Haunani-Kay Trask & Mililani Trask Honored
Koani Foundation Director Leon Siu Presents The Awards For Haunani-Kay & Mililani Trask. Accepting For Mililani Trask Is Healani Sonoda-Pale.
The Koani Foundation presented its tenth annual Hawaiian Kingdom Patriot Awards honoring two significant Hawaiian Kingdom patriots on Saturday, July 31st at Thomas Square in Honolulu.
The awards presentation took place at Thomas Square as part of a daylong observance of La Ho`iho`i Ea, Hawaiian Sovereignty Restoration Day.
The late Haunani-Kay Trask and her sister Mililani Trask are the 2022 honorees.
Haunani-Kay Trask is being honored in recognition of a lifetime of exceptional achievements as an activist, educator, author and a leader of the Hawaiian sovereignty movement. She was honored with the the 2022 posthumous Hawaiian Kingdom Patriot Award.
Mililani Trask was honored in recognition of her years of remarkable achievements as a Hawaiian leader for indigenous rights, her related work at the United Nations as well as her continuing dedication as both a former and current Trustee of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Mililani was awarded the 2022 Hawaiian Kingdom Living Patriot Award.
“Mililaniʻs profound love of our Lāhui, its `āina, people as well as indigenous people throughout the world continue to inspire many others who now follow in her footsteps” states Koani Foundation director Leon Siu.
“ʻHaunani-Kay Traskʻs clarion call of ʻWe are not Americansʻ and her bold challenges to systemic injustice throughout the years have given birth to scores of other Aloha `Aina patriots who seek to fulfill her vision for a Free Hawai`i.”
“We owe both Haunani-Kay and Mililani our profound mahalo for their passion and lifetime of dedication. Both are examples of what it means to live oneʻs life as Hawaiian Kingdom patriots,” added Siu.
Hawaiian Sovereignty Restoration Day marks July 31,1843 when British Admiral Richard Thomas ordered the Union Jack lowered and the Hawaiian Kingdom flag hoisted above Honolulu, ending five months of British occupation and restoring the sovereignty of the Hawaiian Kingdom government to legitimate power.
