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IT CAME, IT WAS, IT CONTINUES: (The story of the Aloha March) By J. Pualani McBee 12 August 1998 I Ku Mau Mau - A call to persevere Lead chanter: I ku mau mau! Audience: I ku wa! Lead chanter: I ku mau mau! I ku huluhulu I ka lanawao! Audience: I ku wa! Lead chanter: I ka lanawao! Audience: I ku wa! I ku wa huki I ku wa ko I ku wa a mau A mau ka eulu E huki e! Kulia! And that is how the observances at the Ellipse began... "This is called the Aloha March because if we aspire to save our people, our 'aina (land), and our way of life, then whatever we do, we must do it with "aloha". Even though our aloha was and continues to be taken advantage of and exploited, to be "Hawaiian" is to "live with aloha." We go to Washington D.C. with truth, aloha and spirituality. We strive to carry ourselves with a gentle dignity and pride which Queen Lili'uokalani would have been proud to see following in her footsteps. We honor our first hosts, the First Nations of Moku Honu, the Great Turtle Island (the North American continent), both on the journey and in Washington, D.C. We encourage those who cannot go to D.C. to plan an event on their island to run in conjunction with the Aloha March, to highlight the same issues and to promote lokahi (unity) and solidarity among our people and those who support our cause for justice and a healthy Hawai'i Nei." (Kekahu) There was a tidy gathering of native Hawaiians, supporters, and the curious for the observances of the day. The 10 a.m. march was the expected peaceful, orderly journey from the Capitol grounds northwest corner, near the Peace Monument led by the Koani-Kekahu 'ohana. The end of the two-mile march ended at the White House and then the marchers reassembled at the Ellipse. This was the conclusion of the 24-hour prayer vigil. The group of marchers and onlookers formed a circle, held hands, and participated in several rounds of the "I ku mau mau" chant and closing prayers. That was followed by the beginning of open stage, with speakers, musicians, and dancers. Mahina Bailey was the first, who spoke of the Ancient custom and tradition of the oli (chant) that follows the 24 hour vigil. Aided by three Mea oli (Chanters), there were four oli representing Love/welcome, the Ali'i, Kamehameha, and the last on behalf of Halau Hula o Mahina (that had been an integral part of the planning in the Washington, D.C. portion of the observances) to reach the hearts, mind, and body of all in attendance. Then Kupuna Kaoni Kekahu led the pule (prayer) for our people after leading the gathering in repeating the chant of "Aloha ike kahi, ike kahi"--"God is Love". Next to speak was Keanu Sai. A 1982 graduate of the Kamehameha schools, married, with 2 children, he is involved in the researching of our Hawaiian history. Keanu related to the gathering how he'd received just that very morning an early call telling him that in coordination with the observances here in Washington, D.C., a three and a half day march led with a torch had begun at the royal mausoleum. The march would go around the island and come full circle to the palace where the children on the 11th of August were to walk the torch onto the grounds, representing the future of Hawai'i. Keanu then spoke of some of the news of the events in the islands leading up to this weekend of observances in Washington, D.C., as well as the history of how the supposed annexation took place a century ago. The first attempt of annexation took place in Washington, D.C. between representatives of the provisional government of Hawai'i and the United States (US) on 14 February 1893 with Secretary of State Gresham under the assumption that it was a popular revolt with no US troops involved in the action. It was submitted to the US Senate 15 February. Queen Liliuokalani had already filed a 17 January 1893 formal letter of protest against the landing of the US troops and yielded her power temporarily to the US--not the Provisional Government--until an investigation could be completed of the events that had taken place. However, it wasn't until after the attempt of annexation that President Cleveland received said letter. That was when President Cleveland withdrew the agreement of annexation that had been brought before Congress in March. Following that, he sent James H. Blount to perform the investigation. Mr. Blount's finding was that the original government should be returned to the Hawaiian people as what had transpired was totally illegal. This decision is evidenced by the statements of the conspirators and the royalists made to Mr. Blount and contained in the bound volumes at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. (Liliuokalani 236). On 16 June 1897, a second attempt of annexation was presented to Secretary of State Sherman under the Presidency of McKinley. Consequently, 17 June 1897, Queen Liliuokalani wrote another letter of protest. Two groups in Hawai'i, The Hawaiian Patriotic League--"Hui Aloha 'Aina" and The Hawaiian Political Party--"Hui Kala'aina" in two months were able to secure 38,554 signatures of Hawaiian subjects and US citizens on a petition in protest of the proposed annexation that was presented to both the US Senate and State Department in September. In December when Congress came back in session, the required two thirds (2/3) vote for ratification of the proposed annexation was not acquired; it failed by March of 1898. Senator Morgan and President McKinley therefore conspired to pass an internal law, since they could not get the ratification of the treaty of annexation. On 7 July 1898 a joint resolution to annex was passed by both houses of Congress and signed by President McKinley. However, as a foreign nation was in question, the entire process was illegal as such a joint resolution could not extend beyond the borders of the US; it could only be accomplished by a treaty or conquest of war. Minister Harold Sewell and Sanford Dole carried out the farce on 12 August 1898 by exchanging their supposed papers of treaty and ratification. Two years later Congress enacted the Territorial Act that created the government for the Territory of Hawai'i; 1921 the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act; 1959 the Statehood Act; and 1993 the US Congress passed another joint resolution apologizing for the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian kingdom. So additionally with this recognition, the first event of annexation, the Territorial Act, the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, and the Statehood Act that are all internal laws never had any legal validity. The question now posed is if all that happened was not valid, then what laws do apply in Hawai'i since the US ones don't legally; and what is the relationship with the US since we now are dealing with what is a legal base rather than a protest? If annexation never happened, then where are we as "citizens"? What is the legal foundation? Are we not in this context still "Hawaiian subjects"? Then there are all those descendants whose ancestors had been naturalized as Hawaiian subjects who came to the islands from many other countries...the questions posed affect them as well. It was only discovered last year in the US National Archives by Noenoe Silva that the petition of over 38,000 signatures even existed. That discovery in itself has shed a new Hawaiian national light upon the whole topic for the Hawaiian subjects. Annexation never happened...we are still a nation of Hawaiian subjects. Debate is not what we now need...so, as of 6 August 1998, a formal complaint was filed in the US Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. addressing the issue of annexation and the legality behind it. Now it is a legal issue and not one of opinion. If the Supreme Court's findings are that annexation never took place, then the government of Hawai'i would have to then be reestablished under the laws that existed at the time the illegal act occurred. Once the Hawaiians have been educated in the legislative process, then the people will have the choice of becoming a part of the US via the proper signing of a treaty and annexation under the Hawaiian kingdom's legislative body. Or, we can choose to maintain an independent government or anything else that we as a collective body should deem appropriate. To this end we need to educate ourselves now in understanding and reevaluating our history. In closing, Keanu said that we need to "move ahead responsibly, humbly, but yet firmly. Just as our ancestors did back then when our late Queen said 'Onipa'a--we need to stand firm, but right now we need to know what we are standing on. That's the key--is our foundation so we can help our country to grow. Because we are here...for our children...I am just a piece of a sand on the beach just as all of us are; but together we make up the Hawaiian beach; we need to take care of this beach; we need to have each of us do our role and do our function. And I think everybody here is doing that. And I think, you know, I mua i na poki'i (go forward young brothers and sisters). And that's the key I mua (go forward). Go forward young brothers; we need to strive ahead. And with that, Mahalo." A DREAM COME TRUE: Kekahu leads Washington march, plans another Kekahu, Kupuna Mikala Koani Aloha March on Washington, 1998 http://www.hawaiian.net/~cbokauai/march/butch.html website Liliuokalani, H.R.M., Queen of the Hawaiian Islands. Hawaii's Story By Hawaii's Queen. Rutland, VT: C. E. Tuttle Co., 1964. |
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