Aloha mai kākou!
Mibba's Culture Month Event is slowly coming to a close, and I'm happy to say that I've really enjoyed being a part of it! Thank you so much for sticking it out with me and all of your wonderful feedback!
For today's topic, I've chosen to focus on something that I've been avoiding throughout this event in order to avoid any offense being taken or to avoid ruffling any feathers. It's a topic that plagues many Native Hawaiians and Hawaiian activists alike: will Hawaiʻi ever be a free nation again? (Or maybe the better question is, will Hawaiʻi ever have the chance to decide its own path?)
As someone with Native Hawaiian blood and someone who was born and raised on the islands, this is an issue I find I can be passionate about. Honestly, I never realized how strongly I felt about the restoration of Hawaiʻi's independence until I realized it was a possibility. Growing up, locals are really only taught about what Hawaiʻi was like pre-contact and what we became after the overthrow and statehood. We were never really taught about the process of the overthrow or the forced annexation; the only thing students are really taught about this is that our queen, Liliʻuokalani, was imprisoned in her own palace. We are told that this is a tragic moment in our history, but we are never told that the way it occurred opened up the chance for us to be free again. What I mean is, we were never given the chance to want to be independent again because nobody ever taught us that it was something that we could fight for.
If you know a bit about the United States, you probably know that Hawaiʻi is its 50th state, having gained this status in 1959. You might also know that this was gained through a voting process. What you may not know is that this vote should not be considered valid, as it was conducted improperly.
The fancy term for this vote is plebiscite, which is basically a vote by a nation's peoples to express their opinions on a particular issue. This issue just happened to be the status of Hawaiʻi. For this plebiscite to be fairly conducted, the vote needed to provide three options: independence, free association, or integration. Unfortunately, the United States did not give all possible options, thus, failing to hear the true opinions of the people. The ballot given, which is controversial in itself for its failure to provide all possible options, only really gave one choice. It asked, "Shall Hawaiʻi immediately be granted into the Union as a State?" Of course, the only options to choose from are yes or no. Yes, become a state and be given the rights of a citizen, be acknowledged as people deserving of rights. No, remain a territory without any rights of a citizen or occupied nation. That's right, I said occupied nation because due to the United States' bending of the rules, Hawaiʻi really can't be considered a legal state of the Union.
Fun Fact: Although it is stated that an overwhelming 94% of voters supported the idea of statehood, people fail to say that only 35% of eligible voters actually voted for statehood. Many did not partake in this vote. Many residents either felt that this would make no difference or opposed the idea of statehood. This apathetic, or indifferent, attitude of residents reflected the fact that Territorial Governors were appointed by a US President that residents of Hawaii were barred from voting for. There was even a period of time where Native Hawaiians were not able to vote due to restrictions that only allowed white foreigners to vote.
Once we recognize the illegitimacy of Hawaiʻi's statehood, we must recognize the three paths that Hawaiʻi can take. We must recognize that Hawaiʻi can choose. It is our right, after all.
Again, there are three options that Hawaiʻi can choose from. Independence, or being its own nation again; free association, or becoming an independent nation while maintaining a relationship with the US; or integration, that is, remaining a state.
Let's take a bit of a breather. I was a bit anxious about writing this even as I was writing, but I stumbled upon these two laughable articles/Q&A sections regarding protests about Hawaiian issues. These just amped me up and fueled me on. Read them for your entertainment. My favorite bits are how there were only Hawaiian flags raised and, sadly, no American flags, thus making it "anti-American" and how it's subtly racist due to the additional benefits Native Hawaiians receive on top of regular benefits, while non-Native Hawaiians are left as "second-class citizens." I mean, one, I don't see why there would be an American flag at a protest for Hawaiian issues. American =/= Hawaiian. The last bit shouldn't even need explaining, but the extra benefits aren't even really extra (especially if we're talking about the ceded lands that were taken, but this guy didn't even specify what he was talking about) and are there to preserve the culture and wellbeing of the Native Hawaiians (considering, you know, the massive decline the population faced). Tell me your favorite bits or opinions!
Now, back to the originally scheduled program. Of the three options, restoration of Hawaiian independence is what I lean more towards. Of course, if we are at least given the chance to choose and free association or integration are chosen, then I will live with it because it will be what the people have chosen. Of the three paths, integration would be the easiest, but it would give the people of Hawaiʻi (residents and Native Hawaiians alike) less freedom. Free association and independence are more difficult, but both offer more freedom to the people. A separate option that I just remembered would make Hawaiʻi like a nation within a nation (see: Akaka Bill), which would be what the Natives have in America with their tribes and reservations.
Gaining independence as a nation would be a hard fought battle. It would require recognition of the Hawaiian Kingdom by the US (which is likely to never happen). Until we gain this, we will never be able to move forward with the necessary steps to become independent again.
I know you're probably wondering how on Earth we could be considered an occupied nation if we're the 50th star on the US flag. Remember, we're not legally a state because of the United States' failure to properly administer the plebiscite. However, our status as an occupied nation goes way back to 1893: the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom.
As a nation-state, there are certain laws in place that are meant to keep order and protect each nation-state. Unfortunately, when the United States landed military troops in Hawaiʻi, these laws were violated. Several years later, the US issued a pretty paper called the 1898 Newland's Resolution that pretty much said the Hawaiian Kingdom was annexed. This was followed by the 1900 Organic Act, which created the Territorial Government in Hawaiʻi. None of these documents issued were treaties, which would have made them "official". This is why the Public Law 103-150 document was also problematic. It acknowledged the crimes committed by the US and the damage done to the nation and its people. It apologized. It was also useless. Like the aforementioned documents, this paper was not a treaty; this paper was a joint resolution. While it may have apologized for the actions of the conspiracy that led to the overthrow and annexation, it did not restore the things it admitted to taking.
Also, here's one last food for thought: according to International Law, a sovereignty can only be lost through accretion, cession (through treaty), conquest, effective occupation (basically taking control of "no man's land"), or prescription. Considering none of these happened, then there is no way the Hawaiian Kingdom wasn't violated.
The only path for Hawaiʻi is the path that allows us the right to fight and decide for ourselves (fairly) where we would like to stand.
This turned out way longer than I planned, and I cut some stuff out too. I may cut more out later, but I probably didn't explain everything as well as I should have, so if you have any questions or want to offer different opinions (I don’t mind!), please feel free to do so! I would also like to apologize if this did offend or bother any of you.
Mahalo nui loa!