Celebrate November 28, 2023 — Lā Kūʻokoʻa – A Celebration of Hawaiian Independence
Celebrate November 28, 2023 — Lā Kūʻokoʻa – A Celebration of Hawaiian Independence
Lā Kūʻokoʻa is a significant holiday in the Hawaiian Kingdom that honors the country's independence. The events that set the stage for this holiday date back to 1839 when King Kauikeaouli granted a declaration of rights. This historic document was later integrated into the first Kingdom Constitution in 1840, which established equal protection under the law for all makaʻāinana and aliʻi. This momentous occasion marked the beginning of the aliʻi's quest for a formal government structure and law. However, just a month after the declaration of rights was announced, Captain Cyrille LaPlace of the French Navy arrived in Hawaiʻi and threatened war. Although a treaty was signed a few days later, the incident left King Kauikeaouli feeling vulnerable about his small nation in the Pacific.
Efforts to Gain Recognition of Hawaiian Independence through Diplomacy
In a bold move, the King of Hawaiʻi instigated a well-planned strategy to gain international recognition of his country's independence from major world powers such as Great Britain, France, and the United States. On April 8, 1842, he selected Timoteo Ha'alilio, Reverend William Richards, and Sir George Simpson as envoys to seek recognition of Hawaiian sovereignty. Timoteo Ha'alilio was the Kingdom's first Kānaka Maoli diplomat, authorized by the King to manage foreign affairs and negotiate treaties on his behalf. Sir George Simpson, Governor in Chief of the Hudson's Bay Company, was a British subject who sympathized with the mission and sought benefits for his company, and was entrusted with the task of traveling to London via Alaska and Siberia to advocate for recognition of Hawaiian independence from his home country.
The Journey to Hawaiian Independence — A Timeline
July 18: Haʻalilio and Richards leave Lahaina, Maui for Mazatlan, Mexico.
He traveled 900 miles across Mexico to Vera Cruz.
He then departed from New Orleans and journeyed along the Mississippi River to Washington D.C.
December 3: Arrives in D.C.
December 7: Meets with U.S. Secretary of State Daniel Webster.
December 19: Receives a reply that hints at unofficial recognition of Hawaiian independence.
February 1843: Departs the U.S. for Liverpool, England.
The Hawaiian Kingdom joins forces with Simpson and meet with officials from Great Britain, France, and Belgium.
The Hawaiian Kingdom receives assurance that these countries would acknowledge Hawaiian independence.
Lā Kūʻokoʻa and Lā Hoʻihoʻi Ea: Celebrating Hawaiian Sovereignty
Lā Kūʻokoʻa is a significant holiday in Hawaiʻi, connected to another important day – Lā Hoʻihoʻi Ea, or Sovereignty Restoration Day. In 1843, British Admiral Lord George Paulet and his army took control of the Hawaiian government and lands, burning all Hawaiian flags and replacing them with the Union Jack. When the envoys who had worked with Great Britain to establish Hawaiʻi's independence learned of the occupation, they immediately sought help from British diplomats. Queen Victoria responded by sending Admiral Richard Thomas to remove Paulet and restore Hawaiian sovereignty. Lā Hoʻihoʻi Ea is recognized on July 31 to celebrate the flag ceremony held in 1843 at Thomas Square, where the Union Jack was lowered, and the Hawaiian flag was raised once again. It was on this momentous occasion that King Kauikeaouli declared, "Ua mau ke ea o ka ʻāina i ka pono" – the life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness.
The Declaration of Hawaiian Independence: Honoring the Legacy of Timoteo Haʻalilio
On November 28, 1843, the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi achieved a historic milestone when Great Britain and France formally recognized its independence. Envoys then secured formal recognition from the United States and Belgium in 1844. These diplomatic successes were celebrated annually through Lā Kūʻokoʻa, or Independence Day, starting in 1843. Sadly, Timoteo Haʻalilio, who played a pivotal role in securing Hawaiʻi's sovereignty, passed away at sea on December 3, 1844, before he could return home.
Despite this loss, the people of Hawaiʻi continued to celebrate Lā Kūʻokoʻa with feasts, speeches, and gatherings. A particularly noteworthy speech was given in 1869 by J.W.H. Kauwahi from Hana, Maui, who emphasized the importance of this holiday:
“Let us learn from this event to have unwavering faith, for this marks the day our Nation achieved independence. The children of my homeland must continue to honor and remember this day with aloha and justice. Those who do so with kindness and true aloha will be rewarded with good fortune. Let us continue to celebrate this day for generations to come.” (Translated by J. Uʻilani Au).
To this day, Kānaka Maoli and Hawaiian nationals all over the world continue to commemorate Lā Kūʻokoʻa in honor of Timoteo Haʻalilio and the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi's hard-won independence.
The Celebrations of Lā Kūʻokoʻa and the Revival of the Concept of "Ea" for Kānaka Maoli
After the overthrow of the Hawaiian Nation and the United States’ illegal occupation, the commemoration of Lā Kūʻokoʻa fell out of public consciousness. It seemed challenging to uphold the celebration of our Nation's sovereignty and independence given the theft and war crimes committed in our homeland. However, in recent years, Kānaka Maoli have revived the celebration of Lā Kūʻokoʻa with a wave of cultural renaissance. Throughout the pae ʻāina, Kānaka Maoli celebrate Lā Kūʻokoʻa with festivities, music, food, and education. In 2019, the Molokaʻi community prioritized the celebration of Lā Kūʻokoʻa over Thanksgiving Day, hosting a massive festival with music, vendors, and food, and came together to celebrate Hawaiʻi's sovereignty.
The concept of ea, sovereignty, for Kānaka Maoli has changed over time. Although the formal recognition of our Nation's independence has been lost, ea remains an integral part of our identity. On Lā Kūʻokoʻa and every day, Kānaka Maoli carry on the spirit of ea. E mau ke ea o ka ʻāina!
Listen to an episode of Native Stories that I did with Dr. Keanu Sai on the history of Lā Kūʻokoʻa in 2019!
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References:
Kauwahi, J.W.H. “No Ka La Kuokoa Ma Hawaii Nei.” Ke Au Okoa, Volume V, Number 34. December 9, 1869. Page 2.
Native Stories, Lā Kūʻokoʻa
About the Author
Nanea Lo, HAPA’s Administrative and Programs Coordinator
Nanea Lo is from Papakōlea, Oʻahu. She is a Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian). Lo's educational expertise is in community planning and urban planning infrastructures. She is also a podcast host for Native Stories.
Lo is a public servant and serves as the Kona representative for the Oʻahu Burial Council, a commissioner on the Oʻahu Historic Preservation Commission, sits on the board of the Hawaiʻi Workers Center, and serves on the grant making committee for Hawaiʻi People’s Fund.
Through civic engagement, podcast hosting, and community organizing, Lo advocates for Hawaiian sovereignty, Aloha 'Āina, and feminism on the national and international scale. She has been a part of innovative local and international education and advocacy programs such as Planned Parenthood “National” Storyteller for the Pacific Northwest and Hawaiʻi, Hawaiʻi-Asia Pacific Leadership Program, Native American Political Leadership Program, Kuleana Academy, Young Pacific Leaders, and Peace Scholars. She believes that relationships are the fabric of life and that Aloha ʻĀina is forever.
