HONOLULU — Some Native Hawaiians are expressing anger at the federal government in the first of a series of meetings that could lead to federal recognition of the group as a tribe.
The emotional meeting Monday in Honolulu was punctuated by outbursts as many speakers said representatives from the Department of the Interior were not welcome.
The meeting was held to discuss whether the federal government should reinstate a relationship with Native Hawaiians.
But some Hawaiians at the meeting say they are a nation, not a nation within a nation. Some want the United States to return Hawaii to Native Hawaiians.
Sam Hirsch of the Department of the Interior says the goal is to determine whether to establish a relationship. But he says so far he’s hearing a lot of “Nos.”