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Amid the climate crisis, depleting resources, and unbridled capitalism, the Native Hawaiian struggle for sovereignty, ongoing for decades, has gained a renewed sense of urgency, particularly following the devastating wildfires that swept through west Maui in August.

Indigenous activists argue that the only way to safeguard Hawaii for future generations is by restoring it as a self-sustaining island nation.

Noelani Ahia, an Indigenous activist and healer based in Lahaina, who has been leading mutual aid efforts for wildfire victims, expressed, "When we speak of sovereignty, it encompasses physically, spiritually, and literally reclaiming the space from which we were forcibly displaced. The individuals in this movement have been advocating for our community, our land, and our oceans for generations. It is deeply ingrained in our identity and what we stand for."

In the aftermath of the Lahaina fire, Indigenous leaders across Maui mobilized to establish distribution centers to provide food, medicine, and shelter to the thousands of displaced and hungry survivors. However, Noelani Ahia pointed out that disaster capitalists have already descended on Lahaina, seeking to exploit development opportunities that pose significant threats to the island's fragile ecosystems and its Indigenous inhabitants, who have resided there for millennia.

Read next: Maui residents slam government for not treating them as US citizens

Real estate agents wasted no time, making aggressive offers for ancestral homes just days after the fire, prompting Governor Josh Green to explore a potential moratorium on property sales.

Ahia expressed deep concerns about the genuine possibility of further displacement, which would be devastating for the Indigenous community.

Facing crisis upon crisis: How did the community respond?

Historically, the Hawaiian Kingdom was an internationally recognized sovereign nation during much of the 19th century. However, in 1893, a group of US sugar magnates orchestrated the overthrow of Queen Liliuokalani in a coup, setting the stage for the US annexation of the islands five years later. Presently, Native Hawaiians are the sole Indigenous group in the nation lacking self-governance rights.

The grassroots sovereignty movement initially emerged from the demand to reclaim the approximately 1.8 million acres of Kingdom lands seized by the US, explained Jonathan Osorio, the dean of the Hawaiʻinuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa. Beyond self-determination, advocates are also fighting to revitalize Indigenous culture and language.

In recent years, sovereignty groups have mobilized against widespread development projects, including the construction of a massive telescope on Mauna Kea, a sacred volcano in Hawaii. However, federal initiatives aimed at establishing a Native Hawaiian government, which would have granted self-governance rights similar to Native American tribes, revealed divisions within the movement. Some advocates viewed this approach as incompatible with the goal of re-establishing the islands as an independent nation.

In West Maui, sovereignty became a central issue in ongoing disputes over water and land access. Grassroots campaigns have focused on returning diverted stream water and revitalizing cultural practices like taro farming.

Many of the Indigenous organizers leading relief efforts in Lahaina are also connected to the sovereignty movement. Healani Sonoda-Pale, a sovereignty activist and spokesperson for the Ka Lāhui Hawaii political action committee, highlighted that Tiare Lawrence, a community organizer and sovereignty activist, transformed her home into a makeshift donation center for displaced families in the Upcountry area.

Kaipo Kekona, a taro farmer dedicated to promoting food sovereignty in Lahaina, coordinated a significant food and clothing distribution center in the nearby town of Napili. Sonoda-Pale noted that the values of caring for one another and rebuilding their home sustainably are intertwined with the sovereignty struggle.

"It’s no accident that Hawaiians lived here for 2,000 years," she said. "Hawaiians are good stewards of their resources. It’s not just about making money, tourism, and developing."

"As far as I’ve been taught, the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi still exists," she added.

"We’re a nation occupied by the US."

Read more: Hawaiian business owners say gov't dropped the ball on Maui wildfires

'If and when occupation ends, Hawaii could run itself like other nations'

Indigenous-led and faith-based organizations stepped in to offer shelter and resources to survivors when state and federal aid fell short in the days following the fire, according to Tamara Paltin, a West Maui county councilmember. A range of volunteer-powered distribution tents provided essentials such as food, clothing, and medication, as well as services like acupuncture and Lomi healing.

Paltin underscored that Hawaiian lawmakers have limited authority to address the housing crisis that disproportionately affects Indigenous people. Governor Josh Green extended a program allowing wildfire victims to stay in hotels and short-term vacation rentals while they search for alternative housing. However, because Hawaii is a US state, lawmakers cannot prevent non-Hawaiians from purchasing properties.

If you are from Lāhainā & are receiving phone calls from realtors asking to purchase your property following the fire, please record their name, company & home address for us & post it.

— Keoni #ProtectPololūValley🔺 (@Keoni_DiFranco) August 13, 2023

Governor Green explained that they are unable to dictate that a Hawaii resident can buy one house while a resident from California cannot purchase another, citing complex legal issues. The housing crisis was exacerbated by the fire, displacing over 10,000 individuals and destroying some of the island's few low-income housing units in a market where the median home price exceeds $1 million.

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Governor Josh Green, M.D. (@govjoshgreen)

Paltin said, "If and when occupation ends, Hawaii could run itself like other nations."

Although the journey to recovery is frequently marked by gradual advances and substantial expenses, Native Hawaiians have made significant strides in revitalizing their culture following decades of suppression. Tamara Paltin reflected on her own experiences, noting that when she attended kindergarten four decades ago, speaking Hawaiian was prohibited by law. However, there has been notable progress, with many children now having the opportunity to enroll in Hawaiian-language immersion preschools.

Read next: Fishing in troubled waters, investors extort owners for Lahaina land

A long history of resistance against US occupation

Resistance against the US occupation in Hawaii has always been robust, with anti-military activism and the burgeoning tourism industry during the 1960s and 1970s giving rise to the modern sovereignty movement.

The environmental impact of World War II-era military bases in Hawaii, especially concerning air quality and coastal areas, has been a long-standing source of contention between sovereignty groups and the US government. Tensions escalated last year when the Navy confirmed that an oil leak from one of its tank facilities had contaminated Pearl Harbor's water supply.

In the decade following Hawaii's statehood in 1959, annual visitors skyrocketed from 250,000 to over 1.7 million. Last year, more than 9 million tourists visited the islands, leading to global investors purchasing land in Hawaii, driving up property values and displacing numerous Indigenous residents. Today, Native Hawaiians account for just 10% of the islands' population.

Jonathan Osorio noted that since the 1980s, multiple generations of Native Hawaiians have been advocating for the restoration of their control over the islands. However, the climate crisis is reshaping the conversation surrounding land rights and emphasizing the need to build a sustainable society for future generations. For many Native Hawaiians, the devastation in Lahaina serves as a forewarning of what may transpire if Hawaii continues adhering to the capitalist system under US occupation.

Osorio concluded that the fate of Lahaina's land carries profound implications for the future of Hawaii.