Title: Who are Native Hawaiians? | Mana‘o Ulu Wale - Random Musings
Headings: 
Who are Native Hawaiians?
The Creation
Kaulana Na Pua
A Long Time Coming
Ceded Lands
Hawaiians Today
Leave a Reply
Cancel reply

Content: With this overthrow, the Hawaiian people marked the suspension of their political sovereignty. Under martial law, Hawaiians were forced to either swear allegiance to the new Republic or relinquish their voting rights. The Hawaiian language was banned, and Hawaiian culture and arts were deemed subversive. Nearly two million acres of Hawaiian government and crown lands were confiscated. Tens of thousands of Hawaiians protested, including Queen Lili‘uokalani who petitioned Congress to return her nation. “ They point to the noble causes of liberty and freedom,” she wrote, “Yet, they refuse to grant this liberty and freedom to the Hawaiian people.” The new leaders, realizing the key to their continued wealth lay with tariff-free imports into the United States, petitioned Congress to annex the island nation. As the Hawaiian people protested the newly formed Republic of Hawai‘i, the US Congress sent James Blount, special commissioner to Hawai‘i, to investigate the United States’ role in the overthrow of the monarchy. Blount found that U.S. Minister James Stevens and American businessmen did indeed conspire to overthrow the nation of Hawai‘i. It was widely reported by annexation supporters that Native Hawaiians greatly favored becoming a part of the United States.