Hui Pu: Hawaiians Unifying for Independence?

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hawaii-nationSubject: [hawaii-nation] Hui Pu: Hawaiians

Unifying for Independence? Thu, 22 Sep 2005 12:54:59 -1000>>

SPASIFIK Magazine, September/October 2005>(A publication for Aotearoa's Pacific

Islander and Maori communities)>>Hui Pu>Hawaiians Unifying for Independence?>>by

Gretchen Kelly>>For some Kanaka Maoli independence activists, one key to

the>rebuilding of the Hawaiian nation lies in the recapture of a building.>>Not

just any building, of course, but the former seat of government>of the Hawaiian

kingdom: `Iolani Palace.>>"We're going back to the scene of the crime," says

Bumpy Kanahele,>head of the sovereignty group Nation of Hawaii, referring to

the>audacious and illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom by a group

of>disgruntled U.S. businessmen in January of 1893.>>Read the rest in the

extended entry...>>Body: The events surrounding the 1893 overthrow took place,

as U.S.>radio personality Paul Harvey expressed it in a 1993

centennial>broadcast, "down in the shadowy realms where U.S. foreign

policy>shakes hands with the devil." In those appalling days of early 1893,>

`Iolani Palace, the residence of Queen Lili`uokalani and the center>of Hawaii's

political activity, was seized by American troops, along>with various other

government buildings. The palace was later to>become Lili`oukalani's prison

after an abortive attempt to restore>the lawful Hawaiian government.>>A century

of shameful silence on the part of the United States, and>most of the rest of

the world, went by. Then, in 1993, the U.S.>Congress passed what has come to be

known as the "apology>resolution," which succinctly acknowledges that the U.S.

conspirators>had overthrown a well-organized, lawful, peaceful and

friendly>country and formally apologizes to Native Hawaiians for the>overthrow.

Furthermore, it recognizes that "the indigenous Hawaiian>people never directly

relinquished their claims to their inherent>sovereignty as a people or over

their national lands to the United>States, either through their monarchy or

through a plebiscite or>referendum.">>As U.S. Senator Slade Gorton said at the

time of the passing of the>resolution, "the logical consequences of this

resolution would be>independence.">>Although some question the logic of relying

on this resolution -->essentially an admission by an aggressor nation that it

was wrong to>have ruthlessly squashed the national identity o an peaceful

country>-- to provide a framework for the restoration of the nation of>Hawaii,

there is no doubt that the decades of efforts of Kanaka Maoli>independence

activists have been revitalized by the apology. In the>twelve years since that

resolution was signed, the dozens of Hawaiian>sovereignty groups have made

efforts to come together into a unified>organization that can represent the

interests of nation of Hawaii.>>Although these efforts have stumbled over

differences in the groups'>outlooks regarding independence and how to achieve

it, a kahea (call)>in June of this year by Big Island Maoli leader Skippy Ioane

has>resulted in the formation of a new independence coalition, Hui Pu.>>Hui Pu,

comprised of a broad-based alliance of Maoli leaders in the>areas of

Hawaiian-rights activism, cultural practice and protocol,>farming, academics

and other fields, as well as sovereignty groups,>is embracing a new level of

determination to find a way to unify>Hawaiian independence efforts.>>The issue

around which Hui Pu coalesced is the impending U.S.>Congress decision regarding

the so-called "Akaka Bill," which>supporters say will stave off court challenges

to Hawaiian programs>and entitlements by providing for the formation of a

Hawaiian "nation>within a nation" similar to the status of Native American

tribes.>>The members of Hui Pu are adamantly opposed to the Akaka Bill and

its>provisions, primarily on the basis of the fact that it "purports

to>legislate the political status of a people who have never yielded>their

sovereignty over their National lands to the United States.">>Hui Pu recently

held a press conference on the steps of the `Iolani>Palace to publicize their

strong stance in opposition.>>Hui Pu spokesperson Andre Perez, who explained

that the statement>represents a unified position among Maoli groups that have

differing>views on the specifics of achieving independence, said, "The

Akaka>Bill is being crammed down our throats with power and money. But

they>forget, there is a gag reflex.">>This one point of unity and solidarity,

some Hui Pu members hope,>will provide a foundation for further discussions

toward creating a>provisional government for national unity.>>Kanahele is one

of the members of Hui Pu; however, his call for a>recapture of the palace has

not yet been endorsed by the entire>coalition.>>Whether a re-taking of `Iolani

Palace for the nation of Hawaii will>have the same kind of profound effect as

the Maori seizing of Bastion>Point in the 1970s remains to be seen. But it

seems clear that Maoli,>like their Maori brothers and sisters of that time, are

ready to take>the case for their rights to a new level.>>"It is time," says

Kanahele, "for us to take our seat of government>back. Then we can gather

there, in the footsteps of our ancestors, to>decide on our pathway back to

independence.">>>>>><<<>>><<<>>><<<>>><<<>>><<<>>><<<>>><<<>>><<<>>><<<>>><<<>>><<<>>>>

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