GHOSTS OF A NATION

.
HAWAIIAN SOVEREIGNTISTS MOURN STATEHOOD

Old Territorial Office Building, Honolulu, Hawaii

ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-SIX YEARS AFTER THE OVERTHROW OF THE HAWAIIAN KINGDOM,
HAWAII MARKS THE 50th ANNIVERSARY OF STATEHOOD

Statehood protest at the Kamehameha Statue 8/21/09 ["Hawaii Five-O" HQ]

US Customs House, closed for Admissions Day

The Spirits Of Ancient Polynesia Were Abroad Tonight In Old Honolulu

While most people of Hawaiian ancestry today may not wish to renounce their citizenship in the United States of America, not many Local people celebrated Hawaii's golden anniversary of Statehood either, this week in Hawaii. Admissions Day is a State holiday but it is usually marked only by a few US flag-waving right-wing haole's, a perfunctory official press release, and varying degrees of drama from some of the wackier splinters of the tiny sovereignty community. This year, there were actual dramas at the Iolani Palace, former prison, never home, to the last Hawaiian monarch, Queen Liliuokalani, composer of the unofficial anthem, "Aloha Oe."

Hawaiian "Ghosts" at the Old Fort

Instead of a violent take-over of the Palace, like last year, or a racist rumble on the Iolani grounds like two years before, historical dramas were staged by activists today at the downtown Honolulu site. Men and women in period clothing, circa 1890, narrated, spieled and re-enacted scenes from the last days of the fledgling Kingdom, a British creation less than a hundred years old at the time of the Overthrow. The only drama was the play-acting, and there were no disturbances this year. A small crowd of mixed ethnicity listened respectfully to each set-piece as the Sun gradually fell in the West and the Moon rose in the East.

The Tomb Of King Lunalillo, Kawaiahao Churchyard


These pictures were taken at the event. There did seem a ghostly presence, which we tried to document. We are all, in a very real sense, living on the ruins of another civilization, surrounded every day by the spirits of a doomed race. And we're the ones who doomed them.

Iolani, the Royal Palace, in mourning.





HONOLULU ADVERTISER
"Iolani Palace to remain quiet as Hawaii observes 50th"
This was a quiet year at the Palace.

' Sandra Reyes strolled across the empty grounds of 'Iolani Palace this week and fully understood why state officials are not marking 50 years of Hawai'i statehood today with any kind of celebration. "I can see why they would be afraid," said Reyes, who lives in Makaha. "You have to understand the history of Hawai'i." Some Native Hawaiian groups asked that 'Iolani Palace — the seat of Hawaiian royalty and the center of Hawai'i's statehood celebration 50 years ago — be draped in black today as a way to mark the continuing struggles of Native Hawaiians, said Kippen de Alba Chu, executive director of 'Iolani Palace and chairman of the Statehood Commission charged with commemorating 50 years of Island statehood. Outside the palace grounds, the commission has helped organize educational walking tours of the sites of historic events in Island history, as well as a conference to discuss what Hawai'i could look like 50 years in the future. Palace officials and state sheriff's deputies, however, are prepared for the possibility of protests around 'Iolani Palace today and — perhaps — yet another attempt to occupy the palace grounds, as groups have done in the past. But the only official event scheduled today at 'Iolani Palace is not even considered part of Hawai'i's statehood commemoration. Eighteen chanters each will offer an oli, or chant, intended as a gift to Queen Lili'uokalani, Hawai'i's last reigning monarch who was exiled to her palace bedroom following the 1893 overthrow of the Hawaiian kingdom. '

HONOLULU STAR-BULLETIN
"Palace takeover"
Last Admissions Day, 2008, clownish thugs disgraced the sovereignty movement, disrespected Hawaiian history, culture & customs.

' A native Hawaiian sovereignty group briefly took control of the grounds of Iolani Palace last night, leading to the arrest of at least 22 protesters. Palace officials closed the historic site "until further notice" to assess any possible damage. About 25 members of the Kingdom of Hawaii, Nation, with its self-proclaimed king Akahi Nui, began locking the gates at about 5:30 p.m. One palace employee was allegedly assaulted at the palace gates. The takeover occurred on the Statehood Day holiday, which commemorates Hawaii becoming a state. It was the second time since late April that a Hawaiian sovereignty group took over the grounds of the historic site. '

HAWAII REPORTER
"Children Threatened by Anti-American Protestors at Hawaii's Statehood Celebration"
August, 2006: Here's the other nuts' take on this, an actual & notorious incident, but provoked by a racist clique of politically-motivated Mainland-funded professional white Republican aggrievants, three years ago. No excuse for the crackheads' behavior, nor for the lack of police protection.

' However, 47 years later on the day the state observes “Admissions Day” with a state and county holiday, there was a very different scene at Iolani Palace. There was complete lawlessness wielded by a pack of snarling gangsters who called themselves native Hawaiian protestors. They ranted irrationally about their hatred toward America and its citizens. State Sen. Sam Slom, a Republican who also heads the small business advocacy group, Small Business Hawaii, organized a 47th annual statehood celebration at the Iolani Palace grounds and invited everyone in the state to participate. He remembers the time before the Capitol was built that legislative business was conducted at Iolani Palace, so for historical accuracy, he planned to hold celebration there. Slom and other attendees said they were excited because this was the first celebration in 6 years - and the last statehood event was held in California because then Gov. Benjamin Cayetano said it was "too controversial to celebrate statehood at home." On Friday, the day statehood was observed, Slom welcomed a group of about 50 people who arrived with big smiles, American flags and plans to enjoy music by the Kalani High School Band, who were recruited to play its favorite songs. But instead of a warm welcome, the patriots were greeted by a gang of about 50 hostile protestors with bullhorns, a state-of-the-art sound system, and preprinted signs protesting the statehood celebration. They claimed to represent the feelings of an estimated 400,000 native Hawaiians throughout Hawaii and the world. These hoodlums shouted profanities in front of young children, spit and yelled at those there to observe statehood, and said they wanted to "wipe their ass" with the American Flag. One protestor screamed at a military family that it was a really good that Americans died in the 9-11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Centers because Americans deserved to be "slammed down." All who spoke on the bullhorns said Americans - even the native Hawaiian people who showed up to celebrate statehood - should get off "their land" and out of Hawaii. One of the rabid-eyed leaders of the pack shouted profanities directly in people‚s ears. He pushed women, children and senior citizens. He spit on people. He bit the American flags people carried, and tried to tear them. He took down his pants and told people to suck him. In front of their children, he called women "bitches" and told them to "show him their tits." He even bragged about being high on crystal math, and said he could do whatever he wanted because he belongs to the "kingdom of Hawaii," not America. Threats of Physical Violence, Verbal Attacks, Targets Kids First: The protesters first attacked the weakest people - in this case the children - so they could break apart the groups and scare them into leaving. The belligerent group began their protest by shouting threats of violence at the young band members who were sitting quietly waiting for the go-ahead from their bandleader to play. They told them and their parents that they would be in danger if they played even one note. “We cannot guarantee your safety unless you put down your instruments and leave the premises immediately,” one protestor shouted from a microphone, feet away from the kids sitting with their instruments in hand. The berating continued for 15 minutes until the bandleader and frightened parents led the kids to the bus that their senator had rented for the occasion. As the kids left, the protestors said that they were victorious, and would be taking back Hawaii from America. State Law Enforcement Never Showed, Despite Lawlessness: As the remaining 50 people there to celebrate statehood stood in a circle and sang the National Anthem and Hawaii Pono I, the protestors interrupted them, yelling, cursing and threatening to burn the American flags. Threats were also made against other citizens including Senator Slom and State Rep. Barbara Marumoto, who enthusiastically arrived at the celebration dressed as “Lady Liberty”, freedom torch in hand. Surprisingly, the Department of Land and Natural Resources, based just across the streetl, did not send its officers to intervene during the hour-long event. Some of the "unlawful events" included threatening children, parents, elected officials, and innocent civilians. Immoral “flashing” in front of women and children, demonstrating and using sound systems without a permit. They even rode a motorcycle up to the palace steps - off-limits to automobiles and motorcycles. '

THE MAUI NEWS
"The effects of statehood differ among Hawaiians"
It's my party and I'll cry if I want to! 2009 on Maui.

' As Hawaii observes a half century of statehood Friday, some Maui County Native Hawaiian activists remained steadfast that the achievement only cemented the 1893 overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy. It is an irritating reminder, they say, that statehood further fortified existing government- and business-created ramparts against native sovereignty. With statehood, Native Hawaiians lost property ownership rights as well as native control of natural resources, such as unfettered access to shorelines, fishing and hunting, and fresh water. In their view, the 50th state had already been transformed by pineapple and sugar plantations and later became an overwhelmed and kitschy tourist mecca. To many other Native Hawaiians, the timing of statehood's 50th anniversary is impeccable. After a decade of toil, this very likely could be the year a bill before Congress by U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka establishing sovereignty - in some form - will become a reality. Hawaii-born President Barack Obama has said he'd support the Akaka Bill, which would give Native Hawaiians self-determination rights similar to those possessed by Native American and Alaskan tribes. Sovereignty would not be possible without statehood, said retired 2nd Circuit Judge and Office of Hawaiian Affairs Trustee Boyd Mossman. "Our people generally have turned off to society. They're with drugs, the education is the worst, their standards of living are the worst. They make up all the social ills of Hawaii," he said. "You gotta ask yourself, 'What good did statehood do for the Native Hawaiians?' Although, some have assimilated into Western Hawaii, lost their Hawaiianness and become coconuts - dark on the outside and white on the inside." To many, statehood allowed mostly Mainland white and foreign business interests to exploit the native culture over the past 50 years, providing a luau of profits for themselves while Native Hawaiians were left, often literally, with the leftovers. The Hawaiian kingdom was overthrown in 1893 when a group of white businessmen forced Queen Lili'uokalani to abdicate her throne. Meanwhile, U.S. Marines came ashore. Until Congress declared it a U.S. territory in 1898, Hawaii was a republic, a political status many activists would like to see reinstated. '

.
.

TO POST A COMMENT: CLICK ON "COMMENTS," "Post a Comment" or "# of COMMENTS" just below the SOCIAL BOOKMARKING LINKS (Digg, Delicious, etc), about three inches down from here. Please do comment. Thank you.

IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM YOUR BLOGGERS:

Suggestion Box & Tip Jar We would like to make over this blog to make it easier to access, to read and to comment on. We would also like to serve our readers better by providing more of what you need and want to see. All serious suggestions will be considered. We hope to move to our own domain in the near future, and we would like to ask for your financial assistance in doing that, and in upgrading our hardware & software. Small one-time donations and larger long-term subscriptions are welcome. Exclusive advertising is also available. If you think we are wasting our time in doing all this, please let us know. If you wish to help us, now is the time. As always, negative bullsh*t from right-wing trolls will be sh*tcanned. Thank you to everyone else. Please send feedback & PayPal contributions to cosanostradamusATexciteDOTcom. Thanks.

SUPPORT OUR TROOPS: BRING THEM ALL HOME ALIVE, NOW!