I read Aunty Anne Hamilton’s letter with amusement. She claimed that the protectors are bad-faith actors. I visited the protectors’ camp and there was a spirit of aloha, good faith, education, reverence, respectfulness and non-violence. Everyone in the camp had a smile and aloha was present for all to feel.
They had teachings on the way of the kanakas, on how they utilized their forest resources sustainably. They did cultural practices (inviting tourist and guest to partake). One of the leaders of the protectors gave a long passionate talk about the importance of non-violent action — they were getting reports that the police and National Guard would soon try and take the access road.
The main issue is sovereignty, not science/telescope. America illegally pulled off a coup (this is what the US government’s fact finding mission of the time found) and the nation of Hawaii’s sovereignty was stolen.
The Euro-centric mindset often raises questions about how would the kanakas rule — wouldn’t we revert to a third-world nation? If you take time to read the accounts of the early explorers (Rev. W. Ellis, A. Menzies) of Hawaii, they were in agreement about the industrious, healthy, robust, friendly people, who maintained an island paradise with sustainable ecological abundance.
I’ll quote one of Menzies’ accounts from 1792:
“The economy with which these people laid out and managed their ground and the neatness with which they cultivated their fields … a stream in the middle of the valley was ingeniously used to flood (irrigate) both sides of the valley.”
He also mention the generosity and welcoming nature of the people.
By the mid 1800s, Hawaii had the highest literacy rate in the world. Another little-known fact is that Hawaii was the first place in the world to have multi-colored newspapers.
America has a long history of racist and white supremacist perspective. Did you know that the Big 5 thought that no whites should do manual labor and that is why they brought in the Chinese, Japanese, Filipinos, Mexicans, etc.? You ask how could the kanakas govern? You should ask, how has America governed?
There are more than 12,720 lobbyists in Washington, D.C. and there are 535 representatives and senators. Why do we continue to do nothing about mass killings, subsidizing unsustainable farming, give the lion’s share of energy subsidies to fossil fuels, give such a large percentage of our budget to the military, etc.? Vested interest. Money is what governs our government and it always will. Do you think we should be spending $693 billion on the military?
Lastly, Aunty Anne asks if the Hawaiians would turn Hawaii into a socialist country. I first came to Hawaii in 1963 and have lived on and off for many years, I also spent many years in Australia during my professional life where they have socialized medicine.
I received four weeks holiday and pay after one year of work. Up until a few years ago, one could receive the dole (a biweekly government payment if you did not work) and university was free. I believe the US is the only rich country that doesn’t have socialized medicine.
I’ll pick the kanakas over Washington, D.C. anytime — especially with the current president!
Tlaloc Tokuda is a resident of Kailua-Kona.
