RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, the State of Hawai'i, an archipelago of Pacific islands, once was known as the respected Kingdom of Hawai'i; and

WHEREAS, the archipelago of Pacific islands were previously separate chiefdoms ruled by hereditary High Chiefs, or "Ali'i Nui"; and

WHEREAS, the Pacific island chiefdoms were first unified into the Kingdom of Hawai'i during the late 18th century through conquest by the great warrior chief who became its first ruling monarch, known as King Kamehameha the Great, and whose subjects, the native Hawaiian population, came to be known as, "Ka Lahui Hawai'i" or "The Citizens of the Kingdom and Nation of Hawai'i"; and

WHEREAS, "Ka Lahui Hawai'i" or "The Citizens of the Nation of Hawai'i", according to the creation chant, called the "Kumulipo", were the descendants of the ancient ones who it was said emerged from the depths of "endless darkness" or "Pouli", into the world of "Ao" or "light", as did all other forms of earthly life; and

WHEREAS, the "Citizens of the Kingdom and Nation of Hawai'i" welcomed newcomers to its island shores, who brought the "Light of Knowledge" that aided the Kingdom of Hawai'i's rulers and native citizenry to emerge from "Intellectual Darkness" or "Na'au Po" into the "Light of Knowledge" or "Na'au Ao" of the rest of the recognized known world, so that the Kingdom of Hawai'i became the most educated nation west of the Appalachian Mountain range of the United States in the 19th century; and

WHEREAS, the Kingdom of Hawai'i and its enlightened ruling monarchs and "Citizens of the Nation of Hawai'i" or "Ka Lahui Hawai'i", as a result of increased enlightenment, became recognized throughout the known civilized world by the many and varied leading nations and governments of the 18th and 19th centuries; and

WHEREAS, the Kingdom of Hawai'i enjoyed the respect and benefits that came with "Most Favored Nation" status through treaties negotiated with the many various leading world governments of the time, which imparted respect for and acceptance of the Kingdom of Hawai'i as a member in the league of leading nations of that time; and

WHEREAS, respect for the Kingdom of Hawai'i, in turn, brought honor and respect to all of its citizens, native-blooded Hawaiian or non-native alike, who had sworn allegiance, not only to His Majesty, King Kamehameha the Great, but to his royal lineal descendants, namely, Kamehameha II, III, IV, and V, and later to the last three succeeding monarchs of the Kingdom of Hawai'i, who ruled in succession as King Lunalilo, followed by King Kalakaua who established the "Kalakaua Dynasty", and his designated successor, his sister, Queen Lili'uokalani; and

WHEREAS, recognition of the Kingdom and Nation of Hawai'i and its ruling monarchs, in particular, King Kalakaua and Queen Lili'uokalani, enjoyed the personal recognition of renowned world government leaders and rulers, such as the Presidents of the United States, Queen Victoria of Great Britain, Emperor Mutsuhito of Imperial Japan, the Empress of China, and many more too numerous to mention; and

WHEREAS, this former Pacific Island nation, known as the Kingdom of Hawai'i, and successor governments, including the Territory of Hawai'i and the State of Hawai'i, have installed monuments honoring various persons of importance to Hawaiian history, including statues of King Kamehameha the Great, King Kalakaua and his wife, Queen Kapi'olani, Queen Lili'uokalani, Catholic Priest, Father Damien, as well as statues of Robert Kalanihiapo Wilcox and Prince Kuhio; and

WHEREAS, a monument that pays tribute to and memorializes the valued contributions of the ruling Ali'i nobility of the Kingdom of Hawai'i and its native Hawaiian citizenry will contribute to a better understanding of the native culture, language, and history of its indigenous people or "Kanaka Maoli" not only for our current resident citizenry, but for newcomers and visitors alike; and

WHEREAS, this monument to the Citizens of the Kingdom and nation of Hawai'i will serve as a lasting memorial of honor and prestige to "The Ancestors", or "Na Kupuna", of today's native Hawaiian citizenry of the State of Hawai'i, as well as to those citizens of the Kingdom and Nation of Hawai'i who were not native-blooded Hawaiians, but who had sworn allegiance to the Crown and Kingdom of Hawai'i; and

WHEREAS, this monument to the citizens of the former Kingdom and Nation of Hawai'i can become a "Touchstone of Pride and Respect" for all of today's Kama'aina who can trace their lineage to those who counted themselves as citizens of the former Kingdom and Nation of Hawai'i; and

WHEREAS, the inspiration for the proposed monument came to the celebrated native Hawaiian composer, musician, historian, and author, Palani Vaughan, in 2003 on the 'Iolani Palace grounds, while he prepared to participate in the observance of the 110th anniversary of the overthrow of Queen Lili'uokalani; and

WHEREAS, the proposed monument would include a complex of building structures that would function as a genealogical, historical, archival, and cultural learning center; and

WHEREAS, this complex of building structures could also function as a forum for assemblies to discuss, debate, and resolve issues of importance to Hawaiians today and into the future, as did the Council of Chiefs in the time of Kamehameha, or as did the Hawaiian Legislature under our constitutional monarchs of Hawai'i; and

WHEREAS, this monument to the citizens of the Kingdom of Hawai'i can be constructed by Hawaiian building masters using Hawaiian building arts and materials from all parts of the island; and

WHEREAS, in the future, identical monuments can be erected on each island, so that, like the heiau of ancient times, these proposed Neighbor Island monuments can interconnect the individual spirits of our kama'aina ancestors and their living descendants with those of the primary monument in Honolulu; and

WHEREAS, these monuments, when erected on all the islands, can bring Hawaiians together in unity with aloha to consider and debate the shape of the Hawaiian government as it moves into the future; and

WHEREAS, this monument can be an aesthetic and spiritual attraction for kama'aina, newcomers, and visitors alike; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2006, the Senate concurring, that the Office of Hawaiian Affairs is urged to convene a task force to consider the merits of creating a monument to the citizens of the Kingdom of Hawai'i for the people of Hawaii; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this task force include Palani Vaughan, a representative from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, respected kupuna in the Hawaiian community, and representatives from appropriate Hawaiian organizations, such as the Royal Order of Kamehameha, State Council of Hawaiian Homestead Associations, Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, Kamehameha Schools, Native Hawaiian Culture and Arts Program of the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, Queen Lili'uokalani Children's Center, and Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this task force consider possible locations for the monument, such as the area where Halekauwila, Keawe, and Pohukaina Streets converge, taking into consideration the kaona or symbolic meanings of selected locations as with Halekauwila St. being the name of the hale built by Chiefess Kina'u for King Kamehameha III's pregnant sister, Nahi'ena'ena, as a sacred birthing place, the kauwila wood used in the rafters of this structure purportedly coming from Ka Hale o Keawe, the mausoleum that once had stood in the "City of Refuge" in Honaunau, Hawai'i Island, before the destruction of the heiau, or Keawe as a reference to Ka Hale o Keawe, or Pohukaina as the area where King Kamehameha III made his encampment with his retinue and court while he awaited the birth of his sister's child; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force report its findings to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2007; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Chairperson of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, Palani Vaughan, Royal Order of Kamehameha, State Council of Hawaiian Homestead Associations, Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, Kamehameha Schools, Native Hawaiian Culture and Arts Program of the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, Queen Lili'uokalani Children's Center, and Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement.

Report Title:

Kingdom of Hawaii; Monument.