Colonization harms Hawaii, professor says in 2007

From: Hawaii Nation Info Subject: Colonization harms Hawaii, professor says Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2007 19:06:02 -1000 http://www.dailyemerald.com/home/index.cfm?event=displayArticlePrinterFriendly&uStory_id=0f24c288-c92d-4b19-822d-324d9c0af47b Oregon Daily Emerald 2/14/07 Colonization harms Hawaii, professor says Neoneo Silva lectured Monday on the U.S.' role in desecrating Hawaiian lands, and possible solutions Josephine Bartlett | Freelance reporter In a lecture Monday night, Noenoe Silva, Author and associate professor of Political Science at the University of Hawaii, said the United States' colonization of Hawaii has resulted in depressed farmland and water, homelessness, military and commercial pollution, skyrocketing imprisonment rates and desecration of ancestral remains and sacred sites. "Pono in the Hawaiian language means well-being, justice, balance, what is right, rights, and restoration of resources," Silva said. "Pono needs to be restored." In her lecture, the author of "Aloha Betrayed: Native Hawaiian Resistance to American Colonialism" outlined the two main ideas that have been discussed in conjunction with Hawaiian sovereignty: nation-within-a-nation and independence. Nation-within-a-nation would be integration with the U.S. government that would resemble the model that many Native American and Alaskan nations use today. Independence would mean that Hawaii would declare itself an independent nation. And there is a legal basis for both of these claims, Silva said; In 1993 President Clinton signed Public Law 103-150, which states that the United States illegally overthrew Hawaii in 1893. "I would like to see a government and laws that prohibit the appropriation and desecration of our land," Silva said. As a halfway point between East Asia and the United States, Hawaii has always been an ideal spot for the U.S. military, Silva said. And this military presence has created environmental problems. The USS Arizona, for example, has been leaking oil in Pearl Harbor since it sank in 1941. "No one can eat one thing from Pearl Harbor, which used to be the equivalent of our breadbasket," Silva said. The tourism-based economy has also come with a grave price, she said. Tourism has created an economy where the rich can come to vacation but natives can barely afford to live. Silva said Native Hawaiians need to control their own resources so that they can farm and try to create an economy that can support its people - not just rich vacationers. She said Hawaii has a large homeless population and the average price of a single-family house on Oahu is $660,000. "If you are parking cars (at your local hotel) you are probably living in your car," Silva said. The major issue with the Hawaiian sovereignty movement is fragmentation, Silva said. Everyone has a different opinion about what should take place. Silva said she wants a place where natives can afford to live, where the environment is restored, and her ancestry respected. In terms of a new political status for the islands, "I haven't heard a great option so far," Cultural Advocate of the Hawaii Club Jacquelyn Low said. "The biggest thing I can do for my people is go to college. Education is what we need." At a glance: Hosted by: The Wayne Morse Center for Law and Politics. Fact: Hawaii became the 50th U.S. state in 1959 Her Book: "Aloha Betrayed" argues that Native Hawaiians did not passively accept their late-19th, early 20th Century colonization. Through research of the Hawaiian language, Silva found signatures that show 95 percent of the population opposed annexation. © Copyright 2007 Oregon Daily Emerald __._,_.___ "The cause of Hawaii and independence is larger and dearer than the life of any man connected with it. Love of country is deep- seated in the breast of every Hawaiian, whatever his station." - Queen Lili`uokalani .

Tane's response to this article:

One emphasis is that colonialism in Hawaii is actually post colonialism or neo-colonialism since the US unratified Bayonet Constitution which lead to the US invasion and subsequent actions enforcing USA WASP society's racist assimilation. The brunt of it occurred under the belligerent occupation committed by the USA, adverse to international laws and treaties. Since Independence is already recognized, this would be a restoration of our powers through the de-occupation by the USA from our national territory. Nation within a nation is not an option since it is an illusion which does not accurately define a nation; in truth, it is a belligerent occupation, thus lack legal basis to create such a domestic entity. One cannot shove the baby back into a mother's womb once it is born. The only way the US can have the baby is through an adoption process from a willing mother. There is no new political status; there is only the restoration of its original status once the USA deoccupies our nation-state and Hawaii takes it place once again in the international arena. This is not a begging for recognition; this is demanding that redress takes place as justice served. We are cognizant of the USA WASP's Manifest Destiny to forward its imperialistic hegemony over the world. The only reason it coveted the Hawaiian Kingdom was for its naval expansion and dominance in the Pacific and Hawaii as an expendable outpost to protect its western coast. The resources was just an added pecuniary interest it could benefit from and nothing else. The non-white people in Hawaii was regarded as a nuisance or an enemy. The precepts of Colonial Hawaii is still maintained today with their racist Manifest Destiny concept. The only logical recourse is deoccupation and restoring the external sovereignty of the Hawaiian Nation.

Replies

Ululani June 3, 2009 at 4:10am

I like and am very fond of Dr Silva (PhD.)

However part of the reason why many of us hapa oiwi are alive today is partly due to colonization. Some of us would not be here if it was not for colonization so I disagree with her. Colonization may have done some harm but it also helped to create some of us. It is partly why some of us are ALIVE.

But then I am biased. Some intellectuals are out of touch with the commoners. NO OFFENSE but professors make much more than a parking attendant, janitor, a truck driver, and a bank clerk so it is easy for them to talk and/or to write and/or to analyze. Sometimes it's easy for them to criticize the establishment when they are part of the establishment. However for some of us who are hapa oiwi we are happy to be alive and happy to survive. To some that is partly due to some white, green, yellow, black, and orange colonizing people who helped to create us. IMHO that is not a bad thing (i.e. our birth and our life.)

Malama, Lana
Tane June 2, 2009 at 11:35pm

Tane's response to this article:

One emphasis is that colonialism in Hawaii is actually post colonialism or neo-colonialism since the US unratified Bayonet Constitution which lead to the US invasion and subsequent actions enforcing USA WASP society's racist assimilation. The brunt of it occurred under the belligerent occupation committed by the USA, adverse to international laws and treaties. Since Independence is already recognized, this would be a restoration of our powers through the de-occupation by the USA from our national territory. Nation within a nation is not an option since it is an illusion which does not accurately define a nation; in truth, it is a belligerent occupation, thus lack legal basis to create such a domestic entity. One cannot shove the baby back into a mother's womb once it is born. The only way the US can have the baby is through an adoption process from a willing mother. There is no new political status; there is only the restoration of its original status once the USA deoccupies our nation-state and Hawaii takes it place once again in the international arena. This is not a begging for recognition; this is demanding that redress takes place as justice served. We are cognizant of the USA WASP's Manifest Destiny to forward its imperialistic hegemony over the world. The only reason it coveted the Hawaiian Kingdom was for its naval expansion and dominance in the Pacific and Hawaii as an expendable outpost to protect its western coast. The resources was just an added pecuniary interest it could benefit from and nothing else. The non-white people in Hawaii was regarded as a nuisance or an enemy. The precepts of Colonial Hawaii is still maintained today with their racist Manifest Destiny concept. The only logical recourse is deoccupation and restoring the external sovereignty of the Hawaiian Nation.

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