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History of efforts to create a Hawaiian tribe from January 1, 2025 through April 30, 2025; including efforts to create a state-recognized tribe and efforts to get federal recognition through Dept. of Interior regulation, executive order, or Congressional legislation; and efforts to get local and international recognition of an alleged continuing independent nation of Hawaii.

INDEX OF NEWS REPORTS AND COMMENTARIES FROM JANUARY 1, 2025 through APRIL 30, 2025

January 1, 2025: OHA monthly newspaper publishes several articles by CEO, Board Chairman, and militant race-nationalist group touting that OHA plans to be aggressive in pushing an agenda of sovereignty, political and economic action in the state legislature, media, and education

Jan 7: Newspaper in Ibiza Spain reports: The Nation of Hawaii [Bumpy Kanahele, Waimanalo] admits that the diplomas used by the fake diplomat are not valid in Spain. La Voz de Ibiza has contacted representatives of the indigenous community that Mohamed Youcef Ihaddaden claimed to represent as ambassador, minister of Foreign Affairs and minister of the Treasury. Fake Ibiza diplomat’s true intentions exposed: to control a bank, a currency and a cryptocurrency.

Jan 11: Leon Siu, who imagines himself to be Foreign Minister of a still-living independent Nation of Hawaii, publishes a short essay filled with historical falsehoods asserting U.S. armed invasion in 1893, Queen's "temporary conditional" yield to USA and alleged settlement agreement [never implemented] between Cleveland and Lili'uokalani, Pres. Grover Cleveland's "investigation", Cleveland's "address" to Congress, illegal annexation by USA. Siu concludes "the return of the Hawaiian Kindom is now in sight" and touts the annual "peace march" through Honolulu on January 17.

Jan 16: Press release: Interior Department Strengthens Native Hawaiian Consultation Policies and Procedures, Affirms Federal Trust Responsibility to Native Hawaiian Community; and released a Solicitor’s opinion reaffirming the federal government’s trust responsibility to the Native Hawaiian Community, particularly as it relates to matters involving the Hawaiian Home Lands Trust.

Jan 21-22: President Donald Trump‘s administration moved Tuesday to end affirmative action in federal contracting and directed that all federal diversity, equity and inclusion staff be put on paid leave and eventually be laid off. Yet another executive order Tuesday rolls back affirmative action in federal contracting, revoking an order issued by President Lyndon Johnson, and curtails DEI programs by federal contractors and grant recipients. Trump’s order paves the way for an aggressive but bureaucratically complicated overhaul of billions of dollars in federal spending that conservative activists claim unfairly carve out preference for racial minorities and women. Native Hawaiian leaders object to Trump’s ‘race-blind’ actions. Given the rapid rate of diversity and ethnicity-based programs disappearing, [former OHA CEO Kamana'opono] Crabbe believes Native Hawaiian housing and home lands, health and education programs are on the chopping block.

Jan 23: Donald Trump reiterates support for Lumbee federal recognition Trump directs the Department of the Interior, within 90 days, to provide a plan on how to get the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina federal recognition 'through legislation or other available mechanisms'. A court decision allowed the Lumbees to apply for recognition through the Dept of Interior, but they have chosen to pursue Congressional legislation. For many years now all three Cherokee tribes — the Eastern Band, the Cherokee Nation, and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians — have denounced this and been vocal opponents of granting the Lumbee federal recognition.

Jan 25: Leon Siu, who imagines himself to be Foreign Minister of a still-living independent Nation of Hawaii, falsely says there was a Cleveland-Liliʻuokalani Executive Agreement to restore Hawaiian independence, and that agreement remains in place and could be executed at any time by any U.S. President, including Trump.

February 8: Leon Siu, who imagines himself to be Foreign Minister of a still-living independent Nation of Hawaii, says President Trump's announced intention to acquire Canada, Greenland, and Panama Canal is nothing new when considered in light of how "America flexed its military might to topple the peaceful, friendly government of the Hawaiian Kingdom so the US could build a world-class naval base at Pearl Harbor" and then annexed Hawaii 5 years later.

Feb 12: Kamehameha Schools news report regarding cooperation among Hawaii and Pacific island nations has deeply hidden implications (political, cultural, linguistic)

Feb 22: Leon Siu, who imagines himself to be Foreign Minister of a still-living independent Nation of Hawaii, says the concept of “unity” sounds nice, but it is not practical or necessary or realistic as a prerequisite to reclaim a nation. In truth, what makes democracy work is not unified thought or agendas or behavior, but an agreement to function in a civil manner despite disagreements. In restoring Hawaii as an independent country, being in tune with the principles of Aloha ʻĀina is way more important than being “unified”.

Friday March 7: "Free Hawaii" blog publicizes 3-minute floor speech in Hawaii state senate by first-year ethnic Hawaiian Senator Samantha DeCorte stridently calling for reparations and sovereignty. The monthly TV show publicized in the blog also provides a clear description of the steps "Foreign Minister" Leon Siu is taking at United Nations to restore Hawaii's international status as an independent nation.

March 10: Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports unanimous vote by state Senate to create an official state holiday (day off work with pay) Ka La Ku'oko'a [Hawaiian Independence Day]: the historical event in 1843 when France and Britain signed a mutual agreement between themselves acknowledging that neither would invade or take over Hawaii because Hawaii was an independent nation; news report cites Ken Conklin's testimony opposing the holiday; Ken Conklin's online comment explains that celebrating this minor historical event from 1843 is a thinly-disguised assertion that Hawaii remains legally an independent nation today.

March 11: Honolulu Star-Advertiser mini-editorial headlined "No time to indulge in new state holiday"; Ken Conklin's online comment.

March 11: Honolulu Star-Advertiser online poll shows 663 people opposed the creation of Ka La Ku'oko'a holiday while only 152 people supported it.

March 15: Free Hawaii blog: Leon Siu notes how President Trump is using tariffs for political purposes, and compares that with how President McKinley's tariffs on sugar provoked sentiment in Hawaii favoring the overthrow of the monarchy in 1893 and annexation to U.S.A. in 1898.

March 23: Honolulu Civil Beat online newspaper commentary "Hawaiʻi Must Become Self-Governing: A sovereign state for all the people of Hawaiʻi is the only path away from military occupation, environmental destruction and corporate control from abroad." Online comment by Ken Conklin, rebuttal by Civil Beat cartoonist Will Caron, re-rebuttal by Ken Conklin.

END OF INDEX

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FULL TEXT OF ITEMS LISTED IN THE INDEX, FROM JANUARY 1, 2025 AND CONTINUING

** Ken Conklin's note: The State of Hawaii government agency Office of Hawaiian Affairs has published a monthly propaganda newspaper for 42 years, now with circulation of 70,000 copies free of charge (using state government money). The first edition of 2025, in January, includes several articles by the recently hired CEO, the newly elected chairman of the Board of Directors, and a radical Hawaiian sovereignty group all jointly announcing a renewed push for race-nationalism. OHA's most recent annual statement in June 2024 showed assets of 971 Million dollars, and its executives sit by law on the boards of numerous other state government agencies "educating" [lobbying] them and reporting those agencies' activities back to OHA leadership. Thus OHA is perhaps the most powerful state agency whose political and economic demands must be taken seriously.

https://kawaiola.news/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KaWaiOla-Jan2025.pdf
Ka Wai Ola [OHA monthly newspaper] Vol. 42, No. 01 January 2025

Signals of Change at the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, page 3

by Stacy Kealohalani Ferreira
Ka Pouhana | Chief Executive Officer

[Note by Ken Conklin: In this essay CEO Ferreira uses a tactic often used by people who want to make their rhetoric seem more authentically Hawaiian, whether or not they actually have fluency in the language: She sprinkles frequently-used Hawaiian words, often without translation, scattered throughout her essay. Each time she does that I have inserted a translation in [brackets].]

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) is undergoing a transformative period marked by pivotal changes in governance, strategy, and symbolism. These signals of change reflect our commitment to the agency’s mission of advancing the wellbeing of Native Hawaiians while aligning our actions with the principles of self-governance and our cultural pride. ...

A simple, yet profoundly symbolic change has also taken place at OHA’s main office building. For the first time, the hae [flag] Hawai‘i, the Hawaiian flag, now flies alone in front of the agency’s headquarters.

This action holds deep significance, reflecting OHA’s commitment to Native Hawaiian self-governance and our cultural identity. The decision to only fly the hae Hawaiʻi aligns visually and symbolically with the agency’s statutory mandate under Chapter 10H of the Hawai‘i Revised Statutes, which emphasizes the recognition and self-governance of the Native Hawaiian people.

Specifically, [§10H-2] articulates the chapter’s goal to “provide for and to implement the recognition of the Native Hawaiian people by means and methods that will facilitate their self-governance … and by further promoting their culture, heritage, entitlements, health, education, and welfare.”

The presence of the hae Hawai‘i as the sole flag at OHA’s headquarters serves as a powerful statement of ea (sovereignty). It’s a visual declaration of OHA’s role as a champion and advocate for Native Hawaiian rights, self-determination, and cultural identity and preservation. It reflects our stand against historical erasure and asserts the enduring presence of our people.

Every day, as I enter and exit Nā Lama Kukui [the name of OHA's headquarters, which means the lamp whose light comes from burning a string of oil-rich kukui nuts], I find myself gazing up at our hae [flag], proudly waving in the makani [wind]. It fills me with immense pride and serves as a daily reminder of the profound purpose we carry within these walls.

Our hae [flag] Hawaiʻi stands as a beacon of hope, signaling to all who pass by that committed, diligent work is underway inside; it marks our unwavering dedication to uplifting a beloved lāhui [nation, people, and/or race] and advancing ever closer to the realization of ea [pronounced EH-yah = sovereignty].

Me ka ha‘aha‘a [with humbleness],
Stacy Kealohalani Ferreira
Ka Pouhana | Chief Executive Officer

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A Conversation with Kaialiʻi Kahele, pp. 4-6

By Puanani Fernandez-Akamine

Office of Hawaiian Affairs Trustee Kaiali‘i Kahele was elected to represent Hawai‘i Island during the 2024 Primary Election with 57% of the vote. Immediately following the swearing-in ceremony of new and re-elected OHA trustees in Honolulu on December 4, Kahele was elected by a majority of his peers to serve as chair of the Board of Trustees – the first time a newly elected trustee has been voted as chairperson. ...

One of the core things OHA should be doing is [working towards] the self-determination of our people. The fact that it is not part of our current strategic plan means that no one is talking about it, and that is something that I’m going to address. And if required, amend our strategic plan to make sure that self-governance and self-determination is back in our strategic plan.

OHA’s mission is clear: improve the lives of Native Hawaiians. And further, to bring to fruition self-determination and self-governance to address the economic disparities of Native Hawaiians around housing and health care. To leave self-determination and governance out of the current strategic plan is a mistake.

I don’t know that it is as divisive an issue as we think. I just think that people are not educated on the issue. I don’t think most people understand what independence is versus federal recognition versus nation within a nation. I think OHA can fill a space that no one is filling today – which is educating our people on what self-determination actually means and the [forms it might take to determine the] best path forward for our people.

Why don’t we bring in the subject matter experts around those different pathways, like Ka Lāhui Hawaiʻi or Dr. Keanu Sai? Why donʻt we bring in someone who can talk about the nation within a nation concept or federal recognition under the auspices of the United States? Under President Obama the Department of the Interior created a process for self-determination. What does that look like for the Native Hawaiian community? [We need to] have these discussions. The trustees need to re-energize this conversation so we can take a more definitive position. Let’s reanalyze the issue and possibly codify some of our strategic initiatives regarding self-determination into the current strategic plan.

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Our Blueprint Towards Ea. p.6

OHA’s Bold Vision for the 2025 Legislative Session

By Elena Farden

As the sun rises over the capitol’s iconic silhouette, the hum of anticipation fills the air – this is the season where ideas ignite, voices converge, and the vibrant mix of hope, determination, and steadfast resolve to manifest a thriving future for our lāhui teems. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) Strategy & Implementation team is poised to advocate for a transformative budget bill that reflects the agency’s unwavering commitment to uplifting the lāhui. ...

These strategic initiatives are guided by a fundamental understanding of the state’s obligation and OHA’s unique position within the public trust framework. The State of Hawaiʻi Constitution, Article XII, Section 4, and Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes Chapter 10 and 10-H collectively establish critical and complementary roles that the state and OHA stand in as stewards of Native Hawaiian wellbeing.

This shared kuleana between OHA and the state is a profound expression of the principle, “Ua mau ke ea o ka ʻāina i ka pono.” OHA’s budget proposal reflects not just funding requests but a call to action, urging the state to uphold its constitutional and moral obligations to the lāhui.

Moving Forward with Unity and Purpose

OHA’s Strategy & Implementation team is engaging with community leaders, legislators, and partners to ensure the proposed initiatives resonate with the needs of Native Hawaiians. Collaboration and transparency remain at the heart of this work. The journey toward a thriving lāhui is a shared one. Through collective advocacy and strategic investment, OHA reaffirms its commitment to the Native Hawaiian people, paving the way for a resilient, vibrant future.

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No More Military Leases: Building a Future Grounded in Hope, p.8

By Bronson Azama, Dianne Deauna and Aree Worawongwasu, for Ka Lāhui Hawai‘i

Last month’s cover story, “To Cede or To Seed,” explored potential outcomes of what could happen when the leases for nearly 30,000 acres of state land currently used by the U.S. military expire in 2029. The lands in question are stolen Hawaiian Kingdom crown and government lands that were violently seized without the consent of Kānaka Maoli; lands that are now being used as footholds and training grounds for the U.S. and its allies to maintain colonial control of Hawaiʻi and its geopolitical position in the Pacific.

Because the article did not reflect this historical and legal reality, it inadvertently blinds us to a perspective absent of the Aloha ʻĀina victories that stopped the bombing of Kahoʻolawe Island and Mākua Valley, and that prevented the Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) from entering into lease renewals for Pōhakuloa until the Army complies with their current lease terms. Our fears of what might happen under a Trump presidency should not stop us from reimagining a radically new future for Hawaiʻi – a future beyond the reach of imperialism.

The pending U.S. administrative transfer of power and threat of executive land seizures should not limit us to watching the negotiations between the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) and the U.S. military from the sidelines and merely hoping for better, higher rents.

The expiration of these leases is part of the larger conversation regarding the return of stolen ʻāina, re-establishment of our kingdom, and requirements to restore our lands and waters.

With more than 750 bases in 80 countries, the U.S. military has contributed to thousands of environmental disasters across the globe. In an era faced with climate change, limited resources, ecological collapse, and more, do we have time for bad actors? The environmental degradation caused by the U.S. military demonstrates it is not a friend to Hawaiʻi or the planet. On Oʻahu alone, the military occupies 23% of the island’s available land; yet their success in our “national defense” has consistently come at the expense of the health of our lands and waters, with multiple super-fund hazard waste sites and the destruction of natural resources, cultural sites, and wildlife locally and abroad. We recognize our ability to pressure the United States military in the defueling of the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility. Thousands of residents and affected military families held the U.S. Navy accountable to defuel the tanks expeditiously. Although the fight continues to re-mediate Oʻahu’s sole source aquifer, every milestone in the journey is attributed to successful community organizing. To a certain extent, the military needs public support to renew the leases. Yet many Kānaka Maoli and others vehemently oppose the ongoing taking and abuse of Indigenous lands. ...

As we navigate a path forward, we must avoid being intimidated by fear and instead ask the people of Hawaiʻi and the world: with America’s far-right step, should it continue to forcibly guide the future of Hawaiʻi and our planet? Let’s envision what a free Hawaiʻi can accomplish for our islands, the Pacific, and the world, responding by affirming our sovereignty rather than holding ourselves back from an opportunity for a better future.

Our kūpuna who lived at a time in which the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi was an international leader in innovation, education, and healthcare, signed the Kūʻē Petition to preserve Hawaiian sovereignty. Our small island nation demonstrated how governance can better society. We can still pursue this future today and change the trajectory of our lives on this blue planet.

Kūʻē! [resist!] We should not give up our agency to the U.S. military or the BLNR without objecting. We need to resist narratives that will deflate our collective consciousness as we pursue pono [justice] for our people and our land. The greatest gains for land back and the protection of our most precious resource, wai (water), were not made by elected leaders or government bureaucrats but by ordinary kānaka seeking justice. From the first landing on Kahoʻolawe in 1976 to the occupation of Maunakea in 2019, the Aloha ʻĀina movement has only grown stronger, its momentum undeniable. Ua mau ke ea o ka ‘āina i ka pono!
[Ken Conklin's note: State of Hawaii motto, usually translated to mean "The life of the land is preserved in righteousness". However, that statement was actually spoken by King Kauikeaouli Kamehameha III from the steps of Kawaiaha'o Church in 1843 after a large rally and celebration when British Admiral Thomas landed at what is now known as Thomas Square bringing a proclamation restoring sovereignty to Hawaii's King after it had been illegally seized by British Lord Paulet as foreclosure on debts accumulated by native chiefs. Therefore, in context, the translation should be: "Restored is the sovereignty of the land because it was the righteous thing to do." This phrase in Hawaiian language is the most powerful rallying cry of Hawaiian activists demanding secession from USA to re-establish Hawaii as an independent nation.]

Gather with Ka Lāhui at the ʻOnipaʻa Peace March on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, to observe the 132nd anniversary of the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian Monarchy and to honor the memory of Queen Liliʻuokalani who laid the foundation of kapu aloha and the peaceful path forward. ʻOnipaʻa is a call to remain steadfast in our commitment to positive change, to stand up against all forms of oppression, and to uphold the values of compassion, respect and justice.

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https://lavozdeibiza.com/en/current-news/2025/01/07/the-nation-of-hawaii-admits-that-the-diplomas-used-by-the-fake-diplomat-are-not-valid-in-spain/
La Voz de Ibiza ["The Voice of Ibiza, Spain] January 7, 2025

Automatic Translation Notice [published by the newspaper's English edition]: This text has been automatically translated from Spanish. It may contain inaccuracies or misinterpretations.

The Nation of Hawaii admits that the diplomas used by the fake diplomat are not valid in Spain.
La Voz de Ibiza has contacted representatives of the indigenous community that Mohamed Youcef Ihaddaden claimed to represent as ambassador, minister of Foreign Affairs and minister of the Treasury.

by AGUSTÍN SINTES VALLÉS

The Nation of Hawaï has admitted that the titles it has been flaunting Youcef Aden, first as ambassador, minister of the Treasury and official foreign minister and since June 12, 2022 without authorization after breaking off relations with the pro-independence entity, are worthless in Spain.

Fake Ibiza diplomat’s true intentions exposed: to control a bank, a currency and a cryptocurrency So much so that the organization itself “discourages the use of such titles outside the intended context, especially when they can be misinterpreted or used for personal gain (as in this case), which is inconsistent with our values of transparency and integrity.”

Ibiza’s fake diplomat in decline: resigns from his posts and refuses to give explanations La Voz de Ibiza has contacted the self-styled Nation of Hawai’i, an organization that claims its independence from the United States from a territorial base located in Pu’uhonua or Waimānalo, an autonomous refuge on O’ahu that by 2017 had just 20 homes and about 80 people. In response to inquiries by this media outlet, Second Vice President and also Minister of Foreign Affairs (a position Aden held) and Minister of Commerce for the Nation of Hawai’i, John Kealoha Garcia, confirmed that Mohamed Youcef Ihaddaden held positions in the organization as. However, he also assured that Aden resigned in July 2022 and that, since then, he has no formal relationship nor is he authorized to use such titles. According to the Hawaiian representative, Aden initially became involved with the Nation of Hawaii via telephone, through a “close contact” in Hawaii. “He was initially introduced as a banker from Spain, and expressed a deep interest in our history, particularly the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom in 1893 and the subsequent signing of U.S. Public Law 103-150 (the Apology Resolution) in 1993.” “This seminal law recognized the illegal overthrow of our kingdom and laid the foundation for the independent and sovereign nation-state of Hawai’i,” Kealoha Garcia added.

A diplomatic adventure in Ibiza

Recently, in the month of December, La Voz de Ibiza has been able to corroborate that Aden has modified the plaques with his positions that were arranged at the entrance to an office he has rented on the sixth floor of the vertical parking lot of Carlos III street in Ibiza. He had added to these titles the prefix “-ex”, indicating that he no longer occupies the positions he claimed to occupy.

From the Nation of Hawaii they have reported that “while Mr. Aden remains connected to some aspects of our history, he has not been actively participating in our government since his resignation in 2022,” so for a time the faux diplomat continued to use these titles publicly, despite having resigned.
“Since his resignation, Mr. Aden has not been authorized to act on behalf of the Nation of Hawaii or to use any governmental title.

La Voz de Ibiza has tried to contact Aden, as well as his legal representative, but in both cases they refused to offer their version of events.

The Nation of Hawaii, a reservation inhabited by 80 people that the fake diplomat from Ibiza claims to represent
https://lavozdeibiza.com/actualidad/2024/12/15/la-nacion-de-hawai-una-reserva-en-la-que-viven-80-personas-que-el-falso-diplomatico-de-ibiza-dice-representar/?swcfpc=1

Ibiza fake diplomat’s suspicious “acts of government”: Hawaiian dollar, cryptocurrency and a fictitious central bank
https://lavozdeibiza.com/actualidad/2024/12/16/los-sospechosos-actos-de-gobierno-del-falso-diplomatico-de-ibiza-dolar-hawaiano-criptomoneda-y-un-banco-central-ficticio/?swcfpc=1

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http://freehawaii.blogspot.com/2025/01/ke-aupuni-update-january-2025-nation.html
Free Hawaii blog Ke Aupuni Update Saturday January 11, 2025

A Nation Returning

One hundred and thirty-two years ago, on January 16, 1893, a rogue US diplomat ordered the landing of a company of fully armed troops from the naval warship USS Boston in Honolulu Harbor. They marched down King Street and positioned themselves with their canons and other formidable weapons pointed directly at Iolani Palace. They were there so that thirteen greedy white businessmen-insugents could seize control the Hawaiian Kingdom.

To defuse the situation and save her people from needless bloodshed, Queen Liliʻuokalani issued a temporary conditional yield. The yield was addressed to the United States, not to the insurgents. It was in the form of a diplomatic protest citing the United States’ illegal military intrusion as an unlawful act of aggression, an international wrongful act. Such a yield under protest placed the responsibility to repair the wrongful act squarely on the shoulders of the President of the United States. The sitting (but outgoing) president, Benjamin Harrison, ignored the Queen’s protest and signed a treaty of annexation (with the insurgents) to acquire the Hawaiian Islands. He sent the treaty to the US Senate for ratification.

But before they could do so, a new US president, Grover Cleveland was inaugurated. Within a few days of taking office, he withdrew the “Treaty of Annexation” from the Senate. A few days later, he received Princess Kaʻiulani at the White House and assured her he would look into the matter. Within a few days of that meeting, he appointed former US Representative James Blount to head an investigation of the regime change in Hawaii. Seven months later after an exhaustive, on-the-ground official investigation, President Cleveland in an address to the U.S. Congress stated that a United States diplomat and US armed forces had committed a wrongful act of aggression against the lawful Hawaiian Kingdom government and that the aggression amounted to an illegal “act of war” against a friendly, sovereign nation. He further stated that U.S. had a moral and legal obligation to repair the wrong by restoring Queen Liliʻuokalani and the lawful government of the Hawaiian Kingdom.

President Cleveland and Queen Lili’uokalani had agreed to terms to settle the matter. But, he left it up to the U.S. Congress to implement. Tragically, they have failed to implement the settlement and after 22 presidents and 44 congressional sessions, to this day, it remains not only unfinished business, but a forgotten obligation.

Instead of honoring that 1893 agreement, the United States, in 1898, did the exact opposite. Under then-President William McKinley, and under cover of the infamous Spanish-American War, the U.S. concocted and staged a quasi “annexation” and took possession of the Hawaiian Islands calling it the “U.S. Territory of Hawaii”. In 1959, that fake “Territory of Hawaii” was converted into the fake “State of Hawaii”.

During the “territorial” days, every effort was made to erase any vestige of Hawaii’s sovereignty, the illegal overthrow/act of war of 1893, the illegal “annexation” of 1898 and the ongoing illegal occupation. But in the 1970s Hawaiians began to awaken and peer through the veil of lies and deceit…

Today, after five decades of dedicated, sacrificial efforts by countless Aloha ʻĀina (Hawaiʻi patriots) to uncover the truth about the US belligerent occupation of our homeland, thankfully, the return of the Hawaiian Kindom is now in sight.

As we take the time on January 17, to attend the Peace March from the Royal Mausoleum at Maunaʻala and the ʻOnipaʻa Rally at ʻIolani Palace, and stand for the restoration of our nation, we also set our minds to advancing our Lāhui into the future. Let’s remind ourselves, our ʻohana and our friends, that we are the legacy — the evidence and heirs — and the visionaries and builders for future generations of the living Hawaiian Kingdom.

Ua Ola Ke Ea! Sovereignty Lives!

Aloha ʻĀina — “Love of country is deep-seated in the breast of every Hawaiian, whatever his station.” — Queen Liliʻuokalani
Ua mau ke ea o ka ʻāina i ka pono.
The sovereignty of the land is perpetuated in righteousness.

For the latest news and developments about our progress at the United Nations in both New York and Geneva, tune in to Free Hawaii News at 7 PM, the first Friday of each month on ʻŌlelo Television, Channel 53.
"Remember, for the latest updates and information about the Hawaiian Kingdom, check out the twice-a-month Ke Aupuni Updates published online on Facebook and other social media."

PLEASE KŌKUA. Your kōkua, large or small, is vital to this effort.
To contribute, go to:
• GoFundMe – CAMPAIGN TO FREE HAWAII
• PayPal – log in to PayPal and pay to the account, info@HawaiianKingdom.net
• Other – To contribute in other ways (airline miles, travel vouchers, volunteer service, etc...) email us at: info@HawaiianKingdom.net

Malama Pono,
 Leon Siu
Hawaiian National

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https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/interior-department-strengthens-native-hawaiian-consultation-policies-and-procedures

U.S. Department of Interior, Press Release, Thursday January 16, 2025

Interior Department Strengthens Native Hawaiian Consultation Policies and Procedures, Affirms Federal Trust Responsibility to Native Hawaiian Community

WASHINGTON – The Department of the Interior today announced updated policies and procedures to strengthen and fulfill the federal government’s responsibility to ensure regular and meaningful consultation with the Native Hawaiian Community. Additionally, the Department released a Solicitor’s opinion reaffirming the federal government’s trust responsibility to the Native Hawaiian Community, particularly as it relates to matters involving the Hawaiian Home Lands Trust.

“Our ongoing efforts to evolve and strengthen consultation policies and procedures will ensure that the Native Hawaiian Community can engage at the highest levels of the federal government on the issues that matter most. Today’s announcements are part of our work to ensure that the Native Hawaiian Community has seats at the decision-making table and that the Department’s decisions reflect their input,” said Secretary Deb Haaland. “From climate resilience to clean energy investments, the Biden-Harris administration has made available unprecedented resources for Hawaiʻi – but we maximize those opportunities only when we work in partnership with Native Hawaiian Community leaders and organizations.”

The Department today released:

A new chapter within the agency’s Departmental Manual that affirms the requirement that the Department’s bureaus and offices consult with Native Hawaiian leaders and organizations on agency actions that may implicate Native Hawaiian Community interests.

A second Departmental Manual chapter that provides procedures and process for government-to-sovereign consultations between the Department and the Native Hawaiian Community, to include Native Hawaiian Organizations.

A Solicitor’s M-Opinion, a final legal interpretation, reaffirming the United States’ ongoing trust and political relationship with the Native Hawaiian Community, including on matters involving the Hawaiian Home Lands. The opinion confirms that the Secretary of the Interior has explicit trust duties, as affirmed by Congress, and that the Department’s responsibilities require consultation with the Native Hawaiian Community.

The Departmental Manual chapters benefited from feedback received during consultations with the Native Hawaiian Community in 2022 and 2023.

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Ken Conklin's note:

To read the Solicitor's Opinion on official stationery (22 pages) go to
https://www.doi.gov/sites/default/files/document_secretarys_orders/m37083-hawaii_m_opinion_508.pdf

There are several official memorandums written over the years by high officials of the Department of Interior specifically focused on the alleged trust relationship. The problem is that the memorandums change from affirming to denying and back to affirming the trust relationship, depending entirely whether the writer is working for a Democrat or Republican administration. Democrats always assert the trust relationship exists; Republicans say there is no trust relationship -- just as Democrats pushed the Akaka bill for 13 years while Republicans blocked it. In other words, whether the trust relationship exists is a purely political assertion, not a clear and convincing legal conclusion.

The timing of those memorandums is also highly politicized, often occurring at or near the end of one party's governance and followed by the opposite assertion near the beginning of the next administration of the opposite political party. The timing of the memorandums asserting that a trust relationship exists is also closely tied to the timing of other political events related to ethnic Hawaiians; namely, the apology resolution of 1993 which then became a primary justification for the proposed Akaka bill to create a federally recognized Hawaiian tribe to establish a political entity to be the beneficiary for the alleged trust relationship. I discussed some of these memorandums in my testimony in 2015 against the proposed regulation that was eventually proclaimed and became law on November 16, 2016 (end of Obama admin) as 43CFR50 [allowing creation of Hawaiian tribe and federal recognition of it]; to read my compilation go to pp 57-63 of my testimony at
https://big09.angelfire.com/NPRM100115Conklin112615.pdf

On January 19, 1993, the last full day of the Republican administration of President George H.W. Bush (the elder), Thomas L. Sansonetti, Solicitor General of the Department of Interior, issued a 20-page official Opinion (Memorandum number M-36978) that there is no federal trust relationship with Native Hawaiians. On page 20 his concluding paragraph said "For the reasons discussed above, we conclude that the United States is not a trustee for native Hawaiians. We further conclude that the HHCA [Hawaiian Homes Commission Act] did not create a fiduciary responsibility in any party, the United States, the Territory of Hawaii, or the State of Hawaii. Deputy Solicitor Ferguson's opinion of August 27, 1979, is superseded and overruled to the extent that it is inconsistent with this memorandum." But later that same year, on November 15, 1993, after Democrat Bill Clinton had assembled his cabinet and subcabinet officials, the new Solicitor General of the Department of Interior, John D. Leshy, issued a one-page un-numbered Opinion formally withdrawing the Sansonetti Opinion without giving good legal reasons why. Leshy's Opinion was issued on November 15 to coincide with the joint resolution apologizing to ethnic Hawaiians for the U.S. role in the overthrow of Hawaii's monarchy, which passed the Senate on October 27, passed the House on November 15, and was signed by President Clinton on November 23, 1993. Claims and denials of a federal trust relationship with Native Hawaiians have ping-ponged back and forth between opposing Solicitors of the Department of Interior for many decades. Here are a few I have found; there are probably others:

August 27, 1979 Deputy Solicitor Ferguson's opinion (President Carter, Democrat) proclaimed YES there is a federal trust relationship with Native Hawaiians.

January 19, 1993, the last full day of the Republican administration of President George H.W. Bush (the elder), Thomas L. Sansonetti, Solicitor General of the Department of Interior, issued a 20-page official Opinion (Memorandum number M-36978) proclaiming NO, there is not a federal trust relationship with Native Hawaiians.

November 15, 1993 John D. Leshy (President Clinton, Democrat), issued a one-page un-numbered Opinion formally withdrawing the Sansonetti Opinion without giving good legal reasons why. In effect, Leshy was saying YES there is a federal trust relationship with Native Hawaiians. Leshy's Opinion was issued on November 15 to coincide with the joint resolution apologizing to ethnic Hawaiians for the U.S. role in the overthrow of Hawaii's monarchy, which passed the Senate on October 27, passed the House on November 15, and was signed by President Clinton on November 23, 1993.

Thursday January 16, 2025, 4 days before end of President Biden's administration (Democrat) and beginning of President Trump's second term (Republican), Solicitor Robert T. Anderson said YES there is a federal trust relationship with Native Hawaiians.

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https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2025/01/22/trump-administration-directs-all-federal-diversity-equity-inclusion-staff-be-put-leave/?utm_source=taboola&utm_medium=organicclicks
Hawaii News Now, Jan. 21, 2025

Trump administration directs all federal diversity, equity and inclusion staff be put on leave

By ALEXANDRA OLSON and ZEKE MILLER Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump‘s administration moved Tuesday to end affirmative action in federal contracting and directed that all federal diversity, equity and inclusion staff be put on paid leave and eventually be laid off.

The memo follows an executive order Trump signed on his first day ordering a sweeping dismantling of the federal government’s diversity and inclusion programs that could touch on everything from anti-bias training to funding for minority farmers and homeowners.

Yet another executive order Tuesday rolls back affirmative action in federal contracting, revoking an order issued by President Lyndon Johnson, and curtails DEI programs by federal contractors and grant recipients. It’s using one of the key tools utilized by the Biden administration to promote DEI programs across the private sector — pushing their use by federal contractors — to now eradicate them.

The Office of Personnel Management memo directs agencies to place DEI office staffers on paid leave by 5 p.m. Wednesday and take down all public DEI-focused webpages by the same deadline. Several federal departments had removed the webpages even before the memorandum. Agencies must also cancel any DEI-related training and end any related contracts, and federal workers are being asked to report to Trump’s Office of Personnel Management if they suspect any DEI-related program has been renamed to obfuscate its purpose within 10 days or face “adverse consequences.”

By Thursday, federal agencies are directed to compile a list of federal DEI offices and workers as of Election Day. By next Friday, they are expected to develop a plan to execute a “reduction-in-force action” against those federal workers.

The move comes after Monday’s executive order accused former President Joe Biden of forcing “discrimination” programs into “virtually all aspects of the federal government” through “diversity, equity and inclusion” programs, known as DEI. That step is the first salvo in an aggressive campaign to upend DEI efforts nationwide, including leveraging the Justice Department and other agencies to investigate private companies pursuing training and hiring practices that conservative critics consider discriminatory against non-minority groups such as white men. ...

Diversity offices, training and accountability
Trump’s order will immediately gut Biden’s wide-ranging effort to embed diversity and inclusion practices in the federal workforce, the nation’s largest at about 2.4 million people. Biden had mandated all agencies to develop a diversity plan, issue yearly progress reports, and contribute data for a government-wide dashboard to track demographic trends in hiring and promotions. The administration also set up a Chief Diversity Officers Council to oversee the implementation of the DEI plan. The government released its first DEI progress report in 2022 that included demographic data for the federal workforce, which is about 60% white and 55% male overall, and more than 75% white and more than 60% male at the senior executive level. Trump’s executive order will toss out equity plans developed by federal agencies and terminate any roles or offices dedicated to promoting diversity. It will include eliminating initiatives such as DEI-related training or diversity goals in performance reviews.

Federal grant and benefits programs
Trump’s order paves the way for an aggressive but bureaucratically complicated overhaul of billions of dollars in federal spending that conservative activists claim unfairly carve out preference for racial minorities and women. The order does not specify which programs it will target but ... proposes that the federal government settle ongoing lawsuits against federal programs that benefit historically underserved communities, including some that date back decades. ...

Pay equity and hiring practices
It’s not clear whether the Trump administration will target every initiative that stemmed from Biden’s DEI executive order.
For example, the Biden administration banned federal agencies from asking about an applicant’s salary history when setting compensation, a practice many civil rights activists say perpetuates pay disparities for women and people of color.
It took three years for the Biden administration to issue the final regulations, and Trump would have to embark on a similar rule-making process, including a notice and comment period, to rescind it, said Chiraag Bains, former deputy director of the White House Domestic Policy Council under Biden and now a nonresident senior fellow with Brookings Metro. ...

Despite the sweeping language of Trump’s order, Farrell said, “the reality of implementing such massive structural changes is far more complex.” “Federal agencies have deeply embedded policies and procedures that can’t simply be switched off overnight,” she added.

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https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2025/01/23/native-hawaiian-leaders-object-trumps-race-blind-actions/
Hawaii News Now, Jan. 22, 2025

Native Hawaiian leaders object to Trump’s ‘race-blind’ actions

By Daryl Huff

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - In the last 48 hours, President Donald Trump has swept away diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, halted civil rights investigations, and eliminated White House initiatives to bring minority groups to the table, including an initiative for Native Hawaiian, Asian American and Pacific Islander access to White House decision-making.

Now Native Hawaiian leaders fear programs that directly support their community could be next.

Less than two weeks ago, Kamanaopono Crabbe, a veteran Native Hawaiian leader, chanted to open the final conference in Washington, D.C., organized by the White House Initiative for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders. ...

During his inaugural speech after he was sworn in Monday, President Trump said, “We will forge a society that is color blind and merit based.” Shortly after that speech, the AANHPI initiative did disappear, along with similar programs for Black and Hispanic American communities, which had been around for years. “It’s kind of a shock and awe, to put it bluntly, in terms of the onslaught of what they are doing,” Crabbe said in an interview with Hawaii News Now.

U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda pointed out that the minority initiatives were not a hiring diversity or affirmative action program, but were primarily designed to give the communities a voice in federal decisions. “Not only does he not see us,” she said. “It sends a really horrible message that we don’t matter.” ...

The initiative also brought concerns about Asian hate violence and the need to break out Census data about various ethnic groups that had been lumped into the “Asian” category.

Given the rapid rate of diversity and ethnicity-based programs disappearing, Crabbe believes Native Hawaiian housing and home lands, health and education programs are on the chopping block. “These are very real and serious threats that will require some legal maneuvering to sort of ward off the current administrations dismantling of these programs,” he said.

The president does have some support in Hawaii’s Legislature. One of his biggest boosters is Republican Minority Leader Diamond Garcia. “As of yesterday (Monday), America’s back on the merit system, which doesn’t judge someone based on how they look, where they come from, or their socioeconomic status, but what can they produce for the country? That’s the way it should be,” he said. Asked whether minorities who have faced generation of discrimination are on an even playing field, he said, “It’s pretty simple. Stop talking about race.”

So far, all of the president’s actions to race-blind the federal government have been things he can through his executive power without Congress. Many Hawaiian programs are established by law, so he will need the support of Congress if he tries to eliminate them.

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https://ictnews.org/news/donald-trump-reiterates-support-for-lumbee-federal-recognition
Indian Country Today January 23, 2025

Donald Trump reiterates support for Lumbee federal recognition
Trump directs the Department of the Interior, within 90 days, to provide a plan on how to get the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina federal recognition 'through legislation or other available mechanisms'

by ICT and the Associated Press

Trump signed a memo Thursday directing his administration to help advance full federal recognition for the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, a distinction that would unlock access to federal funds.

“This is a great step for the new administration and we encourage Congress to move forward with codifying this policy of President Trump toward full federal recognition of the Lumbee People,” said Tribal Chairman John L. Lowery.

Congress acknowledged the state-recognized tribe in 1956 but stopped short of giving the now 55,000-member tribe federal recognition, which has been granted to 574 other Native American tribes in the U.S. Along with federal funds, the designation comes with access to resources like health care through the Indian Health Service. It also creates a pathway for a tribe to secure a land base.

Trump’s memo directs the Department of the Interior, within 90 days, to provide a plan on how to get the Lumbee Tribe federal recognition “through legislation or other available mechanisms.”

When Kamala Harris and Trump campaigned in North Carolina last year, both candidates courted the Lumbee.

Trump in September promised that he would sign legislation to grant federal recognition to the Lumbee Tribe. He ultimately won North Carolina by more than 3 percentage points, in part due to continued support from Lumbee voters.

Tribal nations typically receive federal recognition through an application with the Department of the Interior, but the Lumbee have been trying for many years to circumvent that process by going through Congress.

The Lumbee have faced deep-rooted opposition from tribal nations across the country.

To gain federal recognition, a tribal nation has to file a successful application with the Office of Federal Acknowledgement, a department within the Interior.

The Lumbee Tribe was denied the ability to apply for federal recognition in 1987, based on the interpretation of a 1956 congressional act that acknowledged the Lumbee but stopped short of granting them federal recognition.

In 2016, the Interior reversed that decision, allowing the Lumbee Tribe to apply, but the Lumbee have opted for the congressional route.

Members of Congress from both parties have supported recognizing the Lumbee through legislation, including Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin, a member of the Cherokee Nation who campaigned for Trump in North Carolina and backed the legislation.

But perhaps the state-recognized tribe’s most ardent ally in Congress is North Carolina Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, who introduced the Lumbee Fairness Act in 2023.

At one point about a century ago, the Lumbee were known as the Cherokee Indians of Robeson County, and for many years now all three Cherokee tribes — the Eastern Band, the Cherokee Nation, and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians — have denounced this and been vocal opponents of granting the Lumbee federal recognition.

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http://freehawaii.blogspot.com/2025/01/ke-aupuni-update-january-2025-with.html
Free Hawaii Ke Aupuni Update Saturday January 25, 2025

With the Stroke of a Pen!

In the previous issue of Ke Aupuni Update I wrote how in 1893, US President Grover Cleveland, immediately after taking office, stopped his predecessor’s “Treaty of Annexation of the Hawaiian Islands” from being ratified by the U.S. Senate. A few days later, Cleveland met with and assured Princess Kaʻiulani that a formal investigation would be conducted.

Following that investigation, Cleveland repudiated the wrongful acts of Americans who participated in overturning the government of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Cleveland negotiated an agreement with Queen Liliʻuokalani to reinstate her as the proper governing authority for the Hawaiian Kingdom.

** Ken Conklin's note: See my webpage from 2011: "So-called executive agreements between Hawaii Queen Liliuokalani and U.S. President Grover Cleveland -- the new Hawaiian history scam by Keanu Sai" at
https://www.angelfire.com/big09/SaiExecutiveAgreementsScam.html

But the U.S. never followed through. Instead, American annexationists proceeded to seize control of Hawaiʻi, subjugate the people and take their lands, thus impoverishing Hawaiians while enriching American immigrants and other foreigners.

Today, the responsibility and authority to honor and execute the Cleveland-Liliʻuokalani Executive Agreement lies in the hands of the current President of the United States — President Donald J. Trump. Even though Cleveland and 22 presidents since him failed to execute the agreement, it is now incumbent upon the sitting president to follow through. All President Trump has to do is sign an executive order and ‘with the stroke of a pen’ he can actually FREE HAWAII!

It's a little more complicated than that but that’s the gist of what could happen if President Trump and decent Americans were suddenly motivated and found the courage to do the right thing. It is hoped that fair-minded Americans and people from around the world come to realize the grave injustices occurring in Hawaii that they will urge President Trump to act honorably and release Hawaii from the hundred-thirty-two years of occupation and plundering.

The restoration of the Hawaiian Kingdom would bring vindication to the memory of those Hawaiian patriots who fervently prayed and fought for the return of their Kingdom. It would bring healing to the land. It would bring relief and absolution to the downtrodden and the persecuted. It would mean living as free people in charge of our own nation and our own future with all its challenges, responsibilities as well as rewards.

In addition, freedom for Hawaiʻi would also extend grace to the United States — freeing America from the burden of guilt, shame and karma of having committed such injustices against the Hawaiian people and their nation; and having unduly benefitted from the prolonged illegal occupation and pillaging of the Kingdom of the Hawaiian Islands.

Aloha ʻĀina — “Love of country is deep-seated in the breast of every Hawaiian, whatever his station.” — Queen Liliʻuokalani

Ua mau ke ea o ka ʻāina i ka pono. The sovereignty of the land is perpetuated in righteousness.

"Remember, for the latest updates and information about the Hawaiian Kingdom, check out the twice-a-month Ke Aupuni Updates published online on Facebook and other social media."

PLEASE KŌKUA
Your kōkua, large or small, is vital to this effort
To contribute, go to:
• GoFundMe – CAMPAIGN TO FREE HAWAII
• PayPal – log in to PayPal and pay to the account, info@HawaiianKingdom.net
• Other – To contribute in other ways (airline miles, travel vouchers, volunteer service, etc...) email us at: info@HawaiianKingdom.net

Malama Pono,
Leon Siu
 Hawaiian National

------------------

http://freehawaii.blogspot.com/2025/02/ke-aupuni-update-february-2025-annexing.html
Free Hawaii Ke Aupuni Update Saturday February 8, 2025

Annexing Canada?

Recent announcements by US President Trump that America should acquire (conquer? annex? buy?) Canada, Greenland and the Panama Canal shocked everyone. As if it was unheard of that America would do such a thing… take lands that don’t belong to them. Or at least not say it out loud for the world to hear!

Yet, taking lands from the previous “inhabitants” (people) is the modus operandi of the European illegal immigrant/refugees ever since they landed on the shores of “the New World.” Their attitude was: That’s a great place. I want it. If the people won’t give it to me, I’ll just take it. And they did, just as they had been doing for the previous century to Africa and Asia.

Part of the shock was that Canada and Panama are independent states and Greenland is in peaceful negotiations with Denmark for independence. How can the American government and the world allow the brazen threat of taking over Canada, Panama and Greenland?

We in Hawaii are not so surprised. President Trump’s statement was being honest about America’s bad habit of taking what it wants, legal or not. In fact, Hawaii is the genesis of America’s foreign policy of gunboat diplomacy. It all began here in Hawaii when America flexed its military might to topple the peaceful, friendly government of the Hawaiian Kingdom so the US could build a world-class naval base at Pearl Harbor.

This set the stage for the eventual takeover of Hawaii by the US five years later. Why have just Pearl Harbor, when they could “annex” the whole archipelago as a US military base and command center to flex US military might (and extend US political/economic interests) over half of the surface of the World? This became the template for American intervention, interference and bullying in foreign countries for the past 132 years. So why are Americans so surprised and shocked at President Trump wanting to take over Canada. Greenland and the Panama Canal… and now the Gaza Strip?

President Trump’s statement exposes the truth about how deep-seated the “America first” mentality really is. America’s own people are shocked because they’ve been living in denial. But this “us first” mentality is definitely not unique to America.

Every country engenders patriotism among their people and places their national interests as first and foremost. In her 1898 open letter of appeal to the people of America, our Queen wrote, “Oh, honest Americans, as Christians hear me for my downtrodden people! Their form of government is as dear to them as yours is as precious to you. Quite warmly as you love your country, so they love theirs…”

So, could it be that President Trump’s outrageous statement about absorbing other countries may awaken the people to understand what we have been trying to tell them? That Hawaii is not part of the US, but a peaceful, sovereign, independent nation, hijacked and swept up by America’s relentless march to world domination?

The question is not, Are there any clever or powerful or brave Americans? The real question is, Are there any honest Americans?

Aloha ʻĀina —
“Love of country is deep-seated in the breast of every Hawaiian, whatever his station.” — Queen Liliʻuokalani

Ua mau ke ea o ka ʻāina i ka pono.
The sovereignty of the land is perpetuated in righteousness.

"Remember, for the latest updates and information about the Hawaiian Kingdom, check out the twice-a-month Ke Aupuni Updates published online on Facebook and other social media."

Malama Pono,
Leon Siu
 Hawaiian National

-------------------

Kamehameha Schools news report regarding cooperation among Pacific island nations has deeply hidden implications (political, cultural, linguistic)

** Ken Conklin's note: The following short "news report" published by Bishop Estate (Kamehameha Schools) displays some important themes of the Hawaiian sovereignty fantasy -- the concept that all Polynesians are members of one huge tribe regardless of colonial political identities which keep them separated; the concept that agreements among different groups can be ratified through culture-based ceremonies which give them the same status as treaties signed by nations' diplomats; the concept that events in the natural environment or behaviors of animals are actually conveying the blessings of the gods. The article also displays a linguistic technique which I call "sprinkling" whereby Hawaiian-language words are occasionally inserted into an English-language speech or essay to create the impression of cultural authenticity and profound sincerity [I have inserted my English-language interpretation of those words tailored to the specific context where they appear]. Most of the time the sprinkled words are easily understood by Hawaiian activists who have previously heard them, thereby reinforcing their feeling of superiority that they are "insiders" possessing secret knowledge; while simultaneously giving the non-activist members of the audience a feeling they are being allowed a glimpse into hidden knowledge for which they should feel grateful and obligated to reciprocate through loyal personal and political support. Sprinkling is especially compelling to ethnic Hawaiians who have not yet been radicalized; i.e., aroused to activism; but might be feeling guilty and are vulnerable to getting the "calling" from "their" cultural heritage on display not only in the use of language but also in the regalia and clothing of the participants.
See my very large webpage "Hawaiian Language as a Political Weapon" at
https://www.angelfire.com/big09/HawLangPolitWeapon.html

Here's the news report

https://www.ksbe.edu/article/kamehameha-schools-oha-ink-historic-agreement-with-french-polynesia-leaders?

Kamehameha Schools, OHA ink historic agreement with French Polynesia leaders

Feb. 12, 2025

When dozens of visitors from Raʻiātea, French Polynesia arrived at the Kūkulu o Kahiki courtyard of Kaʻiwakīloumoku on a cool, crisp January morning, they had a somewhat surprising escort. A single pulelehua [butterfly] fluttered above and around them, seemingly spellbound by the ʻaʻala [sweet fragrance] from the lei [flower garlands] draped around the guests’ ʻāʻī. [necks]

Leaders from Kamehameha Schools and OHA deliver an oli [chant] welcoming the delegation from Raʻiātea to Kaʻiwakīloumoku.

The winged, welcoming escort into the Myron Pinky Thompson Hale [house; i.e. hall] seemed to perfectly match the ʻano [character, feeling] of this day, which saw representatives from Kamehameha Schools, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and all three mayors of Raʻiātea sign an historic agreement. The Cultural Heritage, Education and Community Exchange Agreement is a multi-faceted charter meant to deepen ties across Moananuiākea [prosaic name for Pacific Ocean; literally ocean huge wide].

The parties agreed to develop pilina [emotional closeness, solidarity] and kākoʻo [support; cooperate in] diverse cultural exchanges and educational opportunities. This includes sports, the arts and professional events. KS and the Raʻiātea delegation also agreed to collaborate on matters of environmental protection and even international recognition.

But before anyone put pen to paper, everyone took time to set intention with oli [chants], mele [songs] and hula [ethnic Hawaiian dances] performed masterfully by the KS Hawaiian Ensemble. Giving heartfelt remarks, the governors of Raʻiātea emphasized the shared history and ancestry between Hawaiians and Tahitians, even noting their home island was once known has Havaiʻi. The Raʻiātea leaders also pointed towards a shared future, tackling issues like cultural preservation and food sustainability.

“Today, we are asked to turn to the teachings of our tupuna [Tahitian spelling of "Kupuna" = ancestors and living elders] and go back and take the time to also reflect on how we produce food ourselves instead of importing everything right now. This is part of the work that Raʻiātea has been doing,” said Tumaraʻa Mayor Cyril Tetuanui.

The declaration signing caps off an effort that spans several years and the entirety of the Polynesian huinakolu. Before arriving to Oʻahu, the French Polynesian delegation had already inked similar agreements with leaders of Rapa Nui to the east and Aotearoa to the southwest. The event on the Kapālama campus completed the third point of that triangle.

The event wouldn’t have been complete without the presence of the Polynesian Voyaging Society, a key connector to all points in Moananuiākea for the past 50 years. Pwo navigator and CEO Nainoa Thompson delivered manaʻo-filled remarks [mana'o = meanings, opinions, beliefs, commitments] honoring his father and Papa Mau Piailug. He also praised the people of Raʻiātea.

“You are at the heart of what sovereignty is, Raʻiātea, because no matter what the forces are on the outside, you take care of your people.”

Nainoa Thompson, CEO of the Polynesian Voyaging Society, delivers heartfelt remarks during the declaration signing ceremony at the Myron Pinky Thompson Hale, a place named after his pioneering father.

Thomspon also applauded the kākou effort imbued in the declaration.
“It’s deeper than the paper. It’s deeper than the activation. It’s really about this family coming together. This family is going to take care of each other. This family is never going to break, ever.”

OHA Chair Kaialiʻi Kahele said he took Thompson’s words to heart.
“It gives us an opportunity to collaborate, to share knowledge and hopefully do what Nainoa challenged us to do, which is not just look at today as an opportunity to sign a piece of paper, but actually to forge a bond and a promise to continue to work together for future generations.”

This declaration, with a signature afterwards from the mayor of Raʻiātea’s neighboring island Tahaʻa, is a unique activation of agency. Instead of waiting for state or national leaders to take action, Kamehameha Schools, OHA and these leaders of Tahitian municipalities took it upon themselves to be bridge builders and unifiers.

Randie Fong, Kamehameha Schools’ Executive Cultural Officer, noted this follows the diplomatic legacies of aliʻi such as Kamehameha ʻEkahi and King Kalākaua, who at one time sought a Polynesian Confederation.

“As part of a unifying movement toward oceanic self-determination and cultural empowerment, today’s alliance promotes regular interaction and engagement with the region of our cultural origin and proudly asserts our Hawaiian-Polynesian identity derived from our rich Moananuiākea Pacific heritage,” said Fong.

That unifying spirit was cemented at the end of the signing ceremony. Hawaiians and Tahitians joined hand in hand as they sang the famous mele [song] aloha ʻāina
[phrase has double meaning: (1) love for the land; (2) race-nationalist patriotism]: “Hawaiʻi Aloha.”
[song title has double meaning because "Hawai'i" is not only the name of this place, but is also the name of a racial group: (1) love for Hawaii; (2) love for ethnic Hawaiians]

Further explanation by Ken Conklin: The song "Hawaii Aloha" is a short, sweet song which is always sung in Hawaiian language and is often sung from memory at the end of many gatherings as everyone stands in a large circle holding hands, smiling, gently expressing solidarity and happiness. A large percentage of all ethnic groups in Hawaii know this song even if they don't know the meaning of the words. But the first line of the song is clearly appropriate only for people born and raised in Hawaii (not mainland transplants or immigrants), while the second line is even more restrictive because it is appropriate only for multigeneration native-born people.
1. E Hawai'i e ku'u one hanau e
[O Hawaii, the sands of my birth]
2. Ku'u home kulaiwi nei
[My ancestral homeland; literally, my home where the bones are buried here; kula = field, iwi = bones; referring to a graveyard or burial ground]

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http://freehawaii.blogspot.com/2025/02/ke-aupuni-update-2025-hawaiians-should.html
Free Hawaii blog, Ke Auuni update Saturday February 22, 2025

Hawaiians Should Be ʻUnitedʻ Before Their Nation Can Be Restored

While this concept of “unity” sounds nice, it is not practical or necessary or realistic as a prerequisite to reclaim a nation.

How “unified” is the United States? In America’s “two-party system,” aren’t those two parties diametrically opposed over nearly every issue? Especially right now. And this is not the first time: remember the American Civil War?

And what about the subdivisions of the many factions? Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, Liberal Democrats, Leftist Democrats, Conservative Republicans, Liberal Republicans, Independents, Socialists, ans so forth? If unification is the ideal criteria, shouldn’t all these American factions be in “unity” or in “agreement” before the U.S. makes any important decision or takes any action or conducts its day-to-day operations? Have you ever watched Congress or the British Parliament, or any other democratic government in session? Do they exemplify unity?

If you really think about it, democracy is the antithesis of unity, while dictatorship is the essence of unity. How ironic! Otto von Bismark, the Chancellor of Germany (1871-1890) once stated: “There are two things you should not watch being made — sausages and laws.” The process of governing is a messy, distasteful, ugly and divisive process.

Why should we Hawaiians have to conform to a standard that no other nation, not even the U.S., is required to uphold? In fact, aren’t we told that dissent, differences of opinion — what one could construe as disunity — is what makes democracy great?

In truth, what makes democracy work is not unified thought or agendas or behavior, but an agreement to function in a civil manner despite disagreements: warts and all.

To require Hawaiians to jump through hoops and conform to unrealistic standards that no one else does, is the epitome of a double standard. It is hypocritical, manipulative and a deadly trap. The U.S. colonial propaganda implanted in us the mantra, unity first, unity first, unity first! And many Hawaiians have been mesmerized by it. The U.S. knows full well that if it can get us to think that we have to achieve its prescribed brand of unity first, as we fail to achieve that standard, they can use it as an excuse to avoid the responsibility of restoring Hawaii as an independent country.

The only standards in which we should be unified are Love of Country and Freedom. The various proponents for Hawaiian independence actually are united in what matters most — the burning desire to see Hawaii restored as an independent, sovereign country. The manner of how to make that happen is what is being debated, and tested by different approaches. But the core motivation factors of identity and the desire for Freedom, are there. The ones in “disunity” are those who are afraid of change and the unknown; and those who prefer to live under the illegal occupation of the United States.

In restoring Hawaii as an independent country, being in tune with the principles of Aloha ʻĀina is way more important than being “unified”.

Aloha ʻĀina — “Love of country is deep-seated in the breast of every Hawaiian, whatever his station.” — Queen Liliʻuokalani

Ua mau ke ea o ka ʻāina i ka pono.
The sovereignty of the land is perpetuated in righteousness.

"Remember, for the latest updates and information about the Hawaiian Kingdom, check out the twice-a-month Ke Aupuni Updates published online on Facebook and other social media."

PLEASE KŌKUA
Your kōkua, large or small, is vital to this effort.
To contribute, go to:
• GoFundMe – CAMPAIGN TO FREE HAWAII
• PayPal – log in to PayPal and pay to the account, info@HawaiianKingdom.net
• Other – To contribute in other ways (airline miles, travel vouchers, volunteer service, etc...) email us at: info@HawaiianKingdom.net

Malama Pono,
Leon Siu
Hawaiian National

------------------

http://freehawaii.blogspot.com/2025/03/march-free-hawaii-news-whose-3-minute.html
Free Hawaii blog Friday March 7, 2025 http://freehawaii.blogspot.com/2025/03/march-free-hawaii-news-whose-3-minute.html

MARCH FREE HAWAII NEWS - WHOSE 3-MINUTE SPEECH IN THE HAWAII SENATE WENT VIRAL?

The March 2025 “Free Hawaii News” debuting tonight Friday night, March 7th airs at our new time of 7 PM on `Olelo Television Channel 53 on O`ahu and also at FreeHawaiiNews.com

“Itʻs rare that a speech delivered on the floor of the legislature by a Hawaii state senator goes viral on social media but this one sure did,” says Free Hawaii News co-host Leon Siu. “In just three minutes newly elected Hawaii state senator Samantha DeCorte electrified her fellow legislators and then captured the imagination of everyone on social media with her message. We ask her why she said what she did, who she was inspired by as well as the reactions she got. Itʻs definitely one of those ʻWow!ʻ moments.”

** Ken Conklin's note: State Senator Samantha DeCorte (Republican! from Wai'anae) gave a "call to action" speech on the Senate floor. Minutes 3-8 on the embedded YouTube video of the 60-minute TV show includes her 3-minute floor speech plus her interview about it with Leon Siu who imagines himself to be "Foreign Minister" of the still-living Hawaiian Kingdom. Later in the 60-minute video Leon gives a very clear explanation of the process he is using at the United Nations to get Pacific island nations to introduce a resolution in the General Assembly to nullify their decision in 1960 to remove Hawaii from the list of non-self-governing territories eligible for decolonization and return to prior status as an independent nation (General Assembly resolutions are decided by majority vote; most nations are anti-U.S., and there are no vetoes allowed as in the Security Council). "Miss" Hinaleimoana Wong (AKA "Kumu Hina") discusses cultural topics.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-8FUsLuV2g

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https://www.staradvertiser.com/2025/03/10/hawaii-news/senators-push-bipartisan-holiday-bill/
Honolulu Star-Advertiser Monday March 10, 2025

Senators push bipartisan holiday bill

By Andrew Gomes

The list of annual state holidays in Hawaii could grow by one under legislation that easily passed a milestone last week.

State senators voted 25-0 to approve and send to the House of Representatives a bill that would make Nov. 28 La Ku‘oko‘a, or Hawaiian Independence Day, as Hawaii’s 14th official state holiday.

The Legislature in 2023 passed a bill to designate Nov. 28 as La Ku‘oko‘a to celebrate a historical recognition of the kingdom of Hawaii’s independence dating to 1843. But that measure, which became Act 11, did not make the day a state holiday. Now state lawmakers, via Senate Bill 614, are considering elevating La Ku‘oko‘a to an official holiday.

“We celebrate Fourth of July, American Independence Day, as an official state holiday,” Sen. Kurt Fevella, a Republican who introduced the bill with two Democratic colleagues, Sens. Stanley Chang and Carol Fukunaga, said in the Senate chamber preceding Tuesday’s vote. “It’s a day when 13 American colonies separated from Great Britain,” said Fevella (R, Ewa Beach-Ocean Pointe-Iroquois Point). “But why haven’t we celebrated when Hawaii became a sovereign nation as a state holiday? … Colleagues, let’s stand together for the Independence Day of our Hawaii nei.”

Testimony on SB 614 has been near-unanimously supportive, with written comments from about 35 people, the state Office of Hawaiian Affairs and the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs.

Reese Flores, a Native Hawaiian student at the University of Hawaii, told two Senate committees during a Feb. 13 public hearing that La Ku‘oko‘a is an important part of Hawaiian history that deserves recognition. “We should be reminded that our ancestors fought and sought independence to keep our nation sovereign,” she said.

On Nov. 28, 1843, Great Britain and France formally recognized, under a joint Anglo-Franco Proclamation, the kingdom of Hawaii as an independent nation — 50 years before the 1893 overthrow of the monarchy that preceded Hawaii’s 1898 annexation by the United States.

The intent of SB 614 is stated to “recognize the compelling history of Hawaiian independence and memorialize the injustice of the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom.”

According to OHA, La Ku‘oko‘a, which literally means Independence Day, was celebrated as a national public holiday under the kingdom of Hawaii and then later by a provisional government, the republic of Hawaii and the territory of Hawaii.

OHA said in written testimony that La Ku‘oko‘a merits joining Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalaniana‘ole Day, celebrated annually on March 26, and King Kamehameha I Day, observed annually on June 11, as Hawaiian cultural state holidays instituted by Hawaii lawmakers.

Hawaii also observes Statehood Day as an official holiday annually on the third Friday in August to mark its 1959 admission as the country’s 50th state.

Beighlee Vidinha, a Native Hawaiian student at UH, said during the Feb. 13 hearing that La Ku‘oko‘a is part of the identity of Hawaiians as sovereign people before identities as American citizens. “If we can honor Statehood Day and American Independence Day as state or federal holidays, we can honor La Ku‘oko‘a, an important indication of our independence and sovereignty as people,” she said.

Kimmer Horsen testified at the same hearing to say in part that La Ku‘oko‘a as a state holiday would help educate children, newcomers and tourists about Hawaii’s history. “A bill for terminating Statehood Day would also be wise, as a suggestion,” she said. “This is a step in the right direction for true Hawaiian kingdom independence.”

The only person to testify against the bill was Kenneth Conklin, a longtime opponent of the Hawaiian sovereignty movement. Conklin, in written testimony, characterized the bill as using a “182-year-old historical footnote” to give a small boost to “Hawaiian pride” at a large cost in money and undelivered government services.

Luis Salaveria, director of the state Department of Budget and Finance, said in written testimony for a Feb. 28 Senate committee hearing on the bill that the loss of state labor and productivity for one day is valued at about $18.3 million from payroll expenses, including Social Security, Medicare and pension costs.

Wilbert Holck, chief negotiator with the state Office of Collective Bargaining, said in written testimony that enacting a law to make La Ku‘oko‘a a state holiday would have no effect on public workers unless such a day off work were negotiated and agreed upon mutually.

Nov. 28 is already a state holiday every five to six years when it aligns with Thanksgiving as the fourth Thursday in November. That happened in 2019 and 2024, and will happen again next in 2030.

Current official state holidays
>> New Year’s Day
>> Martin Luther King Jr. Day
>> Presidents Day
>> Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalaniana‘ole Day
>> Good Friday
>> Memorial Day
>> King Kamehameha I Day
>> Independence Day
>> Statehood Day
>> Labor Day
>> Veterans Day
>> Thanksgiving Day
>> Christmas Day

** Ken's note: The previous testimony by Luis Salaveria, director of the state Department of Budget and Finance, and by Wilbert Holck, chief negotiator with the state Office of Collective Bargaining, would never have been mentioned except for the fact that I quoted their testimony as part of my own testimony.

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https://www.staradvertiser.com/2025/03/11/editorial/off-the-news/off-the-news-no-time-to-indulge-in-new-state-holiday/
Honolulu Star-Advertiser Tuesday March 11, 2025

Off the news [mini-editorial]: No time to indulge in new state holiday

Hawaii officially recognized Nov. 28 as La Ku‘oko‘a, or Hawaiian Independence Day, in 2023. On Nov. 28, 1843 — 50 years before the overthrow of the monarchy, and more than a century before Hawaii’s statehood — the kingdom of Hawaii was recognized as independent by world powers Great Britain and France.

La Ku‘oko‘a is a milestone date in Hawaii’s history. However it needn’t — and shouldn’t — become a new state holiday, as Senate Bill 614 proposes, thus (potentially) triggering a new, paid day off for state workers. Given the need to get public jobs done and dwindling federal assistance, the state needs all hands on deck.

** Ken Conklin's online comment:
What a shock! A very pleasant surprise to see this mini-editorial. Celebrating the historic Hawaiian Independence Day is actually a not-so-hidden way of asserting that Hawaii remains an independent nation today (because overthrow of monarchy in 1893 was "illegal" and annexation in 1898 was "illegal" and statehood vote in 1959 was "illegal"); it is a not-so-hidden demand to rip the 50th star off the U.S. flag. WE REJECT THAT NARRATIVE. I'm glad the editors oppose creating this new state holiday. But I'm disappointed the editors oppose it solely for financial reasons and not for the far-more important political and moral reasons.

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https://www.staradvertiser.com/staradvertiser-poll/should-nov-28-la-kuokoa-hawaiian-independence-day-be-added-as-hawaiis-14th-state-holiday/
Honolulu Star-Advertiser Tuesday March 11, 2025 online poll:

Should Nov. 28, La Ku‘oko‘a (Hawaiian Independence Day), be added as Hawaii’s 14th state holiday?

A. Definitely; important to mark Hawaiian history
B. Not at all; too many state holidays
C. Don’t add, but maybe replace existing state holiday

** Vote results after 24 hours
A. Definitely; important to mark Hawaiian history (152 votes)
B. Not at all; too many state holidays (435 votes)
C. Don’t add, but maybe replace existing state holiday (228 votes)

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http://freehawaii.blogspot.com/2025/03/ke-aupuni-update-march-2025-tariffs-and.html
Free Hawaii blog Ke Aupuni Update Saturday March 15, 2024

Tariffs and the Overthrow

U.S. President Trump’s recent announcements on raising tariffs is sending shockwaves through the international trade community. Tariffs not only have a profound effect on commerce and economics, but it can greatly affect the political health and status of nations.

What we are seeing today is a chilling, real-time reminder of the scenario that led to the “overthrow” of the Hawaiian Kingdom in 1893.

Here’s what happened. The huge influx of people triggered by the 1849 California Gold Rush created a huge demand for sugar in California. Ideally situated to meet that demand, the fledgling Hawaii sugar companies rapidly expanded putting thousands of acres into production and bringing in thousands of laborers from China. Then, ten years later, the American Civil War broke out. The Southern sugar-producing states seceded from the Union cutting off the Northern sugar consuming states from their supply of the sweet stuff. The Hawaii sugar planters stepped up to fill the need and the Hawaii sugar business exploded exponentially.

But after the Civil War as the Southern sugar returned to market, and tariffs on imports from foreign countries like the Hawaiian Kingdom began to be levied to protect American sugar production, the Hawaiian government and Hawaii’s sugar planters had to constantly negotiate with the US to keep tariff down to maintain higher market prices. Sometimes they succeeded, sometimes they did not.

To stop the roller-coaster of boom or bust, the sugar planters, the shipping industry, the purveyors of goods, the banks, etc., mostly owned and run by foreigners, came to the conclusion that the best way to keep their profits up, would be to have Hawaii annexed to the United States. If Hawaii was part of the US, there’d be no more tariffs and the rich would get richer and richer.

The problem they had was that the Monarchs, King Kalakaua and later, Queen Liliuokalani, and the Hawaiian people would have nothing to do with such a traitorous scheme — trading the sovereignty of their country so that a few rich and obnoxious haole could get richer and more obnoxious.

In 1887 the annexationists forced King Kalakaua to accept the infamous Bayonet Constitution, named for the manner in which it was obtained. This gave more governing power to the annexationists and reduced the power of the monarchs and the Hawaiian people.

The tipping point was the U.S. Congress’ passage of the Tariff Act of 1890, commonly called the McKinley Tariff… (Yes, that McKinley, who seven years later became the US President, and eight years later carried out the fake annexation of Hawaii). The McKinley Tariff greatly reduced all tariffs of foreign goods to practically zero… except for sugar from the Hawaiian Kingdom. This enraged the Hawaii sugar planters and deepened their resolve to annex the Hawaiian Islands to the United States, which they caried out three years later in collusion with the US military.

The taking of the Hawaiian Kingdom was fueled by sheer greed. More money and power for the sugar/commerce industry in Hawaii and an ideal military operations base for the US in the Pacific.

Aloha ʻĀina
“Love of country is deep-seated in the breast of every Hawaiian, whatever his station.” — Queen Liliʻuokalani

Ua mau ke ea o ka ʻāina i ka pono.
The sovereignty of the land is perpetuated in righteousness.

"Remember, for the latest updates and information about the Hawaiian Kingdom, check out the twice-a-month Ke Aupuni Updates published online on Facebook and other social media."

Malama Pono, Leon Siu, Hawaiian National

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https://www.civilbeat.org/2025/03/hawai%ca%bbi-must-become-self-governing/
Honolulu Civil Beat Sunday March 23, 2025

Hawaiʻi Must Become Self-Governing
A sovereign state for all the people of Hawaiʻi is the only path away from military occupation, environmental destruction and corporate control from abroad.

By Ashley Lukens

Over my two decades living, organizing and working in Hawaiʻi, Hawaiian sovereignty has often been posited as foil to American occupation, framed as impractical or impossible, applying only to Kānaka Maoli, or simply a “Native Hawaiian Issue.”

I would argue that now, more than ever, all people rooted in these islands must contemplate this together, for the sake of our earth, our keiki, and future generations.

The history of U.S. involvement in our islands is one of military occupation and environmental destruction. From the illegal overthrow of Queen Liliʻuokalani
https://www.nativebookshawaii.org/collections/politics/products/betrayal-of-liliuokalani-last-queen-of-hawaii-1838-1917
and the lawful Hawaiian government in 1893, to the present-day use of our lands as training grounds for war, the U.S. military has taken from Hawaiʻi without regard for its people or ecosystems.

The consequences are devastating. At Red Hill, the Navy knowingly contaminated Oʻahu’s water supply by allowing massive fuel leaks into the aquifer, jeopardizing the health of thousands. On Kahoʻolawe, the U.S. military bombed the island so ruthlessly, it cracked the fresh water aquifer, bringing it to the edge of ecological collapse. On Hawaiʻi island, live-fire training at Pōhakuloa has left sacred lands riddled with unexploded ordnance and toxic waste.

The military occupies nearly a quarter of Oahu’s land, yet it refuses to take full responsibility for the damage it has caused. We are told time and time again that military presence makes Hawaiʻi safer but that belies these invisible daily harms.

American corporations, too, have exploited Hawaiʻi for their own gain.
https://www.nativebookshawaii.org/collections/politics/products/from-a-native-daughter-revised-edition
Multinational agribusiness giants like Monsanto and Syngenta turned our islands into testing grounds for genetically engineered corn and soy, modified to withstand pesticide use, exposing workers and communities to toxic pesticides. Lawsuits, led by these companies, stripped our counties of the power to regulate these businesses, leaving our keiki at risk.

The tourism industry, controlled largely by mainland companies, extracts wealth from our islands while offering jobs to locals that do not pay a living wage. Meanwhile, real estate speculators drive up housing costs, leaving Kānaka Maoli with the highest rates of homelessness in their own homeland. Oʻahu has an enormous U.S. military presence. Maybe it’s time to rethink that.

[Pictured is the guided missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald as it sailed through Pearl Harbor July 31, 2024. (Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024)]

All of this is facilitated by a political system that has been corrupted by money and influence coming from the continent and abroad. Corporate lobbyists shape legislation, ensuring that environmental protections remain weak and that public lands can be privatized for development. The state government, dependent on military spending and tourism dollars, refuses to challenge the forces that keep Hawaiʻi trapped in a cycle of extraction and dependency.

Sovereignty offers a way out. A self-governing Hawaiʻi, built on the values of aloha ʻāina, ʻāina aloha, kuleana and mālama could prioritize the well-being of its people and environment over military interests and corporate profits.

It could mean the demilitarization of our lands, allowing for the restoration of sacred sites and ecosystems. It could mean economic policies that invest in local food systems, renewable energy, and community-owned businesses rather than outside developers. It could mean a government that is truly accountable to its people, rather than to Washington, D.C., or Wall Street.

The struggle for sovereignty is not just about the past — it is about building a future where Hawaiʻi is not simply a pawn in the games of empires and corporations. It is about reclaiming our right to self-determination and creating a society that honors our land, our water and our people.

The question is not whether Hawaiian sovereignty is possible, but whether we are ready to start planning for it. To do so requires not just the radical act of contemplation, but leaning into and standing in solidarity with the many Kānaka Maoli-led efforts
https://uhpress.hawaii.edu/title/na-kuaaina-living-hawaiian-culture/
that don’t just preserve our islands, but offer the seeds of another future.

A self-governing Hawaiʻi, built on the values of aloha ʻāina, ʻāina aloha, kuleana and mālama could prioritize the well-being of its people and environment over military interests and corporate profits.

The discipline of alternative futures in political science
https://politicalscience.manoa.hawaii.edu/alternative-futures/
challenges us to break free from the self-fulfilling prophecies that dominate mainstream thinking and reinforce the status quo. Too often, we are told that Hawaiʻi cannot survive without the U.S. military, that our economy would collapse without mass tourism, and that independence is impractical.

But alternative futures asks us to disrupt these assumptions and imagine what could emerge if there were radical shifts in power, economy, and governance.

There was a time I would have said that a convicted felon as president was impossible. If you told me Elon Musk would be telecasting commentary from the Oval Office with his son named X in tow, I would have laughed.

Yet, history is littered with events once deemed impossible. In fact, America itself is an experiment in radical change, accomplishing the impossible break from an imperial overlord. Why must our collective future be embedded in an America-centric frame?

What if Hawaiʻi no longer depended on an extractive economy? What if we built a food-sovereign, energy-independent, and self-determined society?
https://farmlinkhawaii.com

Fortune favors the bold. By envisioning these possibilities, we open the door to transformative change.

Sovereignty is not about returning to the past — it is about forging a new, liberated future. The sooner we start planning for that future, the more possible it becomes.

Ashley Lukens is the executive director of the Frost Family Foundation
http://www.frostfamilyfoundation.org/
and the co-founder and director of Funder Hui. Funder Hui is currently holding weekly briefings to help community understand and respond to the policy and funding shifts of the Trump administration. You can see past briefings and events on the Funder Hui website.
https://www.funderhui.org/past-events

A Special Commentary Project
Civil Beat opinion writers are closely following efforts to bring more transparency and accountability to state and local government — at the Legislature, the county level and in the media. Help us by sending ideas and anecdotes to sunshine@civilbeat.org.

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** Ken Conklin's online comment

Ms. Lukens proposes to cut the 50th star out of the U.S. flag and set us adrift in the Pacific as an independent nation. Perhaps she's unaware of the poverty, racial strife, political troubles, and growing influence of China and Russia in actual Pacific island nations such as Fiji or Vanuatu; and wannabe-independent territories like Tahiti, Kanaky (New Caledonia), and Guam.

She claims her push for an independent Hawaii is not aligned with the race-nationalism of the actual Hawaiian sovereignty fantasy; yet many of her clickable links lead to UH Polysci or NativeBooks, which are hardcore race-nationalist -- there's no way anyone there would support truly equal voting rights and property rights for all Hawaii's people regardless of race. Examine the link to "Farmlink" and you'll see it is actually an ad for a corporation, with a built-in tracker that rewards somebody for each click.

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Will Caron wrote in reply to Ken Conklin:

The poverty and strife on those pacific islands is caused by the ongoing effects of the very same colonialism this piece argues we must break free of. You would know that if you were a real scholar and not a propagandist. Imagine typing out the words “UH Polysci or NativeBooks, which are hardcore race-nationalist” and being serious.

You claim that any policy that seeks to reduce the harm caused by colonialism and restore some modicum of justice is “racist” because it would necessarily reduce the privilege that white people have taken, accumulated and/or inherited through colonialism. In reality you are simply defending that privilege and, therefore, the white supremacy that enforces it.

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Ken Conklin wrote in reply to Will Caron:

Will Caron says "Imagine typing out the words “UH Polysci or NativeBooks, which are hardcore race-nationalist” and being serious."

I am indeed serious. Regarding UH "Hawaiian Studies" and all its adjacent departments of Political Science, History, Sociology, Anthropology, et.al.: not a single professor has written or spoken in favor of a sovereign Hawaii where all people would have fully equal voting and property rights regardless of race. Instead they tout reasons why people with a drop of the magic blood must have guaranteed supremacy in property ownership and voting, based on "indigenous rights" [Hawaii synonym for special privileges for ethnic Hawaiians]; "illegal overthrow" [aren't all revolutions illegal?]; reparations for "colonial oppression" [like missionaries persuading ruling chiefs to convert to Christianity, abandon human sacrifice, create private property rights, and rule of law under written Constitution].

In 2002 UH Center for Lifelong Learning announced "An Alternative View on Hawaiian Sovereignty" taught by Conklin. Racist goons made threats of violence by phone and in person against me and Center's director. UH admin cancelled course "for safety"; reinstated only after newspaper editorial demanded academic freedom. Try any such course today and you would have Columbia University in Manoa.

==================

Send comments or questions to:
Ken_Conklin@yahoo.com

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