I’m writing this in response to the letter from Jerry Smith published Aug. 15, the basis of which seems to be that since Hawaiians converted to Christianity, they must give up all of their traditions and cultural practices.
Mr. Smith glossed over the 100 years after Hawaiians made an independent and difficult decision to disavow the kapu system and established a new government, which was recognized worldwide by almost all advanced countries including the United States. At the time of the takeover by the U.S. military, Hawaii had one of the highest literacy rates in the world, a country that had no written language at the beginning of the 1800s had many Hawaiian language newspapers by the end of the 1800s. Hawaii had established diplomatic relations with almost all of the modern world.
Queen’s hospital, Kamehameha Schools, Hawaiian Electric and many other entities we recognize in Hawaii today are the direct result of a Hawaiian government that put the needs of the Hawaiian people above greed.
Europeans used “Manifest Destiny” as justification for what was done to the native people in the mainland U.S., small tribes of Indians who had no central government and no way to really defend themselves against our might.
We should be grateful that Kamehameha I was dead at the end of the 1800s as I’d bet he would have fought, the queen put the safety of her subjects above her desire to resist.
I suspect if Mr. Smith were to actually speak with some of the peaceful protesters he would discover that their goal is not to reinstate the kapu system, not to go back to anything except to have the ability to control their own destiny and to re-establish the legitimate government that was overthrown by us, and then to make it into whatever they collectively choose. A right that is probably under threat presently in the U.S..
I think we will find that Mauna Kea is a symbol in this struggle and not a goal in itself. This is about human dignity and the right to self governance. Many of the problems that exist in the world today are the direct result of misguided Europeans who felt they had a God-given right to the world. The Middle East turmoil today is a direct result of Europeans’ arrogance. Borders were established that had nothing to do with traditional practice and those borders continue to cause strife and killing in the region.
We didn’t buy Hawaii from the Hawaiians, we did not defeat them in a war — like bullies, we pointed our guns at the palace of the legitimate government of Hawaii and took it because we could.
We humans seem to have an inherent flaw, we think might makes right. I think the time is coming when Mr. Smith and I had better hope that the aloha spirit of the Hawaiian people is still strong as they have many legitimate grievances against us and the institutions we have established.
Yes, I am haole and I live in Hawaii, I own my home here but I feel like a guest.
Duane Sherman is a resident of Ocean View.
Viewpoint articles are the opinion of the writer and not necessarily the opinion of West Hawaii Today.