Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 12, Number 2, 1 February 1995 — Hui Naʻauao invites vigil participants to commemorate aliʻi's imprisonment [ARTICLE]

Hui Naʻauao invites vigil participants to commemorate aliʻi's imprisonment

Hui Na'auao, a sovereignty education eoalilion of Hawaiian organizatioas. invites all interested parties to participate in an eight-month vigil in memory of Queen Lili'uokalani during the eenlennial of her imprisonment at 'Iolani Palaee. The purpose of the vigil is to demonstrate lōkahi and support for the queen. and to make more people aware of the events of that time. The vigil began Jan. 16 and continues to Sept. 6. Some groups are planning vigils at the palaee grounds or beneath the second-story room where she was imprisoned. Organizers say they may be held at other locations, such as on the neighbor islands. Participants are asked to commit to at least four hours. Schedule coordinators Dallas Vogeler (247-4103) and Charles Ka'ai'ai (732-4829) hope there will be enough response to 1111 the eight-month, 24-hour schedule. "We are asking that activities be pieaceful and respect the solemnity of the occasion and acknow ledge the Queen's commitment to peaee," Ka'ai'ai says, adding, "If you w ish to exercise your observance at a special site or with a special activity. we will post that on the palaee grounds so that we ean all share in your observance and U"ibute." On Jan. 6, 1895, a group of Hawaiians led by Robert Wilcox and Samuel Nowlein, supporters of the Queen opposed to the newly declared Republic of Hawai'i, mounted an insurrection to overthrow the govemment of the annexationists. The rebellion was put down and more than 350 people were arrested. including the Queen. On Jan. 16, 1895, the Queen was placed under house arrest and confined to her second-floor suite at the palaee. On Jan. 24, she was forced to abdicate. She was brought to trial on Feb. 8 by a military tribunal for misprision of treason (knowledge of treason and not reporting it to the proper authorities). On Feb. 27 she was sentenced to five years of hard labor and a $5,000 fine. However, she remained under house anrest until Sept. 6, 1895. She was later pardoned.