Hawaiian
sovereignty seekers take over palace in Honolulu
HONOLULU (AP)
- When Native Hawaiian sovereignty advocates chained shut the
gates of historic Iolani Palace, they said they were reclaiming
land of the Hawaiian monarchy that was stolen during the overthrow
of the kingdom more than 100 years ago.
Unarmed security
guards from the Hawaiian Kingdom Government group allowed only
Hawaiians, media and students to enter. Tourists, employees and
the general public were kept out for hours until the conflict
was peacefully resolved and the palace grounds opened.
Hawaiian activists
have long used Iolani Palace, the site of Queen Liliuokalani's
imprisonment following the 1893 U.S. overthrow, as a prime location
for protests of the United States' occupation of the islands.
But never before Wednesday had they physically taken control.
"This is
our seat of government and always will be," said Mahealani
Kahau, who was elected "head of state" of the group
seven years ago. "As long as we have breath to speak, we'll
be here."
The 60 protesters
began arriving early in the morning Wednesday, sealed the gates
with chain-link locks and hung yellow signs stating, "Warning!
No trespassing. This is private property."
Police surrounded
the palace but didn't force their way inside the fence. The activists
were locked out of the palace itself and didn't do any damage
to the area, which they consider to be sacred.
After more than
six hours, authorities and the Hawaiians agreed to end the blockade
and reopen the palace to the public. No arrests were made immediately,
but state officials said the protesters could still be charged.
Protest leaders had said they were prepared to be arrested and
would remain peaceful.
"It was
kind of exciting to see an insurgency," said Dorothy Scully,
a visitor from Modesto, Calif., who had a morning appointment
to tour the palace but couldn't get in. "We were victims
of the insurrection this morning."
The Hawaiian
Kingdom Government is one of several Hawaiian sovereignty organizations
in the islands, which became the 50th U.S. state in 1959. One
of the most visible signs of protest seen across the state is
upside-down Hawaii state flags on display at homes of members,
signaling distress.
What sets this
group apart from the rest is that it's the only one to establish
a government headquarters, Kahau said.
"Hopefully
the occupation today will make the people aware of the history
of the Native Hawaiian people and the attacks on their land,"
said Trisha Kehaulani Watson, executive director of another Native
Hawaiian group, Kakoo Oiwi.
The ornate Iolani
Palace is operated as a museum of Hawaiian royalty. King Kalakaua
built it in 1882, and it also served as the residence for his
sister and successor, Queen Liliuokalani, the islands' last ruling
monarch.
The palace's
granduer was neglected after the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom
in 1893, but the structure was restored in the 1970s as a National
Historic Landmark. It includes a gift shop and is open for school
groups and offers tours for $6 to $20.
"This is
the manifestation of the frustration of the Hawaiian people for
the loss of sovereignty and land," said state Sen. Kalani
English, a Native Hawaiian and a Democrat from East Maui-Lanai-Molokai
who met with the protesters and brought them food. "This
made a statement. It got the word out about the plight of the
Hawaiian people."
The protesters
said they wanted to restore Iolani Palace as the seat of their
government, and they plan to meet there daily to conduct the
business of a sovereign Hawaiian government. They pledged to
return Thursday, although they say they won't restrict access
to the palace again.
Kippen de Alba
Chu, executive director of Iolani Palace, said the building was
originally used as the royal residence of the monarchy, not as
the seat of government.
Only after the
overthrow of the Hawaiian kingdom was the palace renamed as an
"Executive Building" to show that the old rulers were
powerless, he said.
"It is historically
wrong for any individual or group to state that the palace is
to serve as a government building," Chu said. "We welcome
any group who would like to celebrate the history of Iolani Palace
and Hawaii's monarchy in a historically appropriate manner that
embraces all visitors."
About 40 students
from Halau Lokahi, a Hawaiian-focused charter school, later joined
the activists by blowing conch shells and reciting Hawaiian chants.
They came to witness the palace occupation without getting directly
involved in the protest, said Hinaleimoana Wong, cultural director
at the school.
"This is
a crucial spot. This is where much of the injustice took place,"
Wong said.
The last significant
conflict at Iolani Palace before Wednesday happened when sovereignty
advocates clashed with flag-waving Statehood Day celebrants trying
to sing "The Star-Spangled Banner" in 2006.
On the Net:
Iolani Palace:
http://www.iolanipalace.org
Hawaiian Kingdom
Government: http://www.higovt.org
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