WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S REALLY BEHIND THE PUSH FOR FEDERAL RECOGNITION?

Learn What Washington, DC And The Hawai'i State Government Are Reluctant To Say

The Koani Foundation's television series Voices of Truth will focus on the importance of settling for nothing less than full independence and what's really behind the push for federal recognition in "Why Independence?" on 'Olelo television, Channel 53, this weekend.

The show will air Saturday evening, Saturday, the 3rd at 8:30 PM, HST.

Voices of Truth addresses the reality behind the issues of self -determination and interviews activists in the Hawaiian Independence movement to discover what made them go from armchair observers to active participants in the hopes of inspiring viewers to do the same.

Those not on the island of O'ahu wishing to view the series may do so by visiting www.olelo.org, then clicking "NATV-Channel 53.” A screen should then display allowing you to see the show via live streaming.

GOVERNOR'S SUCCESS LIMITED IN WASHINGTON

The Honolulu Advertiser - Monday, June 21,2004

By Frank Oliveri - Advertiser Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON — Gov. Linda Lingle's 2002 challenge to herself — and promise to voters — was that she would increase Hawai'i's presence here and use her Republican credentials as entry to the White House to help Native Hawaiians gain recognition.

But although it is clear from Lingle's calendar that she and her staff have met frequently with the president, vice president and Cabinet officials, she has enjoyed only limited success in pushing the Native Hawaiian agenda. And the successes she can point to — as well as the potential failures — must be shared with the powerful Hawai'i delegation headed by Democratic Sen. Daniel Inouye.

Lingle has met with President Bush three times since October 2003, and with Vice President Dick Cheney once. She's also held dozens of meeting with Cabinet members, while her staff has held dozens more. "I have only one role, and that is to look out for the interests of my state," Lingle said. "That's what I was elected to do...."

The greatest impact Lingle might make would be by lobbying Washington on behalf of Native Hawaiian recognition. It is why in 2002 Lingle made it her top priority in Washington....

It was Lingle's mission to get the Bush administration to back off on challenges it might make to the bill and seek assistance from the Interior Department in updating the bill....

But the bill continues to be held up by Senator Jon Kyl, who refuses to lift a "hold" — or legislative block — on the measure, Lingle confirmed. Nor has Senator Bill Frist made space on the Senate calendar for the bill to be brought up. Lingle asked Kyl to lift his hold, but he refused. Kyl objects based on his belief that indigenous peoples should be treated no differently than other racial groups, Lingle said. Kyl's office did not answer requests for an interview.

Still, Lingle faces a more basic problem than the political maneuvering on Capitol Hill. Neal Milner, a political science professor at the University of Hawai'i, said that Native Hawaiian recognition is "not that important in Washington, and (Lingle) hasn't changed that in any significant way....

AND NOW THE CONCLUSION TO LEIS AND LIES - WHY HAWAI'I AND IRAQ ARE BIRDS OF A FEATHER

From The Popular Website The Simon

By Matt Hutaff

29,000 native Hawaiians signed petitions denouncing annexation. They were never seen by the Senate, the issue never put to a popular vote. Even though Congress had no legal authority to do so (having no legal standing in a foreign country, which is what Hawai'i was, even under the provisional government), that’s what it did in 1898. The will of the people had been overturned in the interests of profit and strategic military operations.

61 years later, Hawaiian was a non self-governing territory under Article 73 of the United Nations charter. Under the charter, such territories were supposed to be given three options for governance – remain a territory, become part of its trustee nation (a state in the U.S.) or become independent. Hawai'i’s vote was missing the third option in 1959, denying the people the chance to self-govern again.

The UN stated that Hawai'i’s statehood is in violation of its charter. The United States Justice Department has confirmed that Hawai'i’s 1898 annexation wasn’t under the authority of Congress and is therefore illegal. The United States government even signed into law Public Law 103-150 acknowledging not only its illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian government but that Hawaiians never surrendered their sovereignty.

Hawai'i is, by the United States’ own admission, an independent nation. So why hasn’t the federal government given Hawaiians the chance to choose for once and for all the fate of the islands? Granted, in the more than one hundred years since the annexation the ethnic heritage of Hawai'i has been diluted, and those who live there may overwhelmingly support the option to legally become a state. So why not allow a vote? Is the status quo so important? Justice delayed is justice denied.

Looking at the “provisional authority” in Iraq, it’s fairly obvious that the United States doesn’t want to take any chances. It certainly won’t with a state that brings in major tourism revenues. How big of a black eye would it be on the international scene to have a state leave the union, after all?

Organizations like the Nation of Hawai'i have been promoting the idea of Hawaiian independence for years. As one of the most culturally rich and diverse regions in the world, it’s important to let our own citizens chart their own path.

Will the United States grant more rights in the end to war-torn Iraq than to a nation that has literally spent two centuries bending over backwards for American interests?

Let Hawai'i decide its own fate, lest we show what hypocrites we really are.

HERE'S WHAT THE POPULAR WEBSITE THE SIMON HAD TO SAY RECENTLY ABOUT HAWAI'I AND IRAQ

Leis And Lies -Why Hawai'i And Iraq Are Birds Of A Feather

By Matt Hutaff
Apr 5, 2004

A group of wealthy industrialists conspiring to topple a nation’s government for their own selfish interests is hardly surprising. Given the “corporate sponsorship” of the current presidential administration as well as Dick Cheney’s ties to Halliburton, it’s clear that companies such as Enron work best when they call the shots in the White House.

The current situation in Iraq is one example. Hawai'i, supposedly our 50th state, is another.

The story of how Hawai'i was overthrown and passed to the American government like a two-dollar whore is one of the saddest ongoing act in modern U.S. history. Hawaiian independence is something few Americans know little about because the truth is disturbing, and most would prefer to keep Hawai'i’s image one of tourism, of hula dances and coconut milk.

The fact is, however, that Hawai'i is not legally a state and never has been. It was conquered clandestinely by a group of sugar peddlers looking to eliminate their export tariff, and passed into America’s hands illegally. That problem has never been rectified.

It’s time to change that.

In the 19th century, Hawai'i’s importance was twofold – the warm humid climate allowed vast sugar plantations to corner the market, and its location in the Pacific allowed friendly nations to maintain a naval advantage in the region. However, as Hawai'i was a recognized sovereign nation under its own right (a sentiment echoed by the United States in 1826), American businessmen found themselves paying to import their goods to North America. A shadow organization called the Hawaiian League was set up by lawyer Lorrin Thurston with the goal of eliminating the tariffs… which meant controlling the tiny kingdom.

Hawaiian king Kalakaua – an elected monarch, not a hereditary ruler - was forced by this minority into signing what is known as the Bayonet Constitution (literally signed at gunpoint), which installed the League members to the Cabinet, affording them with all the power and forcing the king into a figurehead position. This group of 400 men then restricted the ability to vote to all but the wealthiest people on the islands, a limitation that coincidentally robbed practically all natives of the right of self-government.

When Kalakaua died and his sister Lili`uokalani assumed the throne, Thurston formed an Annexation Club with the express purpose of overthrowing the queen and installing Americans in power. As if the idea of a group of rich white guys taking over a country wasn’t disturbing enough, Thurston’s communiqués with Washington, D.C. found a supportive ear in no less than President Benjamin Harrison. “You will find an exceedingly sympathetic administration here,” Harrison wrote to Thurston.

Lili`uokalani attemped to revoke the restrictive constitution put in play by the Hawaiian League Cabinet members, which, in a bitterly ironic move, they condemned as fostering “a revolutionary act.” Thurston then called upon American minister (and avowed annexationist) John Stevens to unload American troops illegally from the warship USS Boston, then in port, to quell any dissent and prop up a new provisional government. In doing so, Stevens approved the American invasion of a foreign nation, an act of war by any other name. To further the point of the illegal nature of the operation, Stevens had no authority to order the troops anywhere!

With the queen under the control of the provision authority, Sanford Dole (of the Dole Pineapple dynasty) took over the duties of ushering in annexation legislation to the U.S. government. Grover Cleveland’s personal attempts to restore Lili`uokalani' to her throne met with failure, his eloquent speeches to Congress declaring “military demonstration upon the soil of Honolulu was of itself an act of war” only staving off annexation until his successor, William McKinley, took office. Two attempts by the people of Hawai'i to restore their rightful government to power met only with death and fines for the insurgents.

The Conclusion Tomorrow...

HOW IS FEDERAL RECOGNITION AFFECTING NATIVE AMERICANS ?

Here's An Update From Native American Advocate Elouise Cobell Explaining The Latest In A Lawsuit Against The US Department Of Interior

My fellow trust beneficiaries,

As you know, with the urging of our friends in Congress, we entered into mediation with the U.S. government to resolve the individual Indian trust litigation. I am writing you today to give you an update on the status of the mediation process and the challenges we face in this six-month-old process.

I wish I could report that we have made progress in our negotiations with the government. Unfortunately, the government has, so far, acted with the same bad faith in mediation that they have shown in administering the trust and litigating the Cobell case. It is self-evident that to have any chance of success, mediation must have two participants who want to resolve the conflict. In this mediation, it has become obvious the government wants to resolve nothing.

The truth is that the government likes using our money. Their own expert has estimated that up to $40 billion is owed. With a sweetheart deal like this, why would they want to voluntarily resolve the issue?

The truth is that the government leases our land and assets far below market to Fortune 500 energy companies. The truth is that fraud, graft and corruption have pervaded the management of our trust assets for over 100 years. The truth is that the current trustee-delegates have proven themselves incompetent and dishonest, like their predecessors. These are not mere allegations—they are facts established in a court of law.

Many call me naïve for hoping that the government would finally agree to a just resolution through mediation for the over 500,000 individual Indian trust beneficiaries. Well, I’d rather be naïve than wrong. Every day more of our beneficiary-friends die without seeing justice or a complete and accurate accounting of their trust assets. If there is a chance that mediation may bring a fair and just resolution of this case to Indian Country faster than the court system, I owe it to you to try.

What is a “fair and just resolution?” The government would try and resolve this case for a couple billion dollars. And why not, from their perspective, when we are owed so much more? But a token settlement like this would be an insult to our people and a continuation of decades of injustice.

We know what is fair. We have retained the most sophisticated resources and financial experts to tell us what a “fair and just resolution” would be. Here’s what they tell me:

• At one time more than 50 million acres of land was allotted and held in trust for you. That equals land mass could swallow the states of Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Delaware, Maryland and Washington, D.C. with room to spare. • Today, there’s less than 11 million acres held in trust for you and the government can’t explain where 39 million acres went. • Much of the 50 million acres was and is among the most fertile and mineral rich lands west of the Mississippi (and that is why it is gone today). • In the early-1900’s almost the entire state of Oklahoma (the then-oil capital of the world) was made up of individual Indian trust allotments.

Remember this: the government is not doing us any favors by resolving this case. They have taken our property and our money and mismanaged it for more than a century. We are not asking for an entitlement, for reparations or for special treatment. We only want what is ours – money generated from our land. The U.S. government doesn't need to appropriate the funds to pay us. They already have the money. They took it from us.

What is a “fair and just resolution,” you ask? A complete and accurate accounting of our trust assets—nothing more and nothing less. If the government wants us to give up our rights to that complete and accurate accounting, it must compensate each of the individual Indian beneficiaries. It is that simple.

I want to make a pledge to you, my fellow beneficiaries. I will not sell our trust – the legacy of our ancestors – down the river for even a few billion dollars in settlement. To do so would make me no better than them--and I will not breach the trust you have shown in me.

I will continue the fight in the courts and wherever else until justice is done. And, I will continue to mediate as long as there is a chance for a fair and just resolution there, too.

It is our money and it is our right.

Sincerely,

Elouise Cobell

HAWAIIAN ACTIVIST TO BE INTERVIEWED ON TELEVISION

Anyone who did not get a chance to see last week’s Voices of Truth show featuring entertainer, educator and activist Leon Siu in "Build A Canoe? It Takes A Community.” on 'Olelo television, Channel 53, will be able to this weekend.

The show will air tomorrow evening, Saturday, the 26th at 8:30 PM, HST.

Voices of Truth interviews activists in the Hawaiian Independence movement to discover what made them go from armchair observers to active participants in the hopes of inspiring viewers to do the same.

Of course, those not on the island of O'ahu wishing to view the series may do so by visiting www.olelo.org, then clicking "NATV-Channel 53.” A screen should then display allowing you to see the show via live streaming.

"AKAKA BILL: MYTH OR REALITY ?"

Office of Hawaiian Affairs Television Show is Further Waste of Our Monies

With much aloha and all due respect to our Office of Hawaiian Affairs `ohana, we must denounce their poho, wasteful, squandering of our diminishing trust monies in futile support of the already defunct Akaka bill, aka The Native Hawaiian Reorganization Act. The drunken-sailor-spending must stop now.

"Akaka Bill: Myth or Reality?" (June 16, ’04) the impending hour-long, prime time TV propaganda platform, will attempt to perpetuate the “myth” that the bill is alive and well in Washington, DC. The “reality”, revealed during our recent visit to Capitol Hill, is that the Akaka bill, S.344, is deader than a doornail.

Koani Foundation directors traveled to DC last month, in conjunction with participation at the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, for face-to-face meetings in numerous Congressional offices and the US Department of Justice. We successfully shared the huge opposition that exists to the bill at home in Hawai`i – and - we got more than we anticipated. Everyone aware of S.344, staffers for Senators Frist, McCain, Kyle, Domenici and many others, agreed there is absolutely no chance of passage this session.

Despite heavy propaganda to the contrary S.344 has not been heard on the Senate floor; the anonymous hold remains in place, will not be lifted and cannot be circumvented by any number of votes; Senator Frist has no intention of scheduling it if the hold were lifted; - and - Indian Affairs Chair Senator McCain, himself, does not support the bill.

Even some of our own Congressional staff people had to concede that little or nothing will be achieved during this pre-election session. To them, we repeated our continuing opposition to dysfunctional federal recognition. We also repeated our continuing dedication to working together, with the stakeholders, towards an appropriate governance form; one that we can support.

So why is OHA buying a prime-time hour on commercial TV to promote a dead issue? Is OHA desperately trying to justify the millions of dollars already shoveled down the “black hole” of federal recognition? Or, do they simply not know whereof they speak?

Kai’opua Fyfe,
Director
The Koani Foundation

NATIVE HAWAIIAN FEDERAL RECONITION BILL A RACIST STEP TOWARD GENOCIDE

In his June 6 commentary, "Recognition bill a step toward reconciliation," US Senator Daniel Akaka states, "I see this as the next step in the process of reconciliation between Native Hawaiians and the United States." Reconciliation, as called for in US public law 103-150 adopted in 1993, is a process between two or more parties whereby a process of negotiation to repair damages takes place. In this case, the offender is the US, the injured are Hawai'i nationals, the lawful claimants to Hawai'i's sovereignty and national lands.

Over the past four-years, there were seven substantive amendments to the Akaka Bill with no process to receive comments from the injured parties. Akaka bill supporters proclaim how great the Akaka bill will be for Native Hawaiians, but we can see by the language in this so-called "step toward reconciliation" that the Emperor has no clothes. The Akaka bill is promoted by US representatives such as US Senators Akaka and Inouye, US Representatives Abercrombie and Case, State of Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle, and the State of Hawai'i Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA).

The Akaka bill is also a racist effort that excludes non-Hawaiian nationals. Hawai'i was a multi-racial nation, not one comprised of Native Hawaiians only. Shame on all who support the racist Akaka bill! Shame on OHA for attempting to rob a beneficiary of $4,000 to access public information involving the expenditure of millions of beneficiary dollars in support of the Akaka bill! Shame on Governor Linda Lingle for spending untold sums of public funds to support the Akaka bill.

In his closing paragraph, US Senator Daniel Akaka states, "After coming so close to losing that language and heritage, we have made great strides in ensuring their protection." The US has done much damage in their effort to commit genocide of the Hawaiian people, our language, and our culture throughout their 111-year belligerent (hostile) occupation of Hawai'i. Understanding and bitterness in Hawai'i nationals grows, calling for a true reconciliation process, one that begins with Hawai'i nationals proposing remedies to the offender, not the other way around. Funds to bring the collective thoughts of Hawai'i nationals together are required. The federal government, as the offending party should make these funds available.

Billions of dollars are going toward repairing US inflicted damages in Iraq, and the US is now poised to return sovereign control to the Iraqi people. Thousands of Iraqi people have died because of US policies. Hundreds of thousands, if not millions of Hawai'i nationals have died under the 111-year belligerent US occupation of Hawai'i. Are Hawai'i nationals less worthy of justice than the Iraqi people are? Is Hawai'i a country less worthy of justice than Iraq?

In conclusion, some may recall a television interview with Saddam Hussein during his effort to occupy Kuwait. Saddam said that he would withdraw from Kuwait when the US withdraws from Hawai'i. The US government calls Saddam a "terrorist." So, who is the terrorist here in Ko Hawai'i Pae Aina? As a sign of good faith toward ending the hostile US occupation of Hawai'i, de-occupation should begin with withdrawal of US military forces from Hawai'i and putting a halt to RIMPAC and other military exercises in Hawai'i. Hawai'i is a peaceful neutral nation, inappropriate for any military presence other than for Hawai'i's domestic protection.

Sincerely,
Isaac D. Harp, He Hawai'i Au
Lahaina, Maui

WHAT ARE THE SOLUTIONS?

The Akaka bill (S.344) and Department of Interior are not the answers, so what are? Can the United States really help us create a bright future for the Hawaiian Nation? What solutions will benefit all residents of Hawai’i?

Hawaiians want and deserve freedom just as much as US citizens do. They want freedom restored to Hawai’i. Some people say, “the illegal act of war that overthrew your Queen can’t be erased . . . like it or not, you’re all Americans now.” But, every day we see people around the world fighting for, and winning back their native and national rights. Their quest, and ours are totally legitimate and very real.

Like everyone else, Hawaiians want four basic things –

FREEDOM – The freedom to decide their own future for themselves. That “freedom” was taken away when the sovereign Nation of Hawai’i was overthrown in 1893. It was taken away again by illegal annexation to the United States in 1898. And, it was taken away a third time by the so-called statehood vote in 1959. According to international law, a new vote must to be taken that offers three options – 1) Independence, or 2) Free-Association or 3) Integration (nation within a nation.)

RIGHTS – The rights of the independent Nation of Hawai’i were never relinquished. The destruction and denial of these rights must cease. Everyone who descends from citizens of the Hawaiian Nation prior to 1893, Native Hawaiians and all others, are entitled to these rights.

IDENTITY – The political identity of Hawaiians must be acknowledged by the United States. Hawaiians will decide their own future, without interference by the US. Also, only those with any measure of indigenous blood may define Native Hawaiians. A blood quantum imposed by others is an unacceptable means to divide and conquer.

LAND BASE - Hawaiians love their country and lands just as much as US citizens love the US. Therefore, it is only fair and just to take into consideration the ramifications of the overthrow of a people who have never relinquished their rights or abandoned their desire to control their land and resources through their own representative government. Hawaiians want ALL their land back, not just some of it.

One of the biggest lies perpetuated today is that when Hawaiians achieve nationhood again it will be at the expense of everyone else. But no one will be kicked out; their businesses seized or their homes and property confiscated. Instead, everyone, Hawaiians and all others, will be citizens of the sovereign and independent Nation of Hawai’i. The Hawaiian Nation included people of many ethnic backgrounds that were loyal citizens before the illegal overthrow and it will be so again.

The truth is a sovereign Hawaiian nation will need the contributions and talents of all of its citizens to remain viable in the world. Hawaiians would be no better than the very supremacists that overthrew and occupied them were they to divide people by race. Hawaiians have always been inclusive, not exclusive.

How would this be accomplished politically given a civil war resulted the last time a state tried to leave the US?

Unlike the southern US states, the Kingdom of Hawai’i and its citizens never agreed to become part of the United States in the first place. Therefore a move for Hawai’i to secede from the US would be both unnecessary and inappropriate.

Much like removing the top coat of paint to reveal the one underneath, the US Congress, after consultation between Hawaiians and the US at the level of state to state, could simply enact a US federal law that dissolves the entity known as the “state government” in Hawai’i. What would be left in its place is what has existed all along anyway without interruption – the Nation of Hawai’i.

Only at that point, would it be appropriate for the citizens of Hawai’i to decide their future as it relates to a relationship with the United States. Those possibilities would include –

Integration with the US – Becoming a state again or a tribe of the US under federal recognition.

Free Association – Much like Palau and the Federated States of Micronesia.

Independence - Did you know that when Ronald Reagan was president, one of the most conservative US presidents in recent times, his administration actually granted the Marshall Islands independence in 1986, which then lead to a free association relationship with the US?

Precedent for Hawaiian independence exists right now within US law as outlined above. There are no laws that exist today within the US to prevent the US federal government from dissolving a state government. It is only fear and ignorance that holds the status quo in place.

Did you know the Akaka Bill could legitimzie the illegal overthrow of the sovereign Hawaiian Nation as well as settle all lands claims in Hawai'i in the US's favor? You can get the full story on the so-called Native Hawaiian Reorganization Act of 2004 (also known as the Akaka Bill) on www.stopakaka.com.

HAWAIIAN ENTERTAINER, EDUCATOR AND ACTIVIST INTERVIEWED ON 'OLELO TELEVISION ON O'AHU

Mahalo to all who have contacted us regarding “Voices of Truth,” the Koani Foundation’s pro Independence television show now airing on 'Olelo Saturday evenings at 8:30 PM HST as well as other times during the week.

We certainly did not anticipate all of the positive feedback via emails and phone calls we’ve received and are gratified the show has so many loyal viewers in the short time it has been on the air.

The series interviews activists in the Hawaiian Independence movement to discover what made them go from armchair observers to active participants in the hopes of inspiring viewers to do the same.

This week’s show, "Build A Canoe? It Takes A Community,” features entertainer, educator and activist Leon Siu, interviewed by Koani Foundation director Kai’opua Fyfe.

The show will air tomorrow evening, the 17th at 7:30 PM, Saturday evening, the 19th at 8:30 PM, and again on Sunday the 20th at both 9:00 AM and 2:00 PM.

Also on Sunday 'Olelo will air last week’s segment, “From Fisherman To Activist - An Interview With Isaac Harp,” at 1:30 PM. Isaac does an outstanding job and we have received much positive feedback on what he had to say.

Those not on the island of O'ahu wishing to view the series may do so by visiting www.olelo.org and then clicking "NATV-Channel 53.” A screen should then display allowing you to see the show via live streaming.

All air times are Hawai'i Standard Time.

FROM A LEGAL OPINION OF THE US DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE - OCTOBER 4, 1988

"It is therefore unclear which constitutional power congress exercised when it aquired Hawai'i by joint resolution. Accordingly, it is doubtful that the acquisition of Hawai'i can serve as a constitutional power congress exercised when it aquired Hawai'i by joint resolution. It is doubtful that the aquisition of Hawai'i can serve as an appropriate precedent for a congressional assertion of sovereignty..."

A NATIVE AMERICAN SPEAKS OUT ON FEDERAL RECOGNITION

The Maui News - Letter to the Editor
Monday, June 14, 2004

Native American Experience Argues For Caution, Concern

My children and I are North American Indians, descendants of the Choctaw and Cherokee nations.

My people have been and are, to this day, struggling with the U.S. government. We learned too little too late.

My message to all Hawaiians: Be skeptical, cautious, critical, assertive. Aloha often falls on deaf hearts and may be perceived as a weakness rather than the strength that it is.

Be not at the effect, rather be at cause.

Mrs. Richard Fairclo
Kihei, Maui

POLYNESIAN FARMERS EARN PRAISE IN SCIENTIFIC STUDY

The Honolulu Advertiser
Saturday, June 12, 2004

Hawai'i's early Polynesian settlers have been lauded for their greatness as navigators, but they don't get enough credit for their farming skills, according to an international research team.

Writing in the June 11 edition of the journal Science, the researchers conclude that Polynesian settlers were able to identify swaths of mineral-rich soil and establish vast agricultural complexes where they raised sweet potatoes and other crops.

"They were fantastic farmers. They were able to develop and sustain intensive agricultural systems in tropical environments that are very difficult to farm," said Peter Vitousek, a professor of biological sciences at Stanford University and lead author.

Vitousek and his co-authors, including M.W. Graves of the University of Hawai'i-Manoa,
focused on Kohala on the Big Island, where remnants of long-abandoned fields are still
visible. Soil tests provided evidence that early inhabitants discovered a "sweet spot" of high soil fertility under dense forests that received enough rain to harvest large quantities of sweet potatoes.

The scientists said that combination of rainfall and fertile soil did not exist on Kaua'i, O'ahu and Moloka'i, where taro was more common.

Anthropologists speculate that pressure to find new food sources may be one reason why Kamehameha I launched an invasion in 1795 that culminated in uniting the islands.

THURSTON TWIGG-SMITH, DESCENDANT OF ONE WHO HELPED OVERTHROW HAWAI'I'S SOVEREIGN QUEEN A CENTURY AGO, AGREES FEDERAL RECOGNITION IS BAD FOR HAWAI'I

Honolulu Advertiser - Letter to the Editor
June 11, 2004

If Only The Senator Would Ask The People

It was interesting to read Sen. Daniel Akaka's comments Sunday on his bill and to note that he believes the bill is "important to all of us in Hawai'i, Hawaiian and non-Hawaiian."

There has never been a hearing in all these years that would allow ordinary folks to express their opinions of the bill.

If he called a hearing and allowed anyone who wanted to to testify, he would find out why so many of us don't think the bill would be helpful. He would find many, including many Hawaiians, who think the important thing about the bill is to see that it doesn't pass.

Thurston Twigg-Smith
Diamond Head

WEBSITE MAINTAINED TO DISCUSS HAWAIIAN SOVEREIGNTY

The Maui News
Letter to the Editor - Thursday, June 10, 2004

Mahalo to The Maui News for publishing various perspectives on the issue of Hawaiian sovereignty, and mahalo to those who maintain an open mind and seek to learn the truth about Hawaii's history and current political status, which affects everyone in the islands. I have been a participant and observer of the movement for over 10
years now and I still have a lot to learn.

To support the exposure of Hawaiian issues and encourage education, I maintain a Web site dedicated to the subject. It is updated nearly every day with links to news articles and events relating to Hawaiian issues, including independence and history, federal recognition, Hawaiian programs, military occupation, and culture, along with
commentary and reader comments.

To stay up to date with the latest happenings in Hawaiian sovereignty and related issues, I invite your readers to visit regularly the Web site www.HawaiianKingdom.info.

Scott Crawford
Hana, Maui

HAWAI'I'S GREATEST NATIVE LEADER AND UNITER TO BE HONORED

The Honolulu Advertiser - Thursday, June 10, 2004

Hawai'i Island Events To Honor Ali'i Nui Kamehameha Paiea This Holiday Weekend

HAWI, Hawai'i - The Big Island will honor its native son, Kamehameha I, with a number of events over the three-day holiday weekend.

North Kohala will observe Kamehameha Day tomorrow with a parade and ho'olaule'a.

Kamehameha the Great was born in 1758 in Koloiki, North Kohala, and would establish a united kingdom by 1810. A statue of the king at Kapa'au is a well-visited tourist attraction.

The celebration will open with a ceremony at 8 a.m. at the statue, with Na Papa Kanaka
O Pu'ukohola and members of the Ka'ahumanu Society participating. An oral history of Kamehameha will be presented, along with hula, music, ho'okupu and the draping of lei.

A parade starting at 9 a.m. will make its way from Hawi to Kamehameha Park. The ho'olaule'a runs from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the park, with exhibits, entertainment and food.

Also tomorrow, the Big Island Council of Hawaiian Civic Clubs and others will conduct
anti-drug sign-waving from 3 to 5 p.m. at several locations. The Waimea club will be at the historic "Church Row" park; the Kohala club, near the statue in Kapa'au; the Kona, Kuakini and Ka'u clubs, below Wal-Mart in Kailua; the Honoka'a and Laupahoehoe clubs, in Honoka'a town; and the Hilo and Prince David clubs, at the Hilo bayfront.

The clubs conduct public service projects on holidays honoring ali'i.

On Saturday in Kailua, a floral parade on Ali'i Drive will begin at 9 a.m. at the Royal Kona Resort. A ho'olaule'a from noon to 4 p.m. at the Kona Inn's makai lawn will feature music and dance by Waimea's Beamer-Solomon Halau O Po'ohala and Hoku-award-winning singer Darlene Ahuna, along with Kamakele "Bulla" Kailiwai, winner of the Big Island Aloha Festival's Kindy Sproat Falsetto Singing and Storytelling Contest, and
the Kekai Boyz from Keaukaha.

Admission is $5; free for children under 12. No coolers will be allowed. Money raised from the event will help to send the halau's keiki dancers to the Mokihana Hula Festival on Kaua'i in September. For information, call Malama Solomon at (808) 885-3553.

On Sunday, the Daughters of Hawai'i will present a free concert at 4 p.m. at Hulihe'e Palace. Music will be by the Merrie Monarchs and the Hulihe'e Palace Band. Seating is limited, so people are advised bring a beach mat or chair.

HAWAIIAN PATRIOT TO BE INTERVIEWED ON TELEVISION THIS SATURDAY

"Voices Of Truth" Highlights Hawaiian Independence Activists

A pro Independence television show is now airing on 'Olelo Saturday evenings at 8:30 PM HST.

"Voices of Truth," produced by the Koani Foundation, explores the possibilities of Independence and looks at the ramifications of federal recognition.

The series also interviews activists in the movement to discover what made them go from armchair observers to active participants in the hopes of inspiring viewers to do the same.

Those not on the island of O'ahu wishing to view the series may do so by visiting www.olelo.org and then clicking "NATV-Channel 53.” A screen should then display allowing you to see the show via live streaming.

"From Fisherman To Activist," is this Saturday evenings segment. Isaac Harp, Native Hawaiian fisherman and Independence activist, is the guest.

The show will be repeated on Sunday afternoon the 13th at 2:30 PM HST.

WANT TO KNOW HOW NATIVE HAWAIIANS FEEL ABOUT FEDERAL RECOGNITION AND THE OVERTHROW OF THEIR COUNTRY ?

Let's pretend I visit your house. You offer me food and rest. I decide to stay.

Then, I order you and your family around, use your things and rearrange the rooms. I take down your photos and religious symbols, replace them with my own and make you speak my language.

One day, I dig up your garden and replace it with crops that I can sell. You and your family must now buy all of your food from me.

Later, I invite my father and his buddies over. They bring guns. We take your keys. I forge a deed and declare my father to be the owner of your house. I bring more people. Some work for me. Some pay me to stay in your house. I seize your savings and spend it on my friends. You and your family now sleep on the porch.

Finally you protest. Being reasonable, I let you stay in a corner of the house and give you a small allowance, but only if you behave. I tell you, "Sorry, I was wrong for taking the house." But when you demand your house back, I tell you to be realistic.

"You are part of this family now, whether you like it or not," I say. "Besides, this is for your own good. For all that I have done for you, why aren't you grateful?"

How Would You Like It If Your Land Or Home Was Sold Out From Under You?

"We Welcomed Everyone To Our Land - And Now Everyone Takes Our Land."

WHY DO NATIVE HAWAIIANS WANT THEIR NATION AND LAND BACK?

- Because today Native Hawaiians are at a criical juncture to survive as a people.

- Because for foreign business interests it's a matter of profit and loss. For Native Hawaiians it's a matter of life and death.

- Because we seek to protect our natural resources.

- Because while Native Hawaiian families are struggling to survive, their water is being shipped to the other side of the island so that housing and resorts can be built by rich foreigners.

- Because it is our national inheritance - never given away by either native treaty or by native vote.

AN HAWAIIAN NATIONAL PATRIOT SPEAKS OUT ON WHO ARE CITIZENS OF THE KINGDOM -

Each and everyone of us descendants of Ko Hawaii Pae Aina, Jan 17, 1893 are citizens of the Hawaiian Kingdom. PERIOD! We have never ceased to be anything else. The government remains and so do we the citizens. Where is it that anyone of us must denounce something that we are not and have never been. Where is it that we must ask permission either way when we have both the inherent and legal right to our true identity. Any person who has taken back his/her stolen identity has not the burden of proof, but the thief/ilegal occupier of our lands, country and person. It is they who are burdened and it is we who must stand firm without giving away our consent, no matter the threats or evil that may follow.

Foster Ampong
Maui

DID YOU KNOW THAT HAWAI'I WAS A MULTI-EHTNIC INDEPENDENT NATION BEFORE IT WAS ILLEGALLY OVERTHROWN?

Tuesday, June 1, 2004
Letters to the Editor
The Honolulu Advertiser

Non-Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) Ancestors Included
I have worked with Isaac Harp and others now for several years to restore Hawaiian government to the Hawaiian Islands. Mr. Ken Conklin, after pointing out technical inaccuracies in Isaac's April 29 letter that did not diminish its substance, concludes that "Today's sovereignty activists try to deny that non-natives were full members of the kingdom, just as today's Akaka bill excludes us who have no native ancestry" (Letters, May 24).

Isaac has long held that it is the subjects of the Kingdom of Hawai'i, both kanaka maoli and non-kanaka maoli, who have been wronged by the overthrow of the kingdom. Because of this, Isaac promotes the rights of the descendants of nationals of the Kingdom of Hawai'i to independent government regardless of race or ancestry.

The sovereignty activists Mr. Conklin refers to who support exclusion by reason of blood or ancestry restrictions are those who are following the model proposed by Conklin's own government in the Akaka bill. Isaac does not support the Akaka bill and does not support the exclusion of anyone descended from Hawaiian nationals at the time of the overthrow by reason of ancestry or race.

Conklin's own words: "Some of the independence activists deserve some moral credit for their principled stand in favor of independence." Isaac is one of these people. Informed independence advocates know that it is far better for a Hawaiian national government supported by international venues to establish policies and make laws protecting the value of kanaka maoli ancestry and culture. This, rather than laws made by a foreign government that have proved disastrous for others who have gone the federal recognition route.

David Ingham
San Francisco

PRO-INDEPENDENCE TELEVISION SHOW AIRS IN HAWAI'I AND ON THE WEB

"Voices of Truth" Highlights Hawaiian Independence Issues And Activists

A pro-Independence television show is now airing on 'Olelo on O'ahu island, Saturday evenings at 8:30 PM HST.

"Voices of Truth," produced by the Koani Foundation, explores the possibilities of Independence and looks at the ramifications of federal recognition.

The series also interviews activists in the movement to discover what made them go from armchair observers to active participants in the hopes of inspiring viewers to do the same.

Those not on the island of O'ahu wishing to view the series may do so by visiting www.olelo.org and then clicking "NATV-Channel 53." A screen should then display allowing you to see the show via live streaming.

"An Artist/Educator's Contribution To The Future" is the topic of this Saturday evenings segment.

"Remember - Hawai'i Was A Free Nation - But Never Free For The Taking."

FreeHawaii.Info CONCLUDES INDIAN COUNTRY TODAYS' HIGHLIGHT OF THE AKAKA BILL
Akaka Bill revisions draw Hawaiian ire

by Jerry Reynolds / Washington D.C. correspondent / Indian Country Today

Washington - If the headwind from Hawaii mounts, federal recognition of a Native Hawaiian governing entity could lose some of the headway it has made. Hawaii's senior Democratic lawmakers, Akaka and Inouye, can be expected to keep the vessel steady, but political observers in general feel it may be getting late in a war-time, election-year session to get controversial legislation onto the Senate floor for a vote.

Balanced against their doubts is the conviction of others, within both Hawaii and Washington's political culture, that there may never be a better time to pass the Akaka Bill. The latter thinking is based on factors such as the credibility within Republican ranks on Capitol Hill of Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle, a fellow Republican who has proved a leading advocate for S. 344, and the departure following this year of both Inouye and Campbell from leadership positions with the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. (Campbell is retiring from the Senate and Inouye will remain on the committee, not as
the ranking Democrat but in a position no doubt of less formal leadership by virtue of his stature in Native affairs.)

Many Native Hawaiians consider federal recognition a pressing issue because a series of
court-sanctioned challenges in the state has threatened Native-specific preferences. Federal recognition would moot such challenges by defining Native Hawaiians as a political group,rather than as a racial minority.

But the shades of opinion among Native Hawaiians on a formalized federal relationship are many. One faction, taking its lead from Alaska Natives who have warned against the non-treaty model in U.S.-Native relations, believes the state and its preferences are well out of it because the federal government can then recognize indigenous
Hawaiians as a tribe.

This group opposes S. 344 in part because it confirms the state in its old habits of collecting federal revenue in the name of Native Hawaiians and administrating their affairs, and confers new rights on it as well. Indeed one leading figure for this position - Maui Loa, Hereditary Chief of Hou Lahuiohana (band) of native Hawaiians of the Blood (the latter phrase is also a legal designation) - maintains that passage of S. 344 would be a setback to tribal sovereignty, "as it would confer unprecedented new rights on the states."

Another faction insists on the continuing independent sovereignty of a people that has
never surrendered it; here the opposition to S. 344 focuses on its entrenchment of federal authority.

Stay Tuned Next Week As FreeHawaii.Info Brings You Indian Country Today's Wrap-up Of Akaka Bill Coverage.