WHAT’S THE STORY?
THOUSANDS will gather in Honolulu today to mark the 125th anniversary of the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii by American citizens.
Roughly 5000 people are expected to march in a procession to ‘Iolani Palace before a ceremony is held raising the Hawaiian flag over the former royal residence.
On January 17, 1893, newspaper publisher Lorrin Thurston – the grandson of American missionaries – kickstarted a siege on the government at ‘Iolani Palace which resulted in the deposition of Queen Lili’uokalani and, eventually, the total abolition of Hawaiian monarchy.
A provisional government was then formed under President Sanford B Dole which ruled in Hawaii until it was formally annexed by the United States in 1898.
HAWAII HAD A QUEEN?
YES – the Kingdom of Hawaii was ruled by two royal families: the House of Kamehameha and the House of Kalakaua. Queen Lili’uokalani came to the throne in 1891 and reigned until her forced resignation by American citizens.
Prior to the unification of the kingdom, the Hawaiian archipelago consisted of independent islands – like O’ahu and Maui – ruled by individuals known as supreme executives. They were thought to be descendants of Papa, a key figure in the Hawaiian religion – she is considered to be the goddess of the earth.
The kingdom was created after 15 years of battle between Hawaii and the other islands. A failed attack on Kauai meant that the archipelago was not fully united until 1810, when Kauai’s chief swore allegiance to Hawaii.
WHY DID AMERICAN FORCES WANT TO TAKE CONTROL?
THE movement to overthrow the monarch and her cabinet was primarily supported by wealthy American businessmen. They recognised that Hawaii was thriving in the sugar trade and that its location was ideal for a US military base.
Having conspired for months prior to the dissolution of the Hawaiian monarchy, the elite group hoped to facilitate tax-free importation from Hawaii to the United States.
HOW DID THEY DO IT?
THE Committee of Safety, a group of non-native Hawaiian subjects who campaigned for monarchy reform, were also privately known as the Annexation Club – with many members harbouring a desire to become part of the US.
The Committee came into control of the Honolulu Rifles, a group of 1500 armed men not native to Hawaii. They then organised across the street from the ‘Iolani Palace.
Hundreds of US Marines were brought to shore on Honolulu on that day, with authorities claiming it was in the interests of protecting American lives and property.
Eventually, Queen Lili’uokalani conceded to the deposition, though she did not officially resign. When stepping down from power, she announced: “Now to avoid any collision of armed forces, and perhaps the loss of life, I do this under protest.”
In 1895, there was an attempted – and failed – Hawaiian Royalist rebellion which lasted four days. Lili’uokalani was arrested and formally abdicated in return for the release of her jailed supporters, officially ending the Hawaiian monarchy.
The first time Dole submitted a treaty of annexation to the Senate it was rejected by Democrats, who understood that the majority of native Hawaiians opposed the move. Instead, this was passed five years later in 1898.
It took until 1959 for Hawaii to be admitted as the 50th US state after a referendum in which 93 per cent of Hawaiians voted in support of the move. Citizens said they wanted to be able to elect politicians and have a say in the matters that affected their lives – in a way they didn’t feel they had the power to do while annexed by the US.
DID AMERICA EVER APOLOGISE?
ON the 100th anniversary of the coup, President Bill Clinton signed into law what is known as the Apology Resolution. Passed through Congress, it expressed regret to native Hawaiians for US involvement in the dissolution of their government.
The aboriginal people of Hawaii still campaign to preserve their culture, and continue to feel the effects of decisions made by the provisional government set up after Queen Lili’uokalani was removed from the throne. In 1896, Hawaiian was banned in schools and English announced as the language of education – sounding a death knell for the native language for nearly 100 years.
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