Leon Siu & John "Butch" Kekahu Honored
Koani Foundation Director `Ehu Kekahu Cardwell presents the Third Annual Hawaiian Kingdom Patriot Award to Leon Siu.
Accepting for the late John ʻButch" Kekahu is Butchʻs niece `Ilima Kinney.
The Koani Foundation awarded its third annual Hawaiian Kingdom Patriot Awards honoring two Hawaiian Kingdom patriots on Saturday, August 1st at Thomas Square in Honolulu in observance of La Ho`i Ho`i Ea, Hawaiian Sovereignty Restoration Day.
Leon Siu and the late John “Butch” Kekahu are the 2015 honorees.
Leon Siu of Honolulu is honored for his many years of foreign relations efforts on behalf of the Hawaiian Kingdom, as well as his recent breakthrough work at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland whereby Pakistan, a country friendly to the United States, put the US on notice it considers Hawai`i to be under international law rather than US domestic law, a distinction confirming the status of HawaiʻI as a sovereign nation state.
The late John “Butch” Kekahu of Anahola, Kaua`i is recognized posthumously for his many years of dedicated work for a Free Hawai`i, as well as being the founder of the Koani Foundation.
“Butch” Kekahu spearheaded both the 1998 and 2000 Aloha Marches in Washington, DC, drawing worldwide publicity to the fact that Hawai`i remains under an illegal and prolonged occupation by the US.
“Both Leon Siu and Koani founder Butch Kekahu are amazing and inspirational examples of what it means to live oneʻs life as a Hawaiian Kingdom patriot every single day,” remarked `Ehu Kekahu Cardwell, a director of the Koani Foundation. “Their tireless work for a Free Hawai`i inspires countless others to follow in their footsteps.”
