History Often Bent, but Even So...

I have made it a point to study Hawaiian history and culture. I see history often misrepresented and incorrectly used to make the case for Hawaiian sovereignty. There are some interesting facts to consider.

The monarchy of the Hawaiian Kingdom were not fools; in fact, many were extraordinarily astute. They took a group of islands that were described as primitive at best by early explorers and turned those islands into a kingdom that was respected around the world in an amazing time frame.

One of those leaders was King Kamehameha III. It was he who initiated private property ownership. He also was not the first leader who recognized that the strategic location of Hawai'i in the Pacific meant that it was likely to face attempts at domination and/or overthrow by China, Japan, Russia and/or the United States. His writings and statements showed that he had already decided that the fate of his islands would have been best with the United States and that he was planning to propose that the U.S. annex Hawai'i. This was stopped due to two unrelated events--his untimely death and an act of a train conductor on the mainland.

Liholiho, who would become Kamehameha III's successor, was traveling by train on the U.S. mainland as a part of some diplomatic visits. A train conductor mistook him for a servant and attempted to remove him from his accommodations. By the time the mistake was realized, Liholiho was already offended. He decided that he did not like the U.S., and when he ascended to the throne of the Hawaiian Kingdom, annexation was taken off of the table.

So by the time Hawai'i was annexed, the concept was not new to its rulers. Many, up through the Queen Liliuokalani had expressed their concern about which power might eventually attempt or even succeed at taking over Hawai'i. Queen Liliuokalani actually wrote that she felt that the fate of her people turned out to be best as a part of the United States. Occupation by China, Japan or Russia was considered by her as a potentially worse fate for her people.

That being said, Hawaiian Sovereignty will continue to be debated today. Whether one favors or opposes an independent Hawai'i, economics should not be ignored. Independent island nations are some of the poorest on earth. Upwards of 24% of the 50 poorest nations on the planet according to the U.N. are independent island nations. Having a "big brother" like the U.S. is economic insurance.

I like to discuss this issue, and am open to other opinions, but currently, I find that arguments in favor of Hawaiian Sovereignty are not pragmatic enough. I think that support of Hawaiian culture and language needs to continue and should remain a priority, but Hawaiian independence would most likely be a disaster--particularly for the least fortunate and poorest of the islands' residents. This is no way to attempt to correct perceived mistakes of history.

Ka'u Kanaka