A UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI'I STUDENT SPEAKS OUT
Hawaiian History Complex And Should Be Studied
The Maui News
Letter to the Editor
Wednesday, June 30, 2004
I am a strong believer that everyone who lives in these islands should learn everything about Hawaiian history, not just a skim through a paragraph in an American history textbook.
King Kalakaua was not the best choice of a ruler (Letters, June 23). However, Kalakaua brought back a lot of cultural activities that were on the brink of being lost and he was the first world leader to travel around the world, visiting all the powerful countries as a representative of the Kingdom of Hawai'i. Yet, he had a bayonet
pointed at his head by his American-born Cabinet members and was forced to sign a constitution that gave them more power.
As for Queen Lili'uokalani, it is so evident that her whole heart was for her people. If that's not the only characteristic that a virtuous leader should have, then please tell me what is. It's sad to hear that an island resident feels that "the queen herself was weak, arrogant, and failed as a leader." I am a University of Hawai'i Hawaiian Studies major and of all the researching that I have done, on both sides of the story, there was not one account of the queen showing arrogance. No, America is arrogant.
I do support an independent nation of Hawai'i. As for Hawaii being better off under America, I must totally disagree. Tahitians still speak Tahitian, Samoans still speak Samoan, Maori still speak Maori. My people have yet to fully learn their mother tongue.
Better for who, Hawai'i or America?
Chadwick Nakagawa
Waiehu
