Ceded Land Display

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http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20090225/BREAKING01/90225008

Hawaiians turn to tradition for help in ceded-lands fight

By Gordon Y.K. Pang
Advertiser Staff Writer

About 300 people supporting the Office of Hawaiian Affairs' position on ceded lands gathered from 4 a.m. today at the state Capitol and held a series of chants and prayers

The action was part protest against the Lingle administration, part calling on the kupuna, or ancestors, to help them fight the appeal.

A majority of those gathered were members of hula halau or Hawaiian charter schools.

Mapuana de Silva, kumu hula of Halau Mohala Ilima, said she brought about 25 members of her group not just to help the cause, but to teach her students about the historically close relationship between Native Hawaiians and the land.

A good number of traditional chants speak of the land and love for the land, de Silva said. "You take the land away and Hawaiians do not have a base," she said.

Daniel Anthony, a 30-year-old subsistence farmer who grows and sells his own taro, also spoke of the close relationship with the land.

"Our big focus right now is sustainability," Anthony said. "To me, if we no more land and no more water, we're not sustainable."

The gathering brought together younger and older Native Hawaiians.

Shanelle Naone, 21, a University of Hawaii-Manoa communications major, was doing homework between chants. Naone said the reputation students have for being apathetic is being shed, noting that there are many youth-based Hawaiian programs.

"The tide is definitely turning," Naone said.

Retired crane operator Jerome Cox, 71, said most Native Hawaiians don't want to force non-Hawaiians off the land. "They only have to support the Hawaiian community," he said.
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Some local newspaper readership comments:

saipele wrote:

Give the Hawaiians their land back! Enough of this imperialism.
02/25/2009 5:09:11 p.m.
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justanadabruddah wrote:

OHA and other Hawaiian groups go on about how the state should give the ceded lands back to Native Hawaiians, But where we see large communities of native hawaiians we see a trashed beach and community. Why would the state return the ceded lands when so far native hawaiians have shown is how they can trash what they have. What happened to the old Hawaiian culture of protecting the Aina. Show that you can take care of your own community and then you might have an opportunity for more.
02/25/2009 4:47:21 p.m.
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emagination808 wrote:

I'm just curious as to why the sovreignty movement chose to fly the Hawaiian flag upside down since it was designed and chosen by King Kamehameha?
02/25/2009 3:16:26 p.m.
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CashnCarry wrote:

[Liliuokalani herself, who was vehemently against the overthrow, and vehemently against the Republic of Hawaii, and vehemently against annexation, changed her mind. She embraced being a part of the United States, and her compatriots, Robert Wilcox and Prince Kuhio FOUGHT for statehood.

I ask that those who believe the victimhood narrative of 1893, please, what would it take for you to embrace being a part of the US, the same way the people who LIVED through the Hawaiian Revolution and annexation did?

P.S.: The Kingdom of Hawaii was multi-racial from its inception.[/QUOTE]

If Hawaii does not want to be part of the US, then stop asking for US handouts like free medical, foodstamps, welfare checks, and protection from the US militiary. Fend for yourselves and see how far you get

02/25/2009 12:23:27 p.m.
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Frynd wrote:

WHAT? These students that wrote songs and sang them at this vigil are in PUBLIC, govt. funded schools?!!!! NOT private schools?

What the heck happened to "separation of church and state?!" This is said to be SPIRITUAL in some way. Oh NO they don't...........not with our tax dollars!! Where is the outcry on this?? It better start heating up.

Doesn't work just to squash the thumpers (no offense to anyone please) that speak of Jesus.....all religious events are not allowed with PUBLIC school TIME and money, so knock it off.

Man, I knew when Democrats are in power that they are soo biased against christianity, and here is yet another example........nothing spiritual, folks.

"To focus spiritual energy" the article says. NO............no focusing anything spiritual on govt. money in schools. ILLEGAL, right? or shall I enter public schools tomorrow in Jesus' name and begin MY focusin??
02/25/2009 12:01:17 p.m.
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Comment: None!

With Aloha,