"HONOLULU — Sandra Reyes strolled across the empty grounds of Iolani Palace on Wednesday and fully understood why state officials are not marking the 50th anniversary of Hawaii's statehood today with too festive a celebration."I can see why they would be afraid," said Reyes, who lives in the Oahu community of Makaha, which is part of the largest concentration of Native Hawaiians in the world. "You have to understand the history of Hawaii."
When Hawaii became America's 50th state in 1959, the area surrounding the palace — the heart of the Hawaiian monarchy — exploded in a celebration of cannon fire, marching bands and a parade. Half a century later, about 1,000 demonstrators who would rather see Hawaii's independence restored are expected to rally outside the Hawaii Convention Center today, where a more subdued commemoration will take place.
"We want to show how U.S. imperialism has spread across the Pacific and across the world," said Lynette Cruz, an organizer of the Hawaiian Independence Action Alliance. "It'll be fun.""
[Kue - Honolulu Magazine - November 2004 - Hawaii:"In Hawaiian, kue means 'to oppose, resist, protest.' It's a word central to the development of what has become known as the Hawaiian sovereignty movement, a cause shaped by 30 years of struggle-battles over eviction, land development and the U.S. military presence in the Islands."]
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