ILLEGAL OVERTHROW OF HAWAI`I TO BE OBSERVED
"Sovereign Sunday" Events At `Iolani Palace This Weekend
HONOLULU - "Sovereign Sunday" will be observed from noon to 4 PM on `Iolani Palace grounds to commemorate the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom.
The day is also the birthday of Joseph Kaho`oluhi Nawahi, Hawaiian patriot who along with his wife Emma `Aima Nawahi, owned and operated the Hawaiian language independence newspaper, Ke Aloha `Aina in the years before the illegal overthrow by the US.
When haole conspirators backed by US Marines ousted Queen Lili`uokalani from the throne in 1893, Nawahi and his wife organized 7,500 men and 11,000 women to form the patriotic group Hui Aloha `Aina in order to oppose the takeover.
Although Nawahi died shortly after in 1896 due to tuberculoses he contracted while a political prisoner, Hui Aloha `Aina, along with a sister organization Hui Kalai`aina went on to collect over 38,000 signatures protesting annextion of Hawai`i to the United States.
These petitions documented the widespread opposition to annexation in 1897 and today remain a key factor in Hawai`i's claims to sovereignty.
All are welcome to attend this historic event, which is free and open to the public.
