Heavy times, heavy turnout

Legions more expected today, the day of woe

By Shannon Tangonan
and Kris M. Tanahara
Advertiser Staff Writers
As printed in the Honolulu Advertiser

Saturday, January 16, 1993

An estimated 5,000 to 10,000 people – from Waianae kupuna to Neighbor Island activists – gathered in and around the grounds of the black-draped Iolani Palace yesterday to share in ‘Onipa’a, the centennial observance of the Hawaiian monarchy’s overthrow, and event organizers expect many times that turnout today.

It was on this date 100 years ago that Queen Lili’uokalani yielded her throne.
A host of Hawaiian organizations plan a day-long slate of events to mark the end of the kingdom a century ago and culminate the official observance that began Wednesday.

State Land Board Chairman Bill Paty said he expects “a tremendous turnout” today, about five times as many as yesterday.

State Sen. Eloise Tungpalan, chairwoman of the ‘Onipa’a Centennial Committee, said what has been a century of pain for native Hawaiians will end today, clearing the way for what she calls a period of rebirth and renewal.

Of today’s events, Tungpalan called the apology this afternoon by the United Church of Christ perhaps the most pivotal. It will be delivered at Kaumakapili Church in Kalihi.

“I think then the healing can begin,” she said. “I read the message and it’s very moving.”

Tungpalan said the observance is open to everyone, not just the native Hawaiians.

“I want everyone to attend,” she said.

Several thousand people are expected to participate this morning in two mass marches to Iolani Palace – from the Royal Mausoleum in Nuuanu and from Aloha Tower – and to witness this evening’s dramatic conclusion of Hui Na’auao’s three-day street drama.

Yesterday’s schedule was less full – with the street drama in its second day around the palace; Hawaiian artisans selling their wares at the Mission Houses Museum; a quilt display on the Hawaii State Library grounds; food tents in the post office’s parking lot, and Hawaiian entertainers performing all day on the Civic Center lawn.

Tungpalan estimated the turnout at between 5,000 and 10,000 people.

On one side of the Iolani Palace fence yesterday, about 50 people lined the sidewalks, shouting and holding sovereignty signs. On the palace grounds, their kupuna, or elders, sat on the lawn, “talking story” or reflecting on a century of change.

“Today’s generation is educated…they’re the ones (who) bring this matter (of sovereignty) up. Our days, we never have chance to go to school,” said Abel Kawaiaea, 67.

He was one of about 100 Nanakuli and Waianae residents who rode free yesterday to Iolani Palace on Kamehameha Schools buses.

“It’s our time,” Kawaiaea said. “During my days, it was like there was no more hope for Hawaiian people…As years have gone by, the young ones are making things happen. We’re all backing them up.”

As Kawaiaea and his wife sat under a tree, the street drama, about 30 yards away at Iolani Palace coronation stand, was re-enacting events of the overthrow.

On both sides of South King Street fronting the palace, dozens of younger Hawaiians, members of a group called the Free Association of Hawaiians who arrived Friday from the Big Island, held signs and asked motorists to honk their horns in support of sovereignty. Traffic crawled in the area as hundreds slowed down and honked their horns.

The group’s signs asked people to “think Hawaiian nation” and “end illegal overthrow.”

Malia Fanene of Puna said the association’s goal is “to get sovereignty and get back what’s ours.” She said the group came to Oahu for the centennial because “we have to correct the wrong.”

Group members on one side of the street changed “’Oni-“ and those on the other side shouted back “-pa’a!” ‘Onipa’a means “steadfast,” Queen Lili’uokalani’s motto.

An association member and Kona resident known as “Bull,” 37, said education is key during the observance because “it makes me bitter that I was never taught the history of the overthrow in school.”

Hundreds of others from the Neighbor Islands were expected to arrive yesterday afternoon. About 100 people from Molokai were arriving by boat, said Dennis “Bumpy” Kanahele of the Ohana Council.

Two people who were surprised by the observance were Joan and Jim Schwartzkopf of Canada, who arrived here on Thursday and were touring the palace grounds yesterday.

“Up until this point, we’ve never known about the monarchy. It’s not a big part of history that was taught to us,” Joan Schwartzkopf said.

Next door, on the lawn of the state library, some people were signing up to become a citizens of the sovereign nation of Ka Lahui Hawai’i.

Nearly 200 people had signed up from 9:30 to about noon, said Annette Mente, an honorary non-Hawaiian citizen of Ka Lahui, one of the groups pressing for Hawaiian sovereignty.

The library lawn also was the setting for lei-making, basket-weaving and Hawaiian quilt-making demonstrations.

“Now is the time to preserve what we have and let the coming generations capture the (Hawaiian) culture for themselves,” said May Kamai, 62 who was working on a ulu, or breadfruit, quilt design. She learned the art of Hawaiian quilting just last year.

Farther down the street at the grounds of the Municipal Building, more than 500 people gathered by midmorning for an all-day concert of Hawaiian music and dance. Olomana, The Brothers Cazimero, Makaha Sons of Niihau, Henry Kapono and others performed, including a handful of hula groups.

“Generally, the music part is the icing on the cake – what’s important right now is giving Hawaiians, as a people, options,” said musician Robert Cazimero in an interview.

Later that day Na Koa (the warriors) of Ka Lahui Hawaii staged a three-hour vigil outside of the post office, the spot where a 100 years ago 162 American Marines stood watch over Iolani Palace.

The vigil by the eight men and women was a spiritual cleansing, said member Toni Auld Yardley.

As they maintained their vigil, rain fell softly over Honolulu.

“The rain is our omen – it happens when things are pono, when things are right,” said Tungpalan.

It rained on Jan. 16, 1893, too, she said.