By Kalaniakea Wilson, Ph.D.
Every year, on July 31, the Royal Order of Kamehameha I Moku o Kohala, Hui Aloha Aina, and community members gather at Luakini Puukohola to commemorate Kamehameha’s unification by celebrating La Hoihoi Ea. Luakini Puukohola was built by thousands of warriors from six moku – a symbol of lokahi. Kamehameha I dedicated Puukohola to Kukailimoku, god of politics, government, resource management, and war.
Given recent attacks on Hawaiian programs, we look to our past for our path forward.
In 1895, Kuhio Kalanianaole was arrested for attempting to restore the Hawaiian Kingdom and imprisoned for a year. In 1902, he restored the Royal Order of Kamehameha I and became Hawaiʻi’s delegate to Congress, winning 10 straight elections. Kuhio advocated for county governance in 1905, Hawaiian Civic Clubs in 1918, and the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act (HHCA) in 1921; by doing so he used American law to serve Hawaiians.
The Hawaiian Humanitarian Alliance, Koa Kiai, and the Association of Hawaiian Home Lands which represent wait-listers, are uniting leaders on Moku o Keawe to focus on one bill in 2027 to end the Hawaiian Home Lands wait list under HHCA purpose 101:
- “Return to their lands in order to fully support self-sufficiency for native Hawaiians and the self-determination of native Hawaiians”
- “Establishing a permanent land base … to live, farm, ranch … engage in commercial or industrial activities”
- “Historical government to government relationship … affirm fiduciary duty to faithfully administer … this act”
- “Nothing in this Act shall be construed to … affect the rights of the descendants … of the Hawaiian Kingdom”
The lawsuits attacking Kamehameha Schools and now the HHCA continue a centuries old structure of genocidal attacks to eliminate Hawaiians in a two-step process: destroy and replace.
In my dissertation, Americanizing Luakini: White Supremacy Colonizing a Nation State, I use the term “Americanization Genocide” to describe the ongoing structure of attack. Despite the 1993 Apology Bill, Hawaiians and Hawaiian programs in our homeland continue to be targeted.
When Hawaiʻi state legislators vote against funding rehabilitation for wait-listers, and those wait-listers die on the waiting list, it could be construed as genocide. A key condition for statehood was the State of Hawaii’s acceptance of the fiduciary obligation to fulfill the HHCA compact. This is the only proviso in the 1959 Admissions Act.
Thus, they are knowingly withholding congressionally approved housing to mitigate the effects of Americanization Genocide. Many Hawaiians have died, and continue to die, on the wait list.
The Royal Order, East Hawaii Homestead Associations, and wait listers on Moku o Keawe continue to have positive discussions and are unified to advocate for measures that fund rehabilitation of wait listers – a 7 billion allocation in 2027 – and to change the 50% blood quantum application requirement to 1/32; called “Road to 7 Billion to Stop the Genocide.”
We are reaching out to other Homestead Associations, wait listers, civic clubs, royal societies, and Hawaiian organizations across the pae aina to unite and focus on one bill to advocate for the placement of Hawaiians on Hawaiian land. If interested contact: [email protected].
Dr. Kalaniakea Wilson is a scholar of Indigenous politics, Hawaiian Kingdom law, and genocide. He chooses not to use diacritical markings.
