Sonny Kaniho, left, and the late Mary Mae Unea, who was chaplain for the organization, The Hawaiians, are seen during a 1974 protest at Waimea, just before the pasture gate in the background was removed and Kaniho and supporters symbolically "occupied" the pasture. - Photo
By Ian Lind
by John Burnett
Tribune-Herald Staff Writer
Published: Sunday, August 16, 2009 8:04 AM HST
Sonny Alohalani Kaniho, a Waimea native who protested when businesses and big shots got Hawaiian Home Lands leases while eligible Hawaiians were ignored for decades, died early Friday morning. He was 87. Kaniho, who suffered from Alzheimer's disease, died at North Hawaii Community Hospital, according to his widow, Tomie.
Uncle Sonny, as he was known, started to protest in the 1970s, a time when the "Hawaiian Renaissance" was taking hold and public protests proliferated over Native Hawaiian issues. An unlikely activist, Kaniho had served 20 years in the Air Force and then worked another decade as a pipefitter for the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard.
"He was a really down-to-earth, humble person who saw injustice and decided to do something about it," said former county planning director Chris Yuen, who was arrested with Kaniho during a 1974 protest at Pauahi, near Waimea. Both were acquitted.
"We were protesting that Hawaiian Homes was leasing home lands to Parker Ranch when they had eligible lessees that were interested," Yuen recalled.
Also arrested at the protest and acquitted was Ian Lind, a Honolulu blogger who was then with the American Friends Service Committee.
"I remember how quietly resolute he was," Lind said. "He was insistent on making a point, not making people mad. He just knew that it was wrong to leave Hawaiians waiting for land for decades while private interests were given leases for the same lands because of this excuse of needing income. He saw that as a fundamental injustice and was dogged in not being shaken off that point by friends or adversaries."
Kaniho's father, Willie, a Parker Ranch cowboy and Paniolo Hall of Famer who died in 1978, had been waiting 22 years for a Hawaiian Home Lands pastoral lease when Kaniho staged his first protest, after Parker Ranch's leases on those lands had lapsed.
"In fact, on the same wait list was (then-governor-to-be) John Waihee's father," said Alan Murakami, a Honolulu attorney who has long worked on Native Hawaiian land issues. "In '52, 152 people applied for pastoral homelands in Waimea. At that time, Parker Ranch had enjoyed the use of homelands for decades, sometimes without a paper lease. They awarded 48 lots at that time, and at that time, Mr. Waihee and Mr. Kaniho were both left out."
Murakami said Hawaiian Homes commissioners told Hawaiians the list did not apply -- after having first denied its existence -- but Kaniho found it in the state archives in the early 1980s and took it to then-Gov. George Ariyoshi.
"It was reinstated in 1983, some 30 years after the fact," Murakami said.
In 1991, Susan Faludi wrote a now-famous article in the Wall Street Journal on the issue titled "Broken Promise: How Everyone Got Hawaiians' Homelands Except the Hawaiians." The story detailed how cut-rate "sweetheart" leases went to Parker Ranch and former Maui Mayor Elmer Cravalho, among others.
Henry Kapono wrote and recorded a song called "Broken Promise," with the lyrics, "Sonny's been waiting / Sonny's been wating his turn in line / Sonny's been waiting / Why should he wait until he dies?" The song garnered Kapono Na Hoku Hanohano awards for "Song of the Year" and "Single of the Year" in 1992.
"That's a beautiful song; it really fits Sonny, you know," Tomie Kaniho said. "He was very grateful for the song." She added that Kaniho and his brothers eventually got pastoral leases for land in Humuula, near Waimea.
She described her husband as "very loving and very gentle."
He always thought of other people instead of just himself -- and that is why he fought for the Hawaiians to get their land back," she said. "I hope people will remember what he did ... and keep on fighting for the land that they deserve and never give up."
Other survivors include a daughter, Kathy Kaniho, of Camarillo, Calif., sons, Kalani Kaniho of Waimea and Kazu Kaniho of Pearl City, Oahu; brothers, Tommy Kaniho of Ka'u, Kenneth Kaniho of Waimea and Martin Kaniho of Idaho; sisters, Jane Gouveia of Kona and Mary Tegman of Waimea; and four grandchildren.
A memorial service is planned for Sept. 5 at the Hawaiian Home Lands Hall in Waimea, time to be announced.
http://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/articles/2009/08/16/local_news/local01.txt
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Aloha ia oe e Uncle Sonny. Kanaka Maoli today owe a debt of gratitude to the ones who blazed the trail of opposition before us...there are many. In honor and respect for these kupuna, it is our kuleana to keep up the fight. E ho'omanawanui....remain patient and steadfast. Don't settle for crumbs (OHA). Mahalo ke akua for the life of this humble man.
Condolences to the Kaniho 'Ohana. I have had the pleasure to work along side a Kaniho as a board of director with Hui Malama Ola Na 'Oiwi - good people the Kaniho 'Ohana. Chris Yuen then attorney assisted Papa William Ah You Akau, (former Ali'i Aimoku of Pu'ukohola Heiau here in Kawaihae) on his land here in Makapala/Niuli'i and fought for it against now Kohala Surety, large land owner from the wicked sale/business of the Sugar Plantation lands here in Kohala. Chris Yuen was also former Hawaii County Planning Director when Mayor Kim was in office. Chris Yuen has done some amazing things on land issues and I know at the same time there was a lot of politics involved in his hardest job ever as Planning Director. These old stories from the past in what the Kaniho 'ohana did as well as other pioneer families or individuals made a signifIcant impact on our lives as it is today. They should not be forgotten and I am glad the Kaniho story is one that has been given respect, honor and worth through this time of his passing.
Mahalo for posting this.
My father and Uncle Sonny were very close and worked together on Parker Ranch. Many nights spent on Mauna Kea, where Uncle Sonny took us to spread daddy's ashes. And yes, he along with my dad and others fought DHHL for the lost list of names. My dad passed away before he could see the fruit of their endeavors. But as long as Uncle Sonny was in the
fight, so was I. I will miss him. As I say another one bites the bullet, and he will be missed.
Mahalo
Sharon
I joined my mother in 1974 in her political struggles with DHHL in Waiamanalo. In respect to the first wave, I always use the 1974 date as my beginning, and the second 1978. Lind and Steve Morse are one of the remaining infamous nine that went to O Kanaloa Kohe Malamalama to stop the bombing, along with George Helm and Kawaipuna.
I was always concern over the Parker Rancher opposition to my mothers frontal move for the use of revenues from the known lands for education which didn't seem much of anything to me at that time, for I was a mother giving birth to two more babies. So, my true beginning started on O Kanaloa Kohe Malamalama in 1978 as we walked across the island from Honokanenae to Hakioawa and on my return to Honokanenae, I knew then what the movement was all about, we were blessed then for our Na Kupuna. Kealaikahiki point was a separation of who they are and who we are. At that time everything seemed odd, but we did it from our spirits and that's how we all came together.
When I agreed to help mom, I thought it was for two week ends--thirty-five years later! No regets, just knowing who you are and that one act (try) to serve ones people and preserve culture--that's the true meaning of a full life. To leave this world knowing that one participated in an act to make this world better for the future generation, that's what life is about.
Unlike today, I was so blessed to have Na Kupunas with great vim and vigor, their relevance still runs through my thoughts in the stillness. Mahalo greatly for sharing, Kaohi
Replies
Mahalo for this posting Benton...SMILE
My father and Uncle Sonny were very close and worked together on Parker Ranch. Many nights spent on Mauna Kea, where Uncle Sonny took us to spread daddy's ashes. And yes, he along with my dad and others fought DHHL for the lost list of names. My dad passed away before he could see the fruit of their endeavors. But as long as Uncle Sonny was in the
fight, so was I. I will miss him. As I say another one bites the bullet, and he will be missed.
Mahalo
Sharon
Mahalo for the posting!
I joined my mother in 1974 in her political struggles with DHHL in Waiamanalo. In respect to the first wave, I always use the 1974 date as my beginning, and the second 1978. Lind and Steve Morse are one of the remaining infamous nine that went to O Kanaloa Kohe Malamalama to stop the bombing, along with George Helm and Kawaipuna.
I was always concern over the Parker Rancher opposition to my mothers frontal move for the use of revenues from the known lands for education which didn't seem much of anything to me at that time, for I was a mother giving birth to two more babies. So, my true beginning started on O Kanaloa Kohe Malamalama in 1978 as we walked across the island from Honokanenae to Hakioawa and on my return to Honokanenae, I knew then what the movement was all about, we were blessed then for our Na Kupuna. Kealaikahiki point was a separation of who they are and who we are. At that time everything seemed odd, but we did it from our spirits and that's how we all came together.
When I agreed to help mom, I thought it was for two week ends--thirty-five years later! No regets, just knowing who you are and that one act (try) to serve ones people and preserve culture--that's the true meaning of a full life. To leave this world knowing that one participated in an act to make this world better for the future generation, that's what life is about.
Unlike today, I was so blessed to have Na Kupunas with great vim and vigor, their relevance still runs through my thoughts in the stillness. Mahalo greatly for sharing, Kaohi