“The time has come,” the Walrus said,
“To talk of many things:
Of shoes – and ships – and sealing wax –
Of cabbages and kings –
And why the sea is boiling hot –
and whether pigs have wings.”
The Walrus and the Carpenter
by Lewis Carroll
Hawaii!
The very word evokes visions of Paradise – white, sandy beaches; swaying palm trees; silver waterfalls, hula girls; mai tais; and luaus. Each year, millions flock to the islands to soak up rays, splash in the surf, play golf, and lounge around luxury resorts. But beneath the surface of this tourist Mecca, a simmering resentment threatens to boil over at any moment as a proud people, the native Hawaiians, find themselves servants in their own home, waiting hand and foot on these white interlopers – the dreaded haoles (pronounced “how-li”).
Believe it or not, there are really two Hawaii’s. One is the “tourist” ideal, consisting of the aforementioned (nice legal term, don’tcha think?) white beaches, resort hotels and golf courses, luaus, and hula dancers. The other is the “real” Hawaii – the native peoples living in near poverty because the tourism industry has created prices for food, shelter, and land that they can’t afford. They work in the taro fields, fish in the ocean, and clean up the messes tourists leave behind in hotels and restaurants. They have become second class citizens in their own land.
So what happened? Well, that takes us into a little history lesson.
On January 17, 1993, the Hawaiian people observed the one hundredth anniversary of the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy. On that date, one hundred years earlier, the self-proclaimed Committee of Safety, a group of haole businessmen heavily interested in Hawaii’s major crop, sugar, declared that the “Hawaiian Monarchial [sic] system of Government is hereby abrogated” and replaced by a provisional government “for the protection of the public peace . . .” Yeah, right!
That same day, the Hawaiian monarch, Queen Lili’uokalani, temporarily surrendered her sovereignty, not to the provisional government, but “to the superior force of the United States of America, whose Minister Plenipotentiary, His Excellency John L. Stevens, has caused United States troops to be landed at Honolulu and declared that he would support said Provisional Government.” Although she expressly intended her surrender to be temporary, “until such time as the Government of the United States shall . . . undo the action of its representatives and reinstate me in the authority which I claim as the constitutional sovereign of the Hawaiian Islands,” the monarchy has never been restored.
While we, in the United States, celebrate the anniversary of the overthrow of English rule, for many native Hawaiians, the anniversary of the Hawaiian monarchy’s overthrow provides no basis to celebrate. Rather, they lament not only the loss of their form of government, but also the loss of a sacred way of life. Instead of reveling in their U.S. citizenship, they vilify the haoles who stripped them of their queen and their land. They demand reparations from the United States for their loss, and demand a return of their sovereignty for the Hawaiian people – restoration of citizenship in a reconstituted Hawaiian nation, with rights of self-determination, to exercise independent control over their lands and lives. That includes a return to their native language, customs and religions. Harsh words are written and spoken, decrying the illegality of the overthrow and the unlawful intervention by the United States. These Hawaiians believe themselves to be living in a “stolen kingdom” and believe that now is the time to reclaim what was wrongfully taken.
Is this nothing more than chauvinistic saber-rattling from disgruntled natives, or is there something more to what they claim? The words of our own President, Grover Cleveland, about the question may be instructive. On December 18, 1893, he told a joint session of Congress:
"Hawaii is ours. As I look back upon the first steps in this miserable business, and as I contemplate the means used to complete the outrage, I am ashamed of the whole affair.
. . .
It appears that Hawaii was taken possession of by the United States forces without the consent or wish of the government of the islands, or of anybody else so far as shown, except the United States Minister.
Therefore the military occupation of Honolulu by the United States . . . was wholly without justification, either as an occupation by consent or as an occupation necessitated by dangers threatening American life and property.
. . .
By an act of war, committed with the participation of a diplomatic representative of the United States and without authority of Congress, the Government of a feeble but friendly and confiding people has been overthrown. A substantial wrong has thus been done which a due regard for our national character as well as the rights of the injured people requires we should endeavor to repair."
One hundred years later, President Bill Clinton signed Public Law 103 - 150 into effect. Known to native Hawaiians as The Apology Bill, it said:
"The Congress –
(1) on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the illegal overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii on January 17, 1893, acknowledges the historical significance of this event which resulted in the suppression of the inherent sovereignty of the Native Hawaiian people;
(2) recognizes and commends efforts of reconciliation initiated by the State of Hawaii and the United Church of Christ with Native Hawaiians;
(3) apologizes to Native Hawaiians on behalf of the people of the United States for the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii on January 17, 1893 with the participation of agents and citizens of the United States, and the deprivation of the rights of Native Hawaiians to self-determination;
(4) expresses its commitment to acknowledge the ramifications of the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii, in order to provide a proper foundation for reconciliation between the United States and the Native Hawaiian people; and
(5) urges the President of the United States to also acknowledge the ramifications of the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii and to support reconciliation efforts between the United States and the Native Hawaiian people."
So maybe the native Hawaiians have a point. Maybe it would do us well to hear them out. To put a spin on Carroll’s Walrus, “the time has come to talk of many things . . . of sugar cane and queens.”
Mike Farris
(214) 979-0100
mfarris@tiptonjoneslaw.com
