Hawaii Natives Want Their Kingdom Back

(AP)  Surrounded by royal guards and the occasional tourist, Her Majesty Mahealani Kahau and her government ministers hold court every day under a tent outside the palace of Hawaii's last monarch, passing laws and discussing how to secure reparations for the Native Hawaiian people.

Kahau and her followers are members of the self-proclaimed Hawaiian Kingdom Government, which is devoted to restoring the Hawaiian monarchy overthrown in 1893. Nearly two months ago, they stormed the gates of the old Iolani Palace, and they have politely occupied the grounds ever since, operating like a government-in-exile.

"We're here to assume and resume what is already ours and what has always been ours," said Kahau, who is a descendant of Hawaii's last king and was elected "head of state" by the group.

The Hawaiian Kingdom Government, which was founded seven years ago and claims 1,000 followers, uses its own license plates and maintains its own judicial system. In recent years, members have voted to dissolve the state of Hawaii, its land titles, welfare programs and public schools. They also claim the right to confiscate all bank assets in Hawaii.

The organization's actions do not carry the force of law, and the state has mostly taken a hands-off approach. It has not confiscated any of the license plates, for example, or arrested anyone for using them.

Hawaii has about 200,000 Native Hawaiians out of a population of 1.3 million. The Hawaiian Kingdom Government is just one of several native organizations that claim sovereignty over the islands, tapping into a strong sense among Native Hawaiians that they were wronged by history.

More than a century ago, a group of sugar planters and other businessmen, most of them Americans, overthrew the Hawaiian monarchy with the support of U.S. military forces. Queen Liliuokalani was imprisoned at the ornate Iolani Palace, built in 1882 by her brother, King Kalakaua. Hawaii was annexed by the United States in 1898 and became a state in 1959.

"We are definitely trying to correct a wrong that we feel has been done to us as a people," said Hawaiian Kingdom Government spokesman Orrin Kupau.

On April 30, members of the Hawaiian Kingdom Government trooped onto the palace grounds in the heart of Honolulu and shut the gates behind them, leading to a few tense hours before they finally reopened the entrance.

Every day, Kahau and about a dozen of her government officials meet in the tent. Every evening they fold up their tent and go home, returning in the morning.

State officials have largely ignored them, and police have made no arrests. The Hawaiian Kingdom Government has said it has no intention of resorting to violence.

Every week, the Hawaiian Kingdom Government obtains a public-assembly permit that allows it to occupy the grounds of the palace, a museum and popular tourist attraction next door to the state Capitol.

As far as the state is concerned, the Hawaiian Kingdom Government is treated the same as any other group that wants to conduct activities on public ground, said Deborah Ward, spokeswoman for the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

"As long as they comply with the permit conditions, they may continue to request permits to meet," she said.

Those conditions prohibit the Hawaiian Kingdom Government from interfering with access to the palace, harassing pedestrians, collecting money, posting banners or entering several government buildings. State authorities gave Kahau a warning when she went inside one of the buildings to collect her mail.

It is unclear how the organization's members intend to oust the state government. They also want reparations in the form of housing, low-cost health care and cash. The kingdom slapped a $7 trillion fine on the Hawaii state government in 2007.

A professor of international law who favors Hawaiian independence, Francis Boyle, said he believes the Hawaiian Kingdom Government has a valid claim.

"The essence of sovereignty under international law is people living on their land and asserting their rights, and that's what the Native Hawaiians are doing. They've made a lot of progress," said Boyle, a professor at the University of Illinois. "This is the way to go."

A state agency, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, is pursuing something far short of a restoration of the monarchy. It is pressing for federal legislation that would give Native Hawaiians a degree of self-government similar to what many American Indian tribes have. The hope is that Native Hawaiians will also regain some of their ancestral land.

The legislation has passed the U.S. House and is pending in the Senate.

"There's got to be a legal way in which to try to get these issues resolved," said OHA Administrator Clyde Namuo.

[patriot12436]

I think this is going to open a whole new can of worms for them and the U.S. I can see the Hawaians poit of view. If we allow them to succeed from the union and revoke citizenship, would obama then still be eligible to be president ? Who would end up paying restitution to who ? I am surprised bush has not delcared war on Hawaii for trying to succeed from the union. I also think we should adapt like other coutries who do not allow anyone who is not a U.S. citizen from buyig properties in the U.S. It maintains our sovern.ty

[DocD--2008]

What they don''t tell you is all these idiots are welfare lifers drinking beer and sticking out and rubbing their bellies saying wat bra....

None of their elevators go all the way to the top and they cannot make a full six pack between them, and even the majority of the Hawaiians look at them in disbelief.

Want to really upset them? Ask them how they are the true Hawaiians, when they stole the land from those occupying it before they arrived. They were not the first!

[gtttrades]

I'm no expert, just a tourist who has visited Kauai 18 times in the last 22 years, and I know several native Hawaiians. They are not all welfare lifers drinking beer.
There is a saying in Hawaii "In the beginning we had the land and the missionaries had the book. Now the missionaries have the land and we have the book" There is more than a little truth in that statement.
We just turned Iraq back over to the Iraqies, why can't we fine an orderly way to give Hawaii back to the Hawaiins?

[tootall10142]

WOW! where can i get a t- shirt? This is as big as when the rolling stones hired the *** angels for body gaurds.we all know how that worked out.Oh and i want a sun visor also,and maybe a piece of lava rock. hech throw in a g.i. joe with a kung -u grip.

[scottyusa]

I suppose the USA could give Hawaii back to the Hawaiian Kingdom Government as long as they are willing to pay for all the improvements that have been made over the decades.

[tcmofo33]

Pleeease..I can''t believe this garbage. Quit ******* about the past and move on. The natives can *** all they want, they ain''t gettin it back. The U.S. military pumps way to much money into those islands, it is a strategic launching point for pacific forces. Not sayin it is right...just a fact.

As for the white trash comment, I didn''t get crazy about Tibet, but I also realize that we live in a different world and time. What was accepted hundreds of years ago (hostile takeover, this is now mine) is kinda frowned upon in today''s world. Just because people of my same skin color did some bad stuff in the past I am held accountable for it? Pleeease.

So "WangBang747" you can kiss my white a**. Tired of always bein blamed for others problems...I didn''t invade sh**, so stick your racist comments where the sun don''t shine.

[billpl-2009]

they should wait until Bush leaves office

he''ll claim they''re part of the axis of evil and bomb the *** out of Maui

[neonink]

And when the Volcanos erupt and Ocean waters rise, will their "kingdom" look to us for handouts and pick them up?

[skbrownie]

THe USA isn''t perfect, and maybe in the beginning our motives weren''t "pure" but the kingdom of Hawaii could have done a lot worse if some other opportunistic government had acquired them. I say keep the culture and try to make the best of living in 2 worlds.

[azsurferchic]

The Kamehameha School''s admissions policy is to give preference to applicants of Hawaiian ancestry not Punahou. Punahou School (Barack Obama''s alma mater) was designed originally to provide education to the children of Congregational missionaries, allowing them to stay in Hawai''i with their families, instead of being sent away to school.

The missionaries did not do well. They arrogantly imposed their religion, morality, and lifestyle on the proud native people. They exposed them to smallpox, venereal disease, liquor, etc. The population went from around 300,000 at the time of Cook''s arrival to about 135,000. How is any of this good? I will give them credit for creating an extensive public school system - education is always a good thing.

Unfortunately the US will no more give the Kingdom back to the Hawaiian people than China would give Tibet back to the Tibetans.

[brianp55]

"Quiet Factions In The Island State Peacefully Demand The Overthrow Of The U.S. Government"

They''re not alone. Let''s start with GWB and work our way down to Congress.