Hawaiian sovereignty movement

The Hawaiian sovereignty movement is comprised of a loose coalition of groups that seek self-determination and self-governance for Native Hawaiians (or more broadly Hawaiian nationals regardless of ethnicity), and redress from the United States for its alleged role in the 1893 intervention and overthrow of Queen Liliʻuokalani, and what is seen as a prolonged military occupation beginning in 1898. While these groups share this common concern, their views on how these ends should be achieved vary greatly.

What form of sovereignty?

Native Hawaiians generally support efforts to achieve some form of sovereignty, but defining and achieving it remain elusive. Proposed solutions run the gamut from state-sponsored commission to "nation-within-a-nation" (similar to the status of Native American tribes) to militant independence. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) already exists as a state-sponsored commission but is regarded as ineffective; one "nation-within-a-nation" proposal is currently awaiting a vote in the U.S. Senate (see Akaka Bill). A growing independence movement is taking a much more long-term approach; following other Pacific nations, its supporters seek to restore independence through international legal means and long-term educational strategies. Some believe that the U.S. occupation of Hawaiʻi will end naturally when the resources needed to maintain its presence in the Islands become scarce.

Related Topics:
Native American - Office of Hawaiian Affairs - Akaka Bill

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