical help, etc...) email us at Info@HawaiianKingdom.net
Also...
Check out the great FREE HAWAII products you can purchase HERE
http://www.robkajiwara.com/store/c8/Support_Human_Rights.html
All proceeds go to help the cause.
Mahalo Nui Loa!
Malama Pono,
Leon Siu
Hawaiian National
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http://freehawaii.blogspot.com/2020/05/ke-aupuni-update-may-2020-keeping-in_25.html
Free Hawaii blog, Monday May 25, 2020 (U.S. Memorial Day) [but not a Hawaiian Kingdom holiday!]
KE AUPUNI UPDATE - MAY 2020
Keeping in touch and updated on activities regarding the restoration of Ke Aupuni o Hawai`i, the Hawaiian Kingdom.
Ua Mau Ke Ea O Ka `Aina I Ka Pono.
“We the willing, led by the unknowing, are doing the impossible for the ungrateful. We have done so much, with so little, for so long, we are now qualified to do anything, with nothing.”
** Ken Conklin's note: This is a quote from Mother Teresa; but Leon Siu didn't bother to look it up or give credit to her.
This is a poster I had hanging over my desk since the late eighties...
This means we are eminently qualified!
Preparing for the future
One of my favorite programs on ʻŌlelo is Voices of Truth - One-On-One With Hawai`i’s Future. I love watching these interviews of people who are passionately pursuing some kind of down-to-earth activity: restoring fishponds, building hale, planting kalo, passing on our stories and traditions, training and mentoring our keiki, providing shelter for homeless, distributing food, caring for people, caring for our land, caring for our ʻohana, our communities, ka mea, ka mea...
Each one is an amazing story. But when you think about it, thatʻs us! That’s who we are... a people who take on kuleana with dedication, perseverance and joy... and without fanfare! And when I realize these ‘everyday people’ doing extraordinary things, are embedded in our community and our collective culture, it boggles the mind! It is inspiring! We are living in a nation populated by people with so much Aloha... who care so deeply... and for whom Aloha ʻĀina is real.
A nation is not built on laws and governing mechanisms; it is built on the character of its people.
So, can we Free Hawai`i, jump-start and operate the Hawaiian Kingdom? Yes, we can! We are already eminently qualified — not in just the way the poster above says (“anything with nothing”) — but in what matters most... Aloha ʻĀina.
Take the time to envision the future powered by Aloha ʻĀina like those we see on Voices of Truth.
Year of the Hawaiian Kingdom
If you are (or if you know of someone who is) interested in being a facilitator for any aspect of the Year of the Hawaiian Kingdom Celebration, please contact:
info@HawaiianKingdom.net
The campaign to Free Hawaii continues to grow ... as soon as this pandemic subsides, we expect significant movement in gaining support from the global community. Your kokua is vital to this effort...
Your kōkua, large or small, is much appreciated and will help greatly to move this work forward.
To contribute, go to GoFundMe.com/FreeHawaii
To contribute in other ways (airline miles, travel vouchers, clerical help, etc...) email us at Info@HawaiianKingdom.net
Also... Check out the great FREE HAWAII products you can purchase HERE
http://www.robkajiwara.com/store/c8/Support_Human_Rights.html
All proceeds go to help the cause.
Mahalo Nui Loa!
Malama Pono,
Leon Siu
Hawaiian National
--------------------
** Ken Conklin's note: The following article is from "Sputnik News." Wikipedia describes it this way:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sputnik_(news_agency)
Sputnik (Russian pronunciation: [ˈsputnʲɪk]; formerly The Voice of Russia and RIA Novosti, naming derived from Russian Спутник) is a news agency, news website platform and radio broadcast service established by the Russian government-owned news agency Rossiya Segodnya. [** Ken's note: That translates to "Russia Today" which everyone knows as RT Russian Government news agency.] With its headquarters in Moscow, Sputnik says it has regional editorial offices in Washington, D.C., Cairo, Beijing, Paris, Berlin, London, India and Edinburgh. Sputnik describes itself as being focused on global politics and economics and aims for an international audience. Sputnik is frequently described as a Russian propaganda outlet. In 2016, Neil MacFarquhar of The New York Times wrote: "The fundamental purpose of dezinformatsiya, or Russian disinformation, experts said, is to undermine the official version of events — even the very idea that there is a true version of events — and foster a kind of policy paralysis."
https://sputniknews.com/analysis/202005251079409828-covid-19-us-negligence-towards-indigenous-hawaiians-pours-salt-in-natives-old-wounds/
Sputnik International, May 26, 2020
COVID-19: US Negligence Towards Indigenous Hawaiians Pours Salt in Natives' Old Wounds
by Ekaterina Blinova
Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders remain some of the most vulnerable ethnic minorities in the US, whose human rights and freedoms have been neglected for decades, argue Hawaiian rights activists, stressing that inefficient local screening processes prompt fears of a potential spike in COVID cases among the indigenous population.
Hawaii is gradually opening up, following in the footsteps of other American states, which started easing restrictions in late April. Out of the country's 1.6 million confirmed COVID cases and over 97,000 deaths Hawaii accounts for 633 infected and 17 fatalities.
On 18 May, the state's governor, David Ige, extended the 14-day quarantine for outside and inter-island travellers through 30 June, however, a few days later he announced that the 14-day restrictions for inter-island travel may be dropped soon. The state's economy is largely dependent on tourism, which accounts for roughly 25% of its GDP. With the tourist industry being shut down Hawaii's unemployment rate soared to 22% in April.
Why COVID Poses Drastic Challenge to Native Hawaiians
As Hawaii hosts millions of tourists the island's indigenous people may be dramatically affected by a possible surge in coronavirus cases, warn Hawaiian sovereignty and human rights activists who have long been calling for the diversification of Hawaii's economy so that it is not so dependent on tourism and imports. They are especially skeptical about the handling of the coronavirus pandemic by the US authorities.
Regarding public health, "Native Hawaiians remain on the bottom; unlike Native Americans and Alaskans, the vast majority of Hawaiians do not live on reservations, but are fully integrated into the rest of society", says Koani Foundation Director Leon Siu, who has long been serving as the minister of foreign affairs for Ke Aupuni O Hawaii, the Hawaiian Kingdom.
A study released by the University of Hawaii at Mānoa John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) indicates that the highest rates of COVID-19 positive cases in Hawaii and across the US are among Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (NHPI). Possible reasons behind this trend include high rates of chronic and infectious diseases, lower wages and poorer economic and living conditions, and limited access to healthcare services. In addition, a large percentage of NHPI is comprised of essential workers, the incarcerated, and homeless population.
As of 1 May, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders accounted for 14% of total coronavirus representing just 10% of the island state's population, according to the Department of Health.
"In my opinion the US as a whole has done a terrible job in handling the COVID-19 pandemic", says Robert Kajiwara, PhD in History ABD, Manchester Metropolitan University and Hawaiian human rights activist. "The State of Hawaii is no exception. The US has the highest COVID-19 death total in the world due to its abysmal lack of preparedness. The US government has a strong tendency to overlook the needs of Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders".
Siu, echoes Kajiwara: "[The US authorities] have taken no extra steps for Native Hawaiians than for everyone else, which is why we're still the ones that have had the most adverse effects".
According to Siu, it's hard to tell when it's good to open up. The problem is that there is a screening process, but it's not being enforced, he points out.
"Unless the state is serious in enforcing the requirements and restrictions it will only get worse as things begin to reopen", he says. "It's already sort of out of control right now, so when they say they're going to relax restrictions, it's almost meaningless".
Siu foresees that there will probably be more people infected: "It would have a very negative impact assuming the virus would spread", he warns. "The state is really not in control even now, so we are not confident that they would be in control with even more relaxed restrictions".
In this April 25, 2019 photo, Hawaii's Mauna Loa volcano, background, towers over the summit crater of Kilauea volcano in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island. Federal officials raised the alert level for Mauna Loa, the world's largest active volcano, Tuesday, July 2, 2019. The U.S. Geological Survey changed the level from normal to advisory after observing a slight increase in earthquakes and ground swelling over the past several months. Officials say the increased alert level does not mean an eruption is imminent. In this April 25, 2019 photo, Hawaii's Mauna Loa volcano, background, towers over the summit crater of Kilauea volcano in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island
Hawaii: From Independent Kingdom to a US State
Hawaii's indigenous population was not included in the list of those eligible for $8 billion in federal coronavirus relief money allocated for America’s indigenous people.
"The US has not provided any aid to Hawaiian nationals", Kajiwara says. "The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) is a government office under the US State of Hawaii which is America's poor attempt to provide assistance and agency to Hawaiians. This attempt, however, has been disastrous, and the majority of Hawaiians are strongly opposed to OHA".
In addition, not all Hawaiians are able to receive a one-time direct payment from the US government like other American citizens. "Some Hawaiian nationals do not recognise the US as a legal governing entity in Hawaii, and thus are not registered with the US government or IRS; therefore they don't receive any type of stimulus payment", notes Kajiwara.
The human rights activist explains that Hawaiians are not a recognised federal tribe, which is probably why Hawaiians have not been included in the relief money for America's indigenous peoples. However, the problem lies much deeper. Many Native Hawaiian political organisations and sovereignty proponents believe that federal recognition might interfere with Hawaiian claims to independence as a constitutional monarchy.
"For the US to offer 'federal recognition' to Hawaiians instead of full restoration of Hawaii's independence is a huge insult", Kajiwara elaborates. "Hawaiians are well-aware of the poor treatment Native Americans have received as federal tribes, and are not at all inclined towards going down that route. For the majority of Hawaiian nationals, nothing short of full-fledged restoration of the Hawaiian Kingdom and a complete removal of the US from the Hawaiian Islands is acceptable".
This story began with the ouster of Hawaiian Queen Lili'uokalani in 1893 by a group of American businessmen backed by a contingent of US Marines. (A century later a non-binding Apology Resolution passed by the United States Congress in 1993 admitted that the overthrow was an illegal act). The coup plotters established a provisional government and then the Republic of Hawaii which was annexed by the US in 1898 although over 90% Native Hawaiians signed their own Kuʻe Petitions against the US annexation and demanding a restoration of the Queen, the activist recollects. Hawaii was annexed without a Treaty of Annexation which is considered illegal under international law and that is why sovereignty proponents consider Hawaii an independent state "albeit under illegal US occupation", Kajiwara says.
Being a US "territory" Hawaii became eligible for "de-colonisation" in the 20th century. However, following a 1959 referendum on whether to remain a territory or become a state, the majority voted for US statehood. The sovereignty advocates argue that the 1959 plebiscite should be considered null and void since roughly three quarters of those who took part in the referendum were US citizens who inhabited the archipelago following the annexation. Besides this, Native Hawaiians weren't even offered an independence option, they stress. Therefore, Hawaiian sovereignty supporters are calling for a removal of the US from the Hawaiian Islands and a restoration of Hawaii's independence.
"American tourists, military, businesses, and others have never shown much care for the well-being of Hawaiians", Kajiwara highlights. "For the majority of Americans, Hawaii is nothing more than a nice vacation destination and a convenient dumping ground for military bases. In my opinion, the only correct way of addressing this issue, and all Hawaiian issues, is an immediate restoration of Hawaii's independence. Only when Hawaiian agency is restored can Hawaiian rights truly be protected".
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http://freehawaii.blogspot.com/2020/06/ke-aupuni-update-june-2020-keeping-in.html
Free Hawaii blog, June 13, 2020
KE AUPUNI UPDATE - JUNE 2020
Keeping in touch and updated on activities regarding the restoration of Ke Aupuni o Hawai`i, the Hawaiian Kingdom.
Ua Mau Ke Ea O Ka `Aina I Ka Pono.
The Kingdom Past and Future
The shocking murder of George Floyd under the knee of policeman Derek Chauvin was horrific! What happened was terrible and the outrage it triggered and demands for justice are totally warranted. But the inexcusable, yet now sadly predictable rioting, looting and wanton destruction, shows that America has more serious problems than racial issues; it has a dangerous culture of ignorance, hatred, violence and anarchy.
The knee-to-the-neck almost immediately reminded me of a story titled, “Strangling Hands on a Nation’s Throat” published in a San Francisco newspaper on September 30, 1887. It was referring to what America, with its greedy push for annexation, was doing to Hawaii. The article described a meeting in Hilo where people gathered to sign a petition opposing annexation and to voice their opinions. What ensued was an overwhelming, impassioned expression of Aloha ʻĀina. The clear motivation when our kupuna signed what we now call “The Kuʻe Petition” was Aloha ʻĀina, their deep, abiding love for their country.
Thank God that despite more than a century of Americanization, Aloha ʻĀina is still in the DNA of Hawaiians. We see it every day even amidst the pain and anguish of injustice. Aloha ʻĀina prevails.
Contrast how Americans respond to extremely provocative situations with violence and mayhem; and how Hawaiians with extreme provocations like the overthrow and seizure of our country, all the way to today’s Mauna Kea, Kahuku, Hunananiho… we respond with Aloha ʻĀina. It’s who we are! It is part of our deep culture that embraces and infects everyone who lives in our islands.
Due to many circumstances, including the destabilizing effects of the Covid-crisis, we are entering a time to envision the future we want for Hawaii. Study groups are having deep discussions about many facets of sustainability: our food supply, our economy, our education system, housing, our general health and welfare, orderly communities, preserving the environment, safe and peaceful neighborhoods… making roadmaps for the future.
So, can we Free Hawaii, jump-start and operate the Hawaiian Kingdom? Yes, we can! We are already eminently qualified — not in just with the knowledge and understanding of legal and political status — but in what matters most... Aloha ʻĀina.
Year of the Hawaiian Kingdom
If you are (or if you know of someone who is) interested in being a facilitator for any aspect of the Year of the Hawaiian Kingdom Celebration, please contact: info@HawaiianKingdom.net
The campaign to Free Hawaii continues to grow ... as soon as this pandemic subsides, we expect significant movement in gaining support from the global community. Your kokua is vital to this effort...
Your kōkua, large or small, is much appreciated and will help greatly to move this work forward.
To contribute, go to GoFundMe.com/FreeHawaii
To contribute in other ways (airline miles, travel vouchers, clerical help, etc...) email us at Info@HawaiianKingdom.net
Also...
Check out the great FREE HAWAII products you can purchase HERE
http://www.robkajiwara.com/store/c8/Support_Human_Rights.html
All proceeds go to help the cause.
Mahalo Nui Loa!
Malama Pono,
Leon Siu
Hawaiian National
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https://www.bridgemi.com/quality-life/despite-legal-battle-michigan-tribe-remains-hopeful-recognition
Bridge Michigan [Michigan's nonpartisan, nonprofit news source], June 17, 2020
Despite legal battle, Michigan tribe remains hopeful for recognition
Lansing resident Paul Parkey knows he’s Native American, and the federal government isn’t going to change his mind.
Parkey’s tribal community, the Burt Lake Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, has spent decades petitioning the United States to be formally recognized as a tribal nation, with no luck.
There’s more at stake for Parkey and about 320 descendants of the small Northern Michigan tribe than official acknowledgement of their ancestry. Federal recognition would mean the right to have their own reservation, the ability to open a casino, and the power to provide tribal members with essential services — the same rights a dozen other Michigan tribes have now.
It also could mean the potential to receive millions of dollars in federal funds and services.
If the Burt Lake tribal community gets recognition, it’s going to be a while. Following a May court appeal by the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs, the tribe faces another barrier in its long, winding legal battle for federal recognition.
“It’s the same old, same old,” Paul’s aunt and tribal spokeswoman Nola Parkey told Bridge.
Of the 574 federally-recognized and 63 state-recognized tribal nations in the United States, 12 Michigan tribes are federally-recognized and four state-recognized. The Burt Lake Band is a state-recognized tribe, along with the Grand River Band of Ottawa Indians, Mackinac Band of Chippewa and Ottawa Indians and the Swan Creek Black River Confederated Tribes Ojibwa Tribes of Michigan.
State-recognized tribes are acknowledged to have cultural and ancestral history in the state, but they must receive federal recognition to secure funding and other benefits.
When a tribe is federally recognized, it is allowed to establish a formal reservation. The tribe and its members are eligible for “certain powers, privileges, and immunities,” including federal assistance such as coronavirus relief funding, authority to exercise jurisdiction in their territory, sovereign immunity and the ability to pursue casino gaming development and provide tribal government services to citizens.
“Federal acknowledgment confirms the existence of a nation-to-nation relationship between an Indian tribe and the United States, and permanently establishes a government-to-government relationship between the two,” said current Bay Mills Indian Community Chairman Bryan Newland.
Burt Lake Band consists of a government based near Northern Michigan’s Burt Lake. The community comes together for a variety of cultural events throughout the year, including an August feast and annual spring clean-up of the nearby St. Mary’s Indian Cemetery.
Descended from the signers of the 1836 Treaty of Washington and 1855 Treaty of Detroit that ceded more than 13 million acres of land to create the state of Michigan, the Burt Lake Band defines itself as a “distinct tribal entity” with ancestral ties to the lake and land around it, which is now dotted with vacation homes. Burt Lake State Park is on the southern edge of Michigan’s fourth-largest inland lake, at 17,000 acres.
While the treaties were supposed to protect tribal land and sovereign status, in 1900 a group of white settlers forcefully removed the community from their homeland in what is known as the Burt Lake Burnout.
Removed from its home base, the Burt Lake Band was denied immediate recognition by the federal government. Now, almost a century later, Burt Lake Band’s tribal members are scattered across Michigan, but they are still engaged in a struggle for their land and their sovereignty.
The odds are against them. Out of the 53 tribes that have petitioned for recognition nationally only 18 have succeeded.
Although the process is long, expensive — tribes must hire a historian, genealogist and an attorney to provide proof of their historic and contemporary existence — and often futile, Burt Lake Band members said the effort is worth it for the chance to establish a land base and provide resources for community members.
“I would love to have a homeland to call my own and to walk with my ancestors and make them proud,” Paul Parkey said.
Nola Parkey added that recognition opens doors for the tribe to apply for critical funding through federal grants.
“Some of our tribal members are on welfare, and they need housing really badly,” she said. “Without federal recognition, we can’t apply for grants to get what our members desperately need.”
Those opposing federal recognition usually raise concerns over the authenticity of tribal claims and impact on surrounding, non-tribal communities.
“When the tribe takes land into trust, the land is removed from local tax rolls and is no longer regulated by the locality,” said Kirsten Carlson, associate professor of law at Wayne State University and a leading scholar on federal Indian law and legislation.
“The main arguments against recognition either question the identity of the tribe or express concerns over the tribe taking revenue and power away from the local government,” Carlson said.
Burt Lake Band leaders emphasize the positive economic opportunities that casinos and other tribal businesses could bring for the surrounding local community.
“If we were federally recognized, there are jobs that could be brought into the area for tribal members and everyone else in the area,” Nola Parkey said.
While the Bureau of Indian Affairs denied the tribe’s application in 2007 and barred repetitions, U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson ruled in March that the ban was “neither well reasoned nor rationally connected to the facts in the record.” The federal agency is now appealing that ruling.
Ultimately, despite decades of waiting and legal fees, the Burt Lake Band continues the battle — and remains grounded in tribal history and identity.
“We’re used to waiting, to things going badly, but we’re hopeful,” Nola Parkey said. “To us, we are a tribe. We know it in our hearts.”
** Ken Conklin's note: Remember how often OHA's propaganda was republished in the news media locally and nationwide: Native Hawaiians are the only indigenous group in the United States that does not have federal recognition. Sometimes I wrote to newspaper editors to demand correction; usually they ignored me and kept right on repeating the falsehood year after year. The last time I recall the falsehood being asserted was in 2017 in The Garden Island and The Washington Post and hundreds of other newspapers the republished an Associated Press article by Hawaii stringer Brittaney Lyte. Below is the correction I sent to those two newspapers, and to the AP stringer at a Louisiana newspaper, which was apparently successful in finally killing the falsehood. I'm saving all this stuff because if Trump loses the election, we will then see OHA, Senators Schatz and Hirono, Rep. Ed Case and Rep. Kai Kahele (yes, he will win Tulsi's seat) once again pushing for a Hawaiian tribe, and once again reasserting all the old propaganda.
corrections@washpost.com
To:
Washington Post corrections editor
From:
Kenneth R. Conklin, Ph.D.
46-255 Kahuhipa St. Apt. 1205
Kane'ohe, HI 96744-6083
tel (808) 247-7942
e-mail Ken_Conklin@yahoo.com
Website: "Hawaiian Sovereignty: Thinking Carefully About It"
http://tinyurl.com/6gkzk
Book: "Hawaiian Apartheid: Racial Separatism and Ethnic Nationalism in the Aloha State"
http://tinyurl.com/2a9fqa
Re: "Native Hawaiians again seek political sovereignty with a new constitution"; By Brittany Lyte; November 5, 2017
An article by Brittany Lyte which you published on November 5 contains numerous factual falsehoods and errors of interpretation which I hope you'll correct. Ms. Lyte is a propagandist for race-based sovereignty for ethnic Hawaiians, and I hope you will not rely on her for future articles on this topic. Her technique is to portray ethnic Hawaiians as victims of oppression and colonization by the U.S.; specifically, that they are the only indigenous group in the U.S. that lacks its own recognized government; and that they have the worst statistics for disease, poverty, and social dysfunction.
PART 1: The most clear-cut falsehood is an assertion which Ms. Lyte has been repeatedly warned about with irrefutable evidence and yet she continues to state it. I believe that makes it not merely a falsehood to be corrected, but actually a scurrilous, intentional LIE (because she knows it is false).
Here's the lie as your newspaper printed it in the first sentence of her article:
" ... Native Hawaiians, the only indigenous group in the United States that does not have political sovereignty."
Ms. Lyte was previously a reporter for the "Garden Island News" on Kaua'i, Hawaii. Almost 2 years ago, on December 1, 2015 she wrote: "Native Hawaiians are the only indigenous group in the U.S. without their own political structure."
At that time I wrote to Ms. Lyte, and to the editor of that newspaper, Mr. Bill Buley, pointing out the error and proving its falsehood by citing an article published a few days previously in a Louisiana newspaper describing the plight of a tribe in Houma that has actively sought recognizion for decades. My email sent to them both said
------
I'm writing to inform you about an error in your article of December 1. It's an error which has often been repeated in previous articles, and which I am hoping will not be repeated in the future, in any variation.
Here's the sentence which is false in the December 1 article:
"Native Hawaiians are the only indigenous group in the U.S. without their own political structure."
Here's another sentence originating from Associated Press with different words but which conveys the same meaning:
"Native Hawaiians are the last remaining indigenous group in the United States that hasn't been allowed to establish its own government."
The falsehood has no purpose other than propaganda to rouse sympathy for those poor downtrodden "Native Hawaiians" who have been oppressed in so many ways and who are singled out for extra vicious oppression by being "the only" indigenous group denied federal recognition.
Here's the truth: There are hundreds of American Indian groups which are seeking federal recognition as tribes and have been ignored or rejected because they simply don't meet the requirements -- exactly like ethnic Hawaiians don't meet the requirements.
Here's a newspaper report -- interestingly enough with an "Associated Press" label -- published on November 26, 2015 describing several tribes in Louisiana which are in that exact situation. This newspaper article provides proof that "Native Hawaiians" are NOT being discriminated against or oppressed by being "the only" group not granted self-government or federal recognition. So please STOP saying that.
http://tinyurl.com/qep2tmf
Here's one of many significant excerpts from the Louisiana news report:
"The Houma tribe pushed for federal recognition starting before World War II. Rejected by the BIA in 1994, the tribe has been appealing since. In the 90s, Louisiana politicians even sought tribal recognition through Congress but failed."
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For further information about hundreds of tribes NOT recognized by the federal government:
List of unrecognized tribes in the United States
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_unrecognized_tribes_in_the_United_States
State recognized tribes in the United States
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_recognized_tribes_in_the_United_States
Some “Unrecognized” Tribes Still Waiting After 130 Years
Federal recognition offers financial help, and those tribes without it have “second-class status in Indian Country” and remain vulnerable to local authorities.
http://www.yesmagazine.org/people-power/some-unrecognized-tribes-still-waiting-after-130-years-20161219
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PART 2:
Part of Ms. Lyte's tear-jerking propaganda is to portray ethnic Hawaiians as victims of oppression and colonization by the U.S.; specifically, that they have the worst statistics for disease, poverty, and social dysfunction. Here is an online comment I wrote to her article of November 5, providing refutation of that nonsense:
Do Native Hawaiians really have the worst statistics for diseases, poverty, and social dysfunction? Two quick facts: (1) According to Census 2010, the median age for Native Hawaiians in Hawaii is 26, while the median age for everyone else in Hawaii is 42. So of course on average they have lower income and higher rates of crime and incarceration -- not because of racial discrimination or bad genes, but because those are the problems of youth. (2) Nearly all so-called "Native Hawaiians" are of mixed race, and the great majority of them have more than 3/4 of their ancestry from Europe or Asia, not from native Hawaiians. But when someone is a victim of disease or poverty and has even just one drop of Hawaiian blood, the authors of victimhood studies chalk up one full tally mark for "Native Hawaiian" victimhood and zero tally marks for any of his other races. That's clearly statistical malpractice, but it brings in hundreds of millions of dollars in racial entitlement programs to provide help for the tycoons of the Hawaiian grievance industry to provide "help" for these poor, downtrodden "victims."
See detailed webpage analyzing this scam "Native Hawaiian victimhood -- malpractice in the gathering and statistical analysis of data allegedly showing disproportionate Native Hawaiian victimhood for disease and social dysfunction. How and why the Hawaiian grievance industry uses bogus statistics to scam government and philanthropic organizations, politicians, and public opinion."
http://tinyurl.com/j3aolqg
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PART 3:
Ms. Lyte described the writing of a proposed tribal constitution. But she did not describe what's in that constitution, and did not provide any link to its actual text. So here's part of my online comment:
Hawaiian religious fascism -- A twisted version of a beautiful creation legend provides the theological basis for a claim that ethnic Hawaiians are entitled to racial supremacy in the governance and cultural life of the Hawaiian islands.
http://tinyurl.com/j4o2cdj
The proposed tribal constitution passed by the Na’i Aupuni constitutional convention on February 26, 2016 is available at
http://tinyurl.com/zegptkr
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https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2020/06/20/opinion/your-views-for-june-20-6/
Hawaii Tribune-Herald [Hilo], Sunday June 20, 2020, letter to editor
Three things to try
People of good will throughout the world have been marching to overcome race-supremacist institutions, entitlements, behavior and attitudes.
Hawaii might find it harder than the rest of America to implement the following three simple, but apparently radical, ideas. Let’s try.
All people are equal in the eyes of God, regardless of race.
Government should treat all people equally under the law, regardless of race.
The people and lands of Hawaii should not be divided along racial lines.
Let’s work for unity, equality and aloha for all. It won’t be easy.
Kenneth R. Conklin
Kaneohe, Oahu
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https://www.ilind.net/2020/06/21/lawyer-known-for-sovereignty-defenses-barred-from-future-foreclosure-assistance/
Ian Lind blog, June 21, 2020 [Mr. Lind, now retired, was an investigative reporter for Honolulu Star-Bulletin; and previously a lobbyist, legislative staffer, and peace activist for the Quakers.]
Lawyer known for “sovereignty defenses” barred from future foreclosure assistance
Posted on June 21, 2020
by Ian Lind
Attorney Dexter Kaiama, known for defending clients based on theories of Hawaiian sovereignty, has been permanently barred from providing “legal services or any other assistance” to any homeowner whose property is facing actual or threatened foreclosure. [** Ken Conklin's note: Kaiama is Attorney General in Keanu Sai's phony Hawaiian kingdom]
On June 4, 2020, Circuit Court Judge James H. Ashford approved the Final Judgement and Stipulated Permanent Injunction
https://ilind.net/misc%20/2020/judgement%20OCP%20June%202020.pdf
in favor of the State Office of Consumer Protection on all counts that were included in a civil lawsuit alleging Kaiama had been part of a foreclosure defense scheme that violated the state’s Mortgage Rescue Fraud Prevention Act (Chapter 480E HRS).
“Without admitting to any wrongdoing, in order to resolve the pending action Defendant is willing to consent to the entry of judgment against him on the terms set forth below,” the judgement states.
The permanent injunction prohibits Kaiama, along with any agents or other persons “acting in concert with him,” from providing legal services or other assistance to any “distressed property owner,” offering advice regarding any foreclosure lawsuit, appearing in court on behalf of such a property owner or assisting them in filing documents “pro se.”
The judgement specifically provides that “[n]othing herein settles or resolves the claims former clients may have for restitution….”
Kaiama also waived ” all right to assert any defense he may have to the validity or enforceability of this judgment.”
As part of the stipulated deal, the Office of Consumer Protection dropped its demand that Kaiama be assessed civil fines for each previous violation of the Mortgage Rescue Fraud Prevention Act, and be required to reimburse OCP’s costs in pursuing the lawsuit.
The agency lawsuit alleged Kaiama had appeared many times seeking “to have consumers’ foreclosure cases dismissed on jurisdictional grounds based upon oft-rejected sovereignty theories.”
“Despite what is believed to be well more than one hundred attempts to have foreclosure cases dismissed, Defendant is not known to have ever succeeded in having even a single foreclosure case dismissed on the sovereignty theory, and yet Defendant continues to make the same oft-rejected arguments, sometimes making the arguments more than once in the same case,” OCP argued.
The Office of Consumer Protection alleged Kaiama acted together with sovereignty activist David Keanu Sai in this foreclosure defense scheme. In prior court filings, OCP said they have referred Sai’s case to authorities for possible criminal investigation. It is not known whether any such investigation is underway or was ever conducted.
In asserting a “sovereignty defense,” OCD said Kaiama has repeatedly asserted these discredited legal arguments:
• the Hawaiian Kingdom continues to exist,
• Hawaiian Kingdom law continues to be good law and is controlling,
• the government of the Hawaiian Kingdom was illegally overthrown in 1893,
• the United States did not lawfully acquire the Territory of Hawaii,
• the State Circuit Courts are unlawfully constituted,
• the State Circuit Courts do not have subject matter jurisdiction over foreclosure cases,
• the proper court to be determining matters of foreclosure is the court that administers Hawaii Kingdom law,
• any transfer of land since 1893, and any recordings of such transfers since 1893, are invalid,
• to be effective, land transfers would have to be executed before a notary public under the Kingdom of Hawaii,
• purported land transfers after 1893 not executed before a notary public under the Kingdom of Hawaii are ineffective to pass lawful title, and
• homeowners acquiring land after 1893 by deed not executed before a notary public under the Kingdom of Hawaii never acquired lawful title or legal title to the property, and therefore could not thereafter mortgage the property, and any such mortgages are ineffective and unenforceable.
Kaiama had raised most or all of these arguments in his own defense against the consumer protection claims, court records show. A series of motions citing Hawaiian sovereignty arguments were scheduled to be heard next month, but became moot when agreement was reached on the stipulated judgement.
See also:
Two sovereignty advocates hit with allegations of mortgage rescue fraud, iLind.net, May 11, 2019.
https://www.ilind.net/2019/05/11/two-sovereignty-advocates-hit-with-allegations-of-mortgage-rescue-fraud/
Questions about the mortgage rescue fraud case, iLind.net, May 14, 2019.
https://www.ilind.net/2019/05/14/questions-about-the-mortgage-rescue-fraud-case/
Court declines to dismiss consumer protection case against Hawaiian attorney, iLind.net, January 29, 2020
https://www.ilind.net/2020/01/29/court-declines-to-dismiss-consumer-protection-case-against-hawaiian-attorney/
More of the sovereignty movement’s pseudo-legal theories, iLind.net, February 2, 2020
https://www.ilind.net/2020/02/02/more-of-the-sovereignty-movements-pseudo-legal-theories/
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https://www.civilbeat.org/2020/06/native-hawaiian-activists-turn-into-candidates-for-the-2020-elections/
Honolulu Civil Beat, June 24, 2020
Native Hawaiian Activists Turn Into Candidates For The 2020 Elections
An apparent increase in the number of Native Hawaiian candidates in 2020 features many young people involved with resistance movements like the Mauna Kea protests.
By Blaze Lovell
On the opening day of the 2020 legislative session, hundreds of people, many of them Native Hawaiians, gathered in the State Capitol rotunda after a year filled with protests, marches and demonstrations.
They registered people to vote, made speeches, hung banners and flags from the railings and even held classes in the Capitol’s meeting rooms.
The event foreshadowed what is happening now in the 2020 elections: Hawaiian activists, who have often operated outside the political system, now want to drive change by running for office.
They’re spurred by Hawaiian-led movements in 2019 that opposed the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope on Mauna Kea, the building of giant wind turbines in Kahuku and the excavation for a ballpark in Waimanalo.
Those same events gave a renewed sense of urgency for some leaders to create a new political organization, the Aloha Aina Party. The party managed to field a candidate for Congress, two for the state Senate, and 12 for the House. It is also endorsing several nonpartisan candidates.
Political observers have noted an apparent overall increase in the number of Hawaiian candidates running this year. Many of them are young, and at least several of the candidates Civil Beat spoke to were involved with various resistance movements like the Mauna Kea protests.
It’s still to be seen if the “activist energy” that some have used to describe the mood of the last two years will translate into higher voter turnout, an area Hawaii has struggled with in past election cycles.
But there’s reason to believe Hawaii may be on the cusp of change. Others have likened the buildup to the 2020 elections to the Hawaiian Renaissance of the late 1970s.
Waves
Desmon Haumea compares the phases of Hawaiian activism the islands have experienced since the overthrow of the crown in the 1890s to waves which sometimes gently lap on the shore, and at other times come roaring in.
Haumea, a Big Island school teacher and an Aloha Aina candidate for a House seat representing Puna, sees the Mauna Kea movement as the most recent — and most powerful — wave yet.
“It just exploded,” Haumea said. “It created. It divided. But it also brought together. It was a different level on the mauna. It brought renewed awareness of our identity.”
Haumea saw that firsthand. He was one of 38 demonstrators arrested last July during protests blocking the TMT from being built atop Mauna Kea. The estimated $2 billion telescope is still not built, and project officials have not said when they might return and attempt to restart construction.
The movement galvanized Native Hawaiians, and led to a new wave of cultural awareness and political involvement.
In many ways, it’s also where the story of this election season begins.
Mauna Kea led to more organized resistance to projects elsewhere in the state. Last year, Honolulu police made more than 200 arrests during demonstrations to halt delivery of turbine parts for a wind farm in Kahuku. Community opposition rose to a proposed new park and ballpark in Waimanalo, on what is believed to be one of the oldest inhabited sites in Hawaii and has long been of interest to archeologists. Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell scrapped the plan recently.
At issue in almost all of the protests was the feeling that the community wasn’t being listened to.
“You had thousands of Hawaiians engaged in that movement,” said Joe Kuhio Lewis, head of the Council For Native Hawaiian Advancement. “And now, you have candidates that represent their interests.”
Virus Creates New Urgency For 2020 Elections
In 2020, the elections have another backdrop: the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic that has tanked the local economy, coupled with the widespread Blacks Lives Matter protests around the nation against racial injustice. More than 10,000 people came out for a BLM march and rally in Honolulu two weekends ago.
But it’s still questionable whether that energy will translate into votes after ballots are mailed out in July.
It’s unclear at what rate Native Hawaiians vote in each election. That kind of data has been hard to come by since the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Rice v. Cayetano struck down a Hawaii law that had limited voting on races for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees to only Native Hawaiians.
There are other variables that could affect turnout too, such as how the state’s all-mail voting system will work in its first election.
Those looking for change have drawn parallels between the movement that started on Mauna Kea in 2019 with the Hawaiian Renaissance in the 1970s.
That decade was also marked by resistance movements, like efforts to stop development in Waiahole and in Kalama Valley. It was topped off by the protests over the bombing of Kahoolawe.
Those demonstrations set the stage for the 1978 constitutional convention, which enshrined Native Hawaiian rights into the constitution and also led to the creation of OHA.
Former Gov. John Waihee appeared on an OHA web series in May to talk about the changes the 1970s brought to Hawaii. Waihee described the decade as a time of “so many great Hawaiian leaders. Hundreds of heroes.”
But in looking at parallels between the 1970s and now, Hawaii’s only Native Hawaiian governor noted the same frustrations coming from the community.
“We are entering a time of the same kind of dissatisfaction, and maybe the hidden blessing in this whole COVID-19 situation is that it’s forced us to reevaluate our value system,” Waihee said.
That reevaluation, Waihee says, should make the government think about the kind of impact projects have on the state’s people. He said economic benefits have been the reason to push certain projects forward.
“We never ask the question, beneficial for who?” he said.
Working In The System
If Native Hawaiian movements are like a wave, then Walter Ritte has caught a few sets.
Ritte, a longtime activist, was a leader of the Kahoolawe protest in 1976 and has remained active, overseeing demonstrations all the way through Mauna Kea last year. Even Ritte is awestruck when he talks about the gatherings on the mountain.
Still, the veteran activist is also unsure how that momentum will carry over into the elections. He spent the early part of this year getting people registered to vote before announcing his candidacy for the House.
Even if vote counts may still be hard to predict, Ritte says that given the events of the past year and last few months, he believes Hawaii is on the brink of change.
“It’s made huge imprints,” Ritte says of the economic downturn and Black Lives Matter protests. “We all feel this is a time to do something.”
He believes Hawaii is an occupied state, and has for years worked with others to right the wrong done to Hawaiians. Now, he says working within the political system might be the only way to get things done.
“I’ve been around long enough to know what’s not working,” Ritte said. “Now, it’s like ‘OK, let’s get in the system with the same goals.’”
When Ritte announced his run as a Democrat for a House seat representing rural Maui, Molokai, Lanai and Kahoolawe in February, he listed food security and agriculture as some of his top priorities. Growing the ag sector and making Hawaii more self-sufficient has been on the minds of many politicians this year after the coronavirus exposed Hawaii’s over-reliance on tourism.
“It was a pause,” Ritte said of the virus. “It shined a light on what is existing, and especially what we’re building our economies on — and nobody’s happy.”
Kalani Kalima, a leader in the movement to halt development of the Waimanalo Beach Park, also wanted to run for the Honolulu City Council because he felt the city did not listen to community concerns over the project.
“And no matter what we did, nobody listened,” Kalima said, adding that he decided to run because City Council Chairman Ikaika Anderson is terming out.
“We were afraid we wouldn’t have a viable candidate,” he said, “someone who would listen to the people, bring their voices up to a level where they can make a difference, actually make change, with what’s going on in local politics.”
Kalima is also running because he doesn’t want to see his children have to fight through the same struggles folks are dealing with now.
That’s also a reason why Haumea, of the Big Island, decided to run. The Hawaiian studies teacher running for a House seat hopes it might encourage youth in the islands to vote.
“If I can get those 18 year olds to vote, man!” Haumea said. “It’s about opening the door to the young ones. And if I get elected to office, maybe I can encourage one of my students to go for it.”
To get more potential candidates for office, the CNHA ran a candidate bootcamp earlier this year called Hooponopono, or reconciliation. The 20 candidates chosen for the program spent four days role playing and getting a crash course in politics, Lewis, the executive director, said.
The candidates learned how to pitch to their districts, how to attract voting blocs, the structures of Hawaii’s largest unions, and how to raise campaign cash. There were also lessons on how candidates should position themselves for the best chance to get elected.
But no matter how a candidate engages, Lewis says, their values will still be important.
“I think at the end of the day what it’s always going to come down to is having candidates that align with the interest of Native Hawaiians,” he said.
Native Hawaii Party Broadens Its Pitch
Leaders of the new Aloha Aina Party are hoping to position themselves as an option that puts Native Hawaiian values at the forefront.
“We started talking about what we can do to move our community forward,” said Pua Ishibashi, an Aloha Aina Party official and candidate for the OHA Board of Trustees. “We determined that, to really make a difference, it can’t be a party focused solely on Native Hawaiian issues. It must address all issues of Hawaii.”
Planning for the party began about a decade ago, Ishibashi said. The group tried and failed in 2016 to get the necessary votes required to form a party under state law. The same happened in 2018.
But the events on Mauna Kea and elsewhere spurred party leaders to organize for the 2020 elections.
They had to put in a bit of work along the way.
In 2016, Ishibashi said the group had difficulty courting some Native Hawaiians, who said they wouldn’t participate in the election process because of their objections over the U.S. taking of Hawaii.
In early planning for the party, Ishibashi said sovereignty was a primary focus, but they have since decided to broaden their platform to appeal to a wider base of voters.
The party’s main principles include the freedom to worship, love for the people, protection of land and sea, reconciling the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom, and government accountability and transparency. While sovereignty remains a key issue, Ishibashi said the group takes no stance on how it should be resolved.
“We need to address the overthrow of the kingdom. It was wrong,” Ishibashi said. “We aren’t saying how, whether it be complete sovereignty or federal recognition.”
The party had a leadership change in 2019, making Donald Kaulia the party chair. He also has roots in the sovereignty movement. He’s a direct descendant of James Kaulia, who in 1897 gathered together the Kue petitions, which protested the annexation of Hawaii to the U.S.
“He drew on that connection,” Ishibashi said of Kaulia.
As the protests against the Mauna Kea telescope erupted across all the islands, the party found a renewed sense of urgency to collect the more than 700 signatures necessary to qualify for the 2020 elections.
Ishibashi said they also hope to capture some of the 400,000 registered voters who didn’t cast ballots last election.
“The people who are fed up with the whole system, the ones that don’t want to go Democrat or Republican,” Ishibashi said.
The party also wants to appeal to non-traditional Hawaiian voters. Its website has a section about Hawaiian Nationals, or people who believe they are citizens of the Hawaiian Kingdom.
Ishibashi said he’s also seeing a shift within the community since 2016, leaning more toward greater political participation, and a willingness to work within the political system.
“We need to move forward,” he said. “Stop being on the outside throwing stones at the tents. We need to be in the tent and at the table.”
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** Ken Conklin's online comment
The "Aloha 'Aina" party closely resembles the "Home Rule" race-based party created in 1900 and will suffer the same fate, not because there's a Republican Kuhio anywhere but because ethnic Hawaiians are now a minority group and the rest of Hawaii's ethnic groups prefer to be more subtle about the biennial race-war at the ballot box.
Following annexation in 1898 and the U.S. Organic Act of 1900, Hawaii's first Territorial election was held. Native Hawaiian royalists created the "Home Rule Party" to assert the interests of their racial group. Since they were a vast majority of voters, the Home Rule Party succeeded in electing its candidate Robert Wilcox to be Hawaii's first Territorial Delegate to Congress in 1900. But he was such an extreme racial partisan, and ineffective as elected official, that the Home Rule Party fell apart. Former Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalaniana'ole, as a Republican, easily won election for Delegate in 1902 and served for 20 years.
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http://freehawaii.blogspot.com/2020/06/ke-aupuni-update-june-2020-keeping-in_27.html
Free Hawaii blog, January 27, 2020
KE AUPUNI UPDATE - JUNE 2020
Keeping in touch and updated on activities regarding the restoration of Ke Aupuni o Hawai`i, the Hawaiian Kingdom.
Ua Mau Ke Ea O Ka `Aina I Ka Pono.
Ending Discrimination Against Hawaiian Nationals
“[U.S.] Federal laws prohibit discrimination based on a person's national origin, race, color, religion, disability, sex, and familial status. …[Thus, it is] illegal to discriminate because of a person's birthplace, ancestry, culture or language. This means people cannot be denied equal opportunity because they or their family are from another country, because they have a name or accent associated with a national origin group, because they participate in certain customs associated with a national origin group, or because they are married to or associated with people of a certain national origin.” — The U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division
In violation of their own Federal laws, the State of Hawaii has been constantly harassing, persecuting, arresting, prosecuting and jailing Hawaiian nationals, treating us as if we are criminals or illegal aliens and preventing us from leading normal, ordinary lives. The State denies Hawaiian nationals services that are otherwise available to anyone else living in the Hawaiian Islands — unless we say we are “U.S. citizens” and that we reside in the “State of Hawaii.” Thus, the State has been forcing us Hawaiian nationals, through coercion, to assume U.S. citizenship in order to be able to live and function normally in our own country. Forced citizenship is a huge violation of international law.
Senate Resolution 159 on Hawaiian Nationality is being heard at the State Legislature. It is a rude awakening for lawmakers. It had never occurred to them that this shocking form of discrimination is going on, imbedded throughout the State government system. Senate Resolution 159 not only brings the violation to their attention, it forces them to create a remedy. SR 159 is predicated on the presumption that we Hawaiian nationals already exist and as such, have the right to live freely in our own country. The fact of Hawaiian nationality is yielded. All the State has to do is figure out how to make way for us.
The resolution calls upon the State to form a commission to recommend what the State should implement to treat Hawaiian nationals (and Hawaiian nationality) with proper respect and fairness under their own law. The good thing is, whether Senate Resolution 159 passes or not, the cat’s already out of the bag… This means the State’s discriminatory acts against Hawaiian nationals have to stop immediately, even before they figure out how they are going to adjust to us.
Celebrating the Hawaiian Kingdom
If you are (or if you know of someone who is) interested in being a facilitator for any aspect of Celebrating the Hawaiian Kingdom, please contact:
info@HawaiianKingdom.net
The campaign to Free Hawaii continues to grow ... as soon as this pandemic subsides, we expect significant movement in gaining support from the global community. Your kokua is vital to this effort...
Your kōkua, large or small, is much appreciated and will help greatly to move this work forward.
To contribute, go to GoFundMe.com/FreeHawaii
To contribute in other ways (airline miles, travel vouchers, clerical help, etc...) email us at Info@HawaiianKingdom.net
Also...Check out the great FREE HAWAII products you can purchase HERE
http://www.robkajiwara.com/store/c8/Support_Human_Rights.html
All proceeds go to help the cause.
Mahalo Nui Loa!
Malama Pono,
Leon Siu
Hawaiian National
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Send comments or questions to:
Ken_Conklin@yahoo.com
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