Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 21, Number 9, 1 September 2004 — September marches in Honolulu and D.C. significant for 'those of aloha' and the world [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

September marches in Honolulu and D.C. significant for 'those of aloha' and the world

Haunani Apoliona, MSW 9 Trustee, At-large

Aloha e na 'ōiwi 'ōlino, nā pulapula a Hāloa, mai Hawai'i a Ni'ihau a puni ke ao mālamalama. Aloha e nā kūpuna kahiko, nāna e ho'oulu mai nei iā kākou e holopono, a loa'a e ka lei lanakila. E hana kākou me ke ahonui, a pili me ka hā a ke aloha, 'oiai e kūlia i ka nu'u, a kau i ka 'iu o luna. Aloha mai kākou. On Sept. 2, Native Hawaiians and those of aloha will onee again honor the memory of Queen Lili'uokalani on the anniversary of her birth. Eaeh year we recall the time of her governance of the Hawaiian Kingdom, the business, governmental and political acts of the United States that ended her government, her two decades of struggle with resolve toward the United States to reconcile its unlawful actions through fairness and justice, and her final recognition in 1917, that "I could not turn back the political

change." In this year's anniversary month, September 2004, Native Hawaiians and those of aloha will onee again assemble and march as we did in September 2002, when hundreds walked ma uka to ma kai, from Mauna 'Ala in Nu'uanu (the Royal Mausoleum) to the rotunda of the State Capitol chanting the resolve to seek fairness and justice for Native Hawaiians. In this year's anniversary month September 2004, Native Hawaiians and those of aloha will onee again assemble and march as we did In September 2003, when more than 9,000 strong, we assembled and marched through Waikīkī, along Kalākaua and ending the march with families gathering at Kapi'olani Park for a day of unified effort, chanting the resolve to seek fairness and justice for Native Hawaiians. In this year's anniversary month

of September 2004, on the 6th, Native Hawaiians and those of aloha will again assemble and march through Waikīkī along Kalākaua. On the 21st of September, Native Hawaiians and those of aloha will assemble and march in Washington, D.C., the historic source of 19th century injustice to Native Hawaiians and a 21st century source for fair reconciliation and restoration of justice to Native Hawaiians. We will assemble and march on the National Mall, 20,000 plus strong. Native Hawaiians will join American Indians, Alaska natives and other indigenous people of the world to remind the nation of our collective resolve of indigenous people to seek fair and just treatment from the United States. We will assemble our collective strength to celebrate our ancestors and our cultural legacy with the opening of the National

Museum of the American Indian and the opening of the Native Hawaiian collection at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. We will refocus our eolleetive spirit and energy in pursuit of 21st century partnership and eollahoration among indigenous people, for a better Hawai'i, for a better United States, and for a better world. Whether in Hawai'i or away from our shores, Native Hawaiians and those of aloha should join with us this September 2004, in Hawai'i or on our nation's National Mall. Whether in Hawai'i or in the Capitol of the United States, Native Hawaiians and those of aloha will chant the resolve of Lili'uokalani to seek fairness and justice for Native Hawaiians while recognizing our role among the family of native nations and nations of the world in this and every September to follow. 46/48 ■

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