...Kuokuoa...
Would be lovely to see this as heralding a process of
reclamation of sovereignty for Native Hawaiians... ;)
***
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Native Hawaiians are finding
special significance to Mauna Loa’s eruption.
“The United States gets their Independence Day and do
fireworks. We get our akua, we get Pele,” said Kukuihaele
resident Iini Kahakalau. “What a way to celebrate!”
On Monday, Hawaiians celebrated La Kuokoa, also known as
Hawaiian Independence Day.
And some see Mauna Loa erupting on this day is a sign of
a revival.
“To have it fall right on La Kuokoa, to me, this is the
awakening, the surging, the rising of this awareness, of
this beautiful holiday,” said Aloha Aina educator Laiana
Kanoa-Wong.
La Kuokoa celebrates the day England and France formally
recognized the Hawaiian Kingdom as an independent nation
state.
“This was a mission achieved by Kamehameha III,
Kauikeaouli, who sent his closest friends Timoteo
Haalilio and William Richards to go all the way across
the United States to Great Britain and to France to
secure recognition of Hawaii,” said Kanoa-Wong.
They were successful on Nov. 28, 1843 through the signing
of the Anglo-Franco Proclamation.
Until this day, the holiday is celebrated across the
island chain.
“Making sure that everyone in Hawaii knows these dates,
know these historical facts is really important and
getting it normalized,” Kahakalau said. “On top of just
making sure that everyone’s health and everyone is safe,
there’s an overwhelming feeling of mana, of power, of
strength flowing around the island.”
As Hawaiians celebrate, they ask that everyone stays safe
and remain respectful by not getting too close.
Copyright 2022 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.
|
|