Payback Time
Imagine what would happen if a group of foreigners landed in America and decided to take over. They overthrow President Bush and seize control of D.C. Then, they stake their claim on all government land. If that were not enough, these strangers demand that every citizen of the former United States speak their language and practice their culture. Goodbye, English and apple pie.
Most Americans can’t even imagine. But for Native Hawaiians, the analogy hits home. It’s a scenario that outlines their history and continues to shape their existence.
In 1893, a small group of businessmen, looking for a way to lift sugar tariffs, dethroned Queen Lili’uokalani. Backed by three companies of the U.S. marines, they stole Hawaii’s lands and independence. Even then-President Cleveland called for reinstatement of the monarchy. Forced to the bottom of the new social order, Native Hawaiians saw their population plummet, their culture obliterated.
Years of discrimination have left their ugly imprint on the daily lives of Native Hawaiians, who have among the highest unemployment rates and the lowest high school graduation rates in the nation. They also face disproportionate rates of unemployment and unequal access to health care. Native Hawaiian children also suffer. They account for 73 percent of deaths in the state among those under 18 years old.
Last week, the Hawaii Advisory Committee of the U.S. Department of Civil Rights released a report that urges the government to establish federal recognition of Native Hawaiians. With affirmative action under scrutiny, many programs that currently help Native Hawaiians achieve equality are in jeopardy. Recognition of Hawaiians is the first step toward reconciliation and justice — and would help ensure those programs can continue.
Some say what’s past is past. But for indigenous peoples throughout the world (Africa, South America, Australia, Asia) whose ancestors lived through decades of colonialism, history is an everyday reality. |
