By Kalaniakea Wilson
Please read my previous three genocide articles to understand genocide and subcategories of genocide: economic genocide, cultural genocide, and political genocide.
For over a thousand years, tracing your genealogy to the Hawaiian ruling class was a requirement to become eligible to rule over the Hawaiian Islands.
The invasion the “Big Five” oligarchy represented by the Republic of Hawaii, comprised of all non-natives, ruled from July 4, 1894, before transferring governance of Hawaii over to President William McKinley on Aug. 12, 1898, via Newlands Resolution.
The 1900 Organic Act succeeded the Republic of Hawaii creating the Territory of Hawaii – parent to the State of Hawaii which continued policies of genocide. Replacing Hawaiian Kingdom laws and courts with American laws and courts resulted in social genocide.
Social genocide is the destruction and the replacement of the social system that preserves and maintains the values of the social aspects of society which are enshrined in a government’s constitution, laws and courts.
The Organic Act also ushered in political genocide, destroying the Hawaiian Kingdom’s political system and replacing it with an American political system controlled by two dominant political parties: Republicans and Democrats.
The 1921 Hawaiian Homes Commission Act was created by Kuhio for rehabilitation from genocide policies.
In 1946, the United States renamed the “Hawaiian Kingdom” on the United Nations list of non-self governing territories as “Hawaii,” concealing the international relations history of the Hawaiian Kingdom.
In 1948, publication of the last printed Hawaiian language newspaper completed the cultural genocide.
In 1954, the democratic revolution led by Japanese war veterans, plantation labor, and the international longshore workers union overthrew republican control for democratic political dominance up to the present.
The 1959 plebiscite for statehood removed Hawaii from the United Nations’ list of non self-governing territories.
The 1978 Constitutional Convention created the Office of Hawaiian Affairs which was to receive ceded land revenues for the benefit of the Native Hawaiian people. This ConCon added another layer of control over the Hawaiian community by the federal and state governments.
Living through Kau Inoa, Kanaiolowalu, and participating in Nai Aupuni, I can honestly say I learned a ton from the Hawaiian political landscape. I was the only participant to apply using a Hawaiian Kingdom identification card. Myself, Clifford Kapono, and two other cousins created the Hawaiian Kingdom group downstairs of Nai Aupuni which later invalidated the Nai Aupuni vote.
From these experiences I learned that Hawaiians need to be at every table to influence every decision about our aina, wai, and future in today’s world – and not only protest from outside the gate. The difference now, in 2026, is that we know our Kingdom of Hawaii mookuauhau.
On Nov. 1, 2026, we will launch a survey monkey through a QR code to commemorate La Kuokoa Hawaiian Independence day. In light of the continued course of conduct attacking the Kamehameha Schools and the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act we will gauge the lahui’s interest to convene across the archipelago to determine our future.
