Lā ho'iho'i ea

July 31 is a special day within the Hawaiian Kingdom. It is known as Lā ho'iho'i ea or the Day of Soverignty Restoration. Based on an event which occurred in 1843 (read about it here), it marks the return of the ka pae 'āina to Kamehameha III, Kauikeaouli, by the United Kingdom following an illegal seizure by one of their representatives.

While many hands have labored toward restoration, there is much work ahead. In 2021, 'Anakē Marion Kelly and 'Anakē Dr. Lynette Cruz were honored at the Thomas Square celebration for their contributions to the Aloha 'Āina effort. The main take-away from these events is to understand that this is not about a bunch of angry Hawaiians. When the overthrow took place, there were subjects of the Hawaiian Kingdom of all ethnicities. The overthrow of Hawai'i's constitutional monarchy denied all subjects a voice in self-determination. To better understand the history and economics behind the overthrow, check-out this article by Dr. Keanu Sai featured at the National Education Association website (NEA.org).