Heroes of Hawaiian advocacy on Lā Hoʻihoʻi Ea:
At just 11 years old, Ke Aliʻi Bernice Pauahi Bishop captured a pivotal moment in Hawaiian history. In her journal, she described the day in 1843 when Hawaiʻi’s sovereignty was restored after being usurped by English Captain George Paulet: “They pulled down the English flag and hoisted the Hawaiian flag and we were all rejoicing.”
As we celebrate Lā Hoʻihoʻi Ea, it’s crucial to remember the wāhine aloha ‘āina (patriotic women) in history who fought for sovereignty and the preservation of the Hawaiian kingdom. These women’s contributions are not just historical footnotes; they are the foundation of ongoing Native Hawaiian advocacy.
I love the effort to bring back lānui Hawaiʻi, Hawaiian holidays, and historically accurate narratives about Hawaiʻi’s history, which was and is fraught with colonization.