Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole, a royal and a U.S. Congressional delegate, dedicated his life to improving conditions for Native Hawaiians following the overthrow. His legacy continues to shape our lives today in profound ways.
Prince Kūhiō’s most enduring achievement was the passage of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act of 1921 (HHCA). The Act set aside 200,000 acres of former Hawaiian crown and government lands to create homesteading opportunities for Hawaiians with at least 50% Hawaiian ancestry, setting up the Hawaiian Homes Land Trust to support our self-sufficiency.
My family members and I, like thousands of other HHCA beneficiaries, can lease homestead lands for residential, agricultural, and pastoral uses for just $1/year for up to 99 years because of Prince Kūhiō and the HHCA.
The Act also set up a trust relationship between the U.S. and Native Hawaiians and is still the strongest federal recognition of our political status. Although waitlists and funding challenges persist, the HHCA is still a cornerstone of Native Hawaiian land rights and identity.
In Congress, Prince Kūhiō advocated for infrastructure and economic development in Hawaiʻi, helped secure federal funding for public works, and advanced Native Hawaiian interests within the U.S. political system.
He laid the foundation for ongoing federal programs and policies that acknowledge Native Hawaiian rights. Prince Kūhiō also helped set up civic institutions that continue to thrive, like the Royal Order of Kamehameha I and the Hawaiian Civic Clubs.
In my service as Kauaʻi County Council vice chair, Prince Kūhiō has always been an inspiration – especially regarding Native Hawaiian representation and the importance of having a seat at the table. Also, even more pointedly, he has inspired my service as a volunteer homestead advocate and leader in Anahola, on Kauaʻi, and across the state, for the past 25 years.
I’ve been a supporter of federal recognition since the Akaka Bill. Like Prince Kūhiō, I’m focused on helping improve the day-to-day lives of our people in practical ways. I believe wholeheartedly that a formal government-to-government relationship with the U.S. will absolutely help secure expanded rights and benefits for our people, while also helping defend against the misrepresented “racial discrimination” attacks we keep having to face.
For me, like Prince Kūhiō, it isn’t just political, it’s also cultural and land based.
Yes, we must reclaim our ancestral lands, advance environmental stewardship and revitalize our traditional knowledge. But we must also prioritize addressing our people’s quality of life basics like physical and mental health, education, housing, economic stability, sustainability, and upward mobility.
Prince Kūhiō’s work to secure land for his people helped preserve a land base tied to identity, community, and cultural resilience — foundations that many advocates point to in their calls for justice and self-determination today.
Our Hawaiian homestead trust is, itself, a living example of our Native Hawaiian rights within the U.S. system despite the fact the Congress didn’t support Prince Kūhiō’s desire for a 1/32 (3.125%) blood quantum and codified it at 50% instead.
Regardless, homesteaders across Hawaiʻi like me have better lives thanks to Prince Kūhiō. Join us in celebrating his life and legacy on Kūhiō Day (March 26)!
