http:\/\/www.lahainanews.com\/story.aspx?id=9867<\/p>\n
The Lahaina News
\nThursday, January 08, 2009 11:33 AM<\/p>\n
Facing major challenges, Hawaiians call for Constitutional Convention<\/p>\n
BY LOUISE ROCKETT<\/p>\n
LAHAINA – E Onipaa Kakou (Let us all be steadfast).<\/p>\n
These simple but powerful words of the proud and
\nwise last monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaii, Queen
\nLiliuokalani, echo through the years, calling to
\nher people today.<\/p>\n
Saturday, Jan. 17, is the 116th anniversary of
\nthe illegal overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii,
\nand Na Kupuna O Maui is commemorating the
\noccasion with a petition drive for a Hawaiian
\nConstitutional Convention, educational outreach
\nand concert at Lahaina Civic Center.<\/p>\n
“It’s also a day for the people to come together,
\nand our theme is E Onipaa Kakou,” said West Sider
\nJon Kinimaka, kako’o (helper) for Na Kupuna O
\nMaui.<\/p>\n
“We are trying through the commemoration; we are
\ntrying to fulfill the Queen’s words,” he added.<\/p>\n
Concert headliners are Na Hoku Hanohano and
\nGrammy Award winners George Kahumoku Jr. and
\nRichard Ho’opi’i – definite draws to the event.<\/p>\n
But the focus of the fund-raiser is the petition
\nfor a Hawaiian Constitutional Convention, “a
\nfree, fair and impartial political process,” the
\nKupuna announcement reads.<\/p>\n
“Na Kupuna O Maui thinks the most appropriate way
\nto commemorate this event is to unite our
\nHawaiian people together with an Hawaiian
\nConstitutional Convention,” explained Aunty Patty
\nNishiyama, spokesperson for the group of elders.<\/p>\n
Kinimaka agrees. “I know that this is what our
\nQueen wanted to do. Within days up to the illegal
\noverthrow, she was going to have a Hawaiian
\nConstitutional Convention, and she wanted
\npetitions from all parts of the kingdom. I
\nremember reading about that, and it never got to
\nhappen.”<\/p>\n
“The Hawaiian community is looking for answers
\nand looking for solutions and trying to make what
\nwas wrong right,” he continued.<\/p>\n
“The thing is, that I feel that this process will
\ngive everyone a chance to move forward. There has
\nbeen a lot of hard work, and we want to make sure
\nthat everybody has a chance to bring their mana’o
\nto the table. There are a lot of sovereignty
\norganizations out there that have been striving
\nfor many years and have put a lot of work into
\nhaving a government. We have more than one
\ngovernment out there. We want to bring them
\ntogether.<\/p>\n
“How can you argue against a fair process? You
\ncan’t. I look at this as a way for the many
\ndifferent sovereignty organizations to continue
\nmoving forward by bringing everyone to the
\nHawaiian Constitutional Convention table,”
\nKinimaka said.<\/p>\n
Na Kupuna advisor and longtime advocate for an
\nindependent Hawaiian nation, Pu’uhonua Dennis
\n“Bumpy” Kanahele, considers the timing for a
\nconstitutional convention perfect, if not
\nessential.<\/p>\n
The Apology Resolution, Public Law 103-150,
\npassed through the 103rd Congress and was signed
\ninto law by President Clinton on Nov. 23, 1993.
\nIt acknowledged and apologized, on behalf of the
\nUnited States government, for the illegal
\noverthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii on Jan. 17,
\n1893.<\/p>\n
On Jan. 31, 2008, a Hawaii Supreme Court
\ninjunction barred the State of Hawaii from
\nselling, exchanging or transferring ceded lands.<\/p>\n
“Because of the lack of ownership, because the
\nstate doesn’t have any title over our lands, over
\nour situation, that’s how strong our claim is.
\nWhen they lost in the Hawaii State Supreme Court,
\nthey went to the U.S. Supreme Court and filed a
\nwrit, a Writ of Certiorari? they (the state) want
\nto know whether they can sell the ceded lands or
\nnot. They going to the ultimate right now,”
\nKanahele cautioned.<\/p>\n
“Because of all these rulings coming out, that
\nmeans there is a big issue regarding Native
\nHawaiian claims. When you look at it, the Apology
\nBill, the Hawaiian State Supreme Court ruling,
\nthen they file a writ to the U.S. Supreme Court.
\nBased on those actions, it’s coming to closure,
\nwith or without us; that’s the dangerous part,”
\nhe doubly warned.<\/p>\n
“You can tell that the moment is clearly here
\nright in the front of our faces. That’s what the
\nregistration of Kau Inoa is all about. That’s
\nwhat the Akaka Bill is all about.”<\/p>\n
He urged “the people” to attend the commemoration
\nand sign the petition for the free, fair and
\npolitical Native Hawaiian caucus.<\/p>\n
“The whole purpose of the constitutional
\nconvention is to finally, once and for all,
\naddress the issues facing Native Hawaiians. We
\ngot some real, real deep, deep issues that need
\nto be addressed by our people and not be
\nrepresentatives or misrepresentatives of our
\npeople. This is the purpose of the
\nconstitutional convention – to have all our
\npeople in a forum, which we believe is the
\nconstitutional convention, in a forum to debate
\nand discuss all the political, economic and
\ncultural conditions and opportunities and
\nsituations that we’re in right now.<\/p>\n
“Signing the petition, getting people more
\ninvolved, educating each other, our families.
\nEverybody needs to know this. Every Hawaiian has
\nan interest in what is going on; they need to
\nknow that,” Kanahele stressed.<\/p>\n
Nishiyama said time is of the essence.<\/p>\n
“With this convention, it is going to protect the
\nfuture generations of our grandchildren forever
\nand ever. The governor (Linda Lingle) right now
\nwants to settle. They are working with OHA
\n(Office of Hawaiian Affairs) to settle. If we
\nsettle, that’s it. We have nothing for the future
\ngenerations of our grandchildren if we settle,
\nbecause money will only be for a short time. It
\nis not going to be for ten generations down the
\nroad. It is just going to feed us, make us happy
\na couple of years and that’s it. After that, we
\nhave no legacy for our grandchildren. The land is
\nthe legacy,” she commented.<\/p>\n
Gates open at 8:30 a.m.; protocol begins at 9 a.m.<\/p>\n
Pre-sale tickets cost $10, and admission at the
\ngate is $15. Children under ten are free.<\/p>\n
Tickets are available at Lahaina Music in West
\nMaui Center, Bounty Music in Kahului on Hana
\nHighway, or by calling 205-1034.<\/p>\n
The event, open to the public, will feature a
\nsilent auction, Hawaiian food and lots of
\nentertainment, including the Kahaialii ‘Ohana,
\nKekona ‘Ohana, Mele Pono, Dezman, Zacc Kekona,
\nUnifiers and Hewahewa.<\/p>\n
“We’re going to have people there who can educate
\nus on the water rights. We are going to bring
\nawareness about different types of Hawaiian
\nrights and educational scholarship opportunities
\nfor our Native Hawaiians,” Kinimaka noted.<\/p>\n
“We also invite our non-Hawaiian supporters to
\njoin us and sign the petition as well,” Nishiyama
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Copyright \u00a9 2004 The Lahaina News.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
http:\/\/www.lahainanews.com\/story.aspx?id=9867 The Lahaina News Thursday, January 08, 2009 11:33 AM Facing major challenges, Hawaiians call for Constitutional Convention BY LOUISE ROCKETT LAHAINA – E Onipaa Kakou (Let us all be steadfast). These simple but powerful words of the proud and wise last monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaii, Queen Liliuokalani, echo through the years, calling … <\/p>\n