Sunday, December 2, 2012

Annexation in Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen

I can't help but feel disgusted by the events that Liliuokalani narrates in her memoir. Hawaii welcomed the missionaries, the travelers, and the entrepreneurs but to what end? These so-called civilized people overthrew the very government that supported them and their families, some of whom being descendents of the missionaries. Call me an atheist, but stealing everything away from your fellow man is hardly what Christianity is about, a point Liliuokalani reiterates sadly. Kalakua only wanted what was best for his people; to better their lives and bring them closer to the Western standard of the world. But the people he supported betrayed and threatened to kill him until he relinquished his reign, eventually passing on the responsibility to Liliuokalani. Then she too was dethroned and vilified as a leader, and placed under house arrest for attempting to undermine the element of society that had put Hawaii under foreign control. It was interesting that the group involved had a dual status as Hawaiian "locals" and American citizens. In no country are foreign citizens allowed to serve in government without becoming citizens of the new country.

1 comment:

  1. I agree, the memoir of the queen was extremely saddening. Imperialism is seriously everywhere in this book, and America is always robbing other indigenous cultures and claim whatever they can. It's a crucial and ongoing cultural-political dynamic theme in the memoir: "becoming Americanized" acculturated and assimilated as a minority to "mainland" American political and cultural modes of citizenship, liberal pluralism, and national belonging, ongoing process since statehood in August 1959. It's interesting as well that shortly after the time of Liluokalani's overthrow, the state declared in their newspaper: "Statehood for Hawaii. We're all haoles now." Imperialism at its finest, I tell you!

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