Jan. 17, 2022 the 129th anniversary of the US illegal overthrow of Hawaii as an independent nation
Post by Dr. Ku Kahakalau, PhD on Facebook Jan. 17, 2022
Today we commemorate 129 years of occupation of the independent nation of Hawaiʻi by the U.S., encouraged by the words of our beloved Queen Liliʻuokalani reminding us to never cease to act because of fear that we may fail. On January 17, 1893, to avoid further bloodshed, and with an unwavering belief that honor and justice were attributes of every “Christian nation”, our Queen temporarily and under protest yielded to the superior forces of the U.S, “until such time as the Government of the United States shall, upon facts being presented to it, undo the action of its representative and reinstate me in the authority which I claim as the constitutional sovereign of the Hawaiian Islands.”
Even though she initially refused the request for her abdication, threats by U.S. Minister Stevens, who, instead of sustaining the constitutional ruler of Hawaiʻi, hinted that the 162 heavily armed U.S. Marines and Navy sailors he ordered to land in Honolulu the day before, would get involved, if the mostly American terrorists (persons who use unlawful violence and intimidation, in the pursuit of political aims), who had proclaimed a Provisional Government, or their supporters, were attacked.
Following the illegal overthrow of the constitutional Hawaiian monarchy on January 17 1893, Queen Liliʻuokalani spent the rest of her life petitioning to have the islands’ sovereignty restored. As kanaka it is our kuleana to continue this fight, because according to Queen Liliʻuokalani, “”The cause of Hawaiian independence is larger and dearer than the life of any man connected with it.”
Mahalo nui e Ka Mōʻi Liliʻuokalani for forever being a symbol of Hawaiian independence and a reminder to honor, preserve and advance our Hawaiian heritage. E ʻONIPAʻA kākou – until the last Aloha ʻĀina!
