Background
The origins of the modern Hawaiian movement for independence and sovereignty comes out of the Hui Aloha Aina and Hui Kalaiaina, political organizations formed in the wake of the 1893 US invasion of Hawaii. These groups, led by illustrious figures such as Queen Lili’uokalani, Joseph Nawahi, Emma Nawahi, James Kaulia, Abigail Kuaihelani Campbell, and David Kalauokalani, played a key role in stopping the congressional passage of a treaty to annex Hawaii. Their historic resistance, enshrined in the rallying cry “Aloha Aina,” is an inspiration for the modern movement.
In the 1960s and ’70s, a new generation of students and elders led a series of campaigns to stop the eviction of farmers from Kalama Valley; to stop the bombing of Kaho’olawe Island and Makua Valley; to combat urban gentrification and rural hotel developments; and to stop the US war in Vietnam. These campaigns are an under-recognized part of the ‘Hawaiian Renaissance,’ which included the famed Hokule’a voyages, and the establishment of Hawaiian-language schools.
In establishing MANA, we are continuing the work of the previous century of resistance, and building a new generation of activism and leadership founded on the values and examples of our past.
