In the 18th century, European settlers and the United States military invaded kuleana (responsibility; a reciprocal relationship between the native Hawaiians who carry responsibility and care and the land which they are responsible for) lands which eventually led to the overthrow of Hawai'i's constitutional monarchy. Native Hawaiians suffered a horrible chain of events that led to huge changes like major depopulation, loss of land, loss of language, loss of moral values of their culture and heritage, economic and political marginalization, institutionalism, poor health, and so much more. All of these things continue to negatively impact Hawai'i and its people.
Captain Cook, a British explorer, was on his third voyage through the Pacific when he discovered the Hawaiian Islands which he later referred to as the sandwich islands. He was on a mission to plot the transit of Venus, when he first spotted O'ahu, Kaua'i, and Ni'ihau in January 1778. When he came to the islands he was greeted and taken in as a sacred high chief. The native Hawaiians were intrigued by Cook and his men because of their white skin, which they had never seen before. Cook's response was giving the natives supplies from his ship before continuing his mission. However, when Cook returned to the islands he and his men took more than they gave. Cook's crewman slept with our native Hawaiian women and thought that because they were giving the native men supplies it would be considered a fair trade. When Cook accused the native Hawaiians of stealing from him he tried to take the Chief of Kona as a hostage. It is disrespectful to lay hands on a high Chief and because Cook did, he was killed on February 14, 1779.
While this was a win for the native Hawaiians, they suffered bad health because of Cook and his men. These men brought diseases such as tuberculosis, venereal disease, gonorrhea, and syphilis. What makes this even more horrible and sad is Cook knew his men were riddled with these diseases; hence this is when poor health and depopulation hit. Because these men spread these diseases among our people, it contributed to the reduction of the Native Hawaiian population. More than 100,000 deaths occurred and according to the U.S. Census of 1920, only about 24,000 Native Hawaiians were present. Lifestyle and cultural writer Stephanie Launiu who has a degree in Hawaiian Pacific studies wrote that roughly 8,000 pure blooded Native Hawaiians are left which if you think about is nothing compared to how many there could be if Cook and his men did not step foot on the islands.
In April 1820, missionaries arrived and changed the lifestyle of Native Hawaiians. These missionaries converted the Hawaiian people to Christianity and discouraged the Hawaiian people from their cultural practices. For example, when they saw the Native Hawaiians chant an Oli Hawai'i, they believed it was a form of demonic energy that should not be practiced. A traditional Oli Hawai'i is used for many various reasons, like asking our ancestors for permission to enter a Kapu (forbidden place) or permission to enter any sacred place on the island. A Hawaiian chant was also used to send off beloved family members after passing away. A mele hula, is a dance performed with instruments and tells a story of the land, ancestors, and expresses a feeling of being connected to elements of life and beauty within our land. What missionaries do not understand is that Native Hawaiians had deeper meaning and understanding of what lies behind a chant. It is a form of communication to our ancestors who brought us to these rich pure islands and gifted us with an abundance of food and shelter as long as we took responsibility in caring for the land. Back then our Native people had an understanding of the history of our ancestors and those that came before us which keeps us tied to who we are as one. For missionaries to come in and change our lifestyle and cultural practices by building schools and introducing English practices and forbidding our people from 'Ōlelo Hawai'i and dance, thinking it is for the best, is actually a form of genocide of our people and cultural beliefs.
As Hawai'i ILLEGALLY became a U.S. territory on August 21, 1959, it also became another piece of land where the white man, or as we call them haole (foreigner), took control over what and who belongs to them as well as set in rules of how Hawai'i was to be run. The reason U.S. businessmen took control was because when Queen Lili'uokalani took the throne after the death of her brother King Kalakaua, she wanted to restore power to the throne. The haoles then planned a revolt in hopes that the U.S. would annex the islands. In January 1893, these Americans and Europeans took control over the government, removed our Queen from the monarch and arrested and imprisoned her in her own palace. Hawai'i was unfortunately then declared a U.S. territory on July 4, 1894. (This is also a reason why most Hawaiians do not celebrate the 4th of July.)
Another effect of haole colonization is tourism and cultural prostitution. As more people came to Hawai'i, tourism deformed the culture so much over time, that when dancers, especially women hula dancers, are seen they are portrayed as exotic, sexy and flirtatious by wearing a coconut bra and grass skirt. That is not the case, dancing is a form of art that depicts the energy of life from the earth and the people of the land. That energy we feel when dancing is called mana (power) and holds more of a deeper meaning than just being portrayed as a sensual wahine (women) with makeup and a costume that sways her hips from left to right.
As tourism was introduced to the islands, so were developments of city like structures. The U.S. came in without the consideration of understanding the harm they are placing on Hawai'i's SACRED land. Native Hawaiians believe that our ancestors bones lie within these lands and that we receive our mana from our ancestors through the land. Desecrating our lands by building unnecessary things on top of our ancestors is a huge disrespect but because the U.S. cares more about revenue and profit they continue to overlook and overshadow the deep rich cultural history that lies in Hawai'i and its people.
Because of the foreign control that took place throughout history, many Hawaiians today, continue to suffer the effects of haole colonization but many Hawaiians are still continuing to fight for Hawai'i's sovereignty and will not rest until we are heard and change happens.
I myself am a part of those who do not know 'ōlelo Hawai'i but I continue to study and practice my language, dance and Hawaiian history in order to keep my heritage and culture alive and known. I feel that it is my kuleana to do so!
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