LAHAINA - E Onipaa Kakou (Let us all be steadfast).
These simple but powerful words of the proud and wise last monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaii, Queen Liliuokalani, echo through the years, calling to her people today.
Saturday, Jan. 17, is the 116th anniversary of the illegal overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii, and Na Kupuna O Maui is commemorating the occasion with a petition drive for a Hawaiian Constitutional Convention, educational outreach and concert at Lahaina Civic Center.
"It's also a day for the people to come together, and our theme is E Onipaa Kakou," said West Sider Jon Kinimaka, kako'o (helper) for Na Kupuna O Maui.
"We are trying through the commemoration; we are trying to fulfill the Queen's words," he added.
Concert headliners are Na Hoku Hanohano and Grammy Award winners George Kahumoku Jr. and Richard Ho'opi'i ’Äì definite draws to the event.
But the focus of the fund-raiser is the petition for a Hawaiian Constitutional Convention, "a free, fair and impartial political process," the Kupuna announcement reads.
"Na Kupuna O Maui thinks the most appropriate way to commemorate this event is to unite our Hawaiian people together with an Hawaiian Constitutional Convention," explained Aunty Patty Nishiyama, spokesperson for the group of elders.
Kinimaka agrees. "I know that this is what our Queen wanted to do. Within days up to the illegal overthrow, she was going to have a Hawaiian Constitutional Convention, and she wanted petitions from all parts of the kingdom. I remember reading about that, and it never got to happen."
"The Hawaiian community is looking for answers and looking for solutions and trying to make what was wrong right," he continued.
"The thing is, that I feel that this process will give everyone a chance to move forward. There has been a lot of hard work, and we want to make sure that everybody has a chance to bring their mana'o to the table. There are a lot of sovereignty organizations out there that have been striving for many years and have put a lot of work into having a government. We have more than one government out there. We want to bring them together.
"How can you argue against a fair process? You can't. I look at this as a way for the many different sovereignty organizations to continue moving forward by bringing everyone to the Hawaiian Constitutional Convention table," Kinimaka said.
Na Kupuna advisor and longtime advocate for an independent Hawaiian nation, Pu'uhonua Dennis "Bumpy" Kanahele, considers the timing for a constitutional convention perfect, if not essential.
The Apology Resolution, Public Law 103-150, passed through the 103rd Congress and was signed into law by President Clinton on Nov. 23, 1993. It acknowledged and apologized, on behalf of the United States government, for the illegal overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii on Jan. 17, 1893.
On Jan. 31, 2008, a Hawaii Supreme Court injunction barred the State of Hawaii from selling, exchanging or transferring ceded lands.
"Because of the lack of ownership, because the state doesn't have any title over our lands, over our situation, that's how strong our claim is. When they lost in the Hawaii State Supreme Court, they went to the U.S. Supreme Court and filed a writ, a Writ of Certiorari? they (the state) want to know whether they can sell the ceded lands or not. They going to the ultimate right now," Kanahele cautioned.
"Because of all these rulings coming out, that means there is a big issue regarding Native Hawaiian claims. When you look at it, the Apology Bill, the Hawaiian State Supreme Court ruling, then they file a writ to the U.S. Supreme Court. Based on those actions, it's coming to closure, with or without us; that's the dangerous part," he doubly warned.
"You can tell that the moment is clearly here right in the front of our faces. That's what the registration of Kau Inoa is all about. That's what the Akaka Bill is all about."
He urged "the people" to attend the commemoration and sign the petition for the free, fair and political Native Hawaiian caucus.
"The whole purpose of the constitutional convention is to finally, once and for all, address the issues facing Native Hawaiians. We got some real, real deep, deep issues that need to be addressed by our people and not be representatives or misrepresentatives of our people. This is the purpose of the constitutional convention ’Äì to have all our people in a forum, which we believe is the constitutional convention, in a forum to debate and discuss all the political, economic and cultural conditions and opportunities and situations that we're in right now.
"Signing the petition, getting people more involved, educating each other, our families. Everybody needs to know this. Every Hawaiian has an interest in what is going on; they need to know that," Kanahele stressed.
Nishiyama said time is of the essence.
"With this convention, it is going to protect the future generations of our grandchildren forever and ever. The governor (Linda Lingle) right now wants to settle. They are working with OHA (Office of Hawaiian Affairs) to settle. If we settle, that's it. We have nothing for the future generations of our grandchildren if we settle, because money will only be for a short time. It is not going to be for ten generations down the road. It is just going to feed us, make us happy a couple of years and that's it. After that, we have no legacy for our grandchildren. The land is the legacy," she commented.
Gates open at 8:30 a.m.; protocol begins at 9 a.m.
Pre-sale tickets cost $10, and admission at the gate is $15. Children under ten are free.
Tickets are available at Lahaina Music in West Maui Center, Bounty Music in Kahului on Hana Highway, or by calling 205-1034.
The event, open to the public, will feature a silent auction, Hawaiian food and lots of entertainment, including the Kahaialii 'Ohana, Kekona 'Ohana, Mele Pono, Dezman, Zacc Kekona, Unifiers and Hewahewa.
"We're going to have people there who can educate us on the water rights. We are going to bring awareness about different types of Hawaiian rights and educational scholarship opportunities for our Native Hawaiians," Kinimaka noted.
"We also invite our non-Hawaiian supporters to join us and sign the petition as well," Nishiyama said.
