Come join the HCUCC Justice and Witness Missional Team for this exciting and informative exploration of Hawaiian History. Whether you are kamaʻāina or a relative newcomer to Hawaiʻi, you will hear history that you have not heard before.
Three eminent scholars, Dr. Keanu Sai, Dr. Ron Williams Jr., and Donovan Preza, will help us delve into historic documents and events that can inform us as we seek understanding and discernment regarding fulfilling our promise made in the UCC’s apology 30 years ago to the Hawaiian people to stand with them in seeking justice.
See and hear newly translated church documents from over a century. Learn about the Hawaiian Kingdomʻs founding and continuing legal status under International law. Learn about the Mahele and privatization of Hawaiian land under Hawaiian Kingdom law and why land issues will continue unless the UCC promise is fulfilled. Learn about churches who actively resisted the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom, and the white oligarchy who facilitated the illegal overthrow. If as brothers and sisters in Christ we desire reconciliation, we must first acknowledge the nature of the wrongs and their continuing effects on these islands, the Hawaiian people, and our Church.
This 12-week series will be presented through Zoom beginning on Sunday, August 7, 2022, at 4:00 p.m. HST and continues each Sunday, at the same time, through October 23, 2022. Each Zoom session will be one hour long consisting of a presentation followed by questions and discussion.
To attend any or all of the sessions, please register HERE.
PART I: The Kingdom
Presenter: Dr. Keanu Sai
ABOUT THE PRESENTER: I have a Ph.D. in Political Science specializing in Hawaiian Constitutionalism and International Relations, and a founding member of the Hawaiian Society of Law & Politics. I served as lead Agent for the Hawaiian Kingdom in arbitration proceedings before the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague, Netherlands, from November 1999-February 2001. I also served as Agent in a Complaint against the United States of America concerning the prolonged occupation of the Hawaiian Kingdom, which was filed with the United Nations Security Council on July 5, 2001. Articles on the status of the Hawaiian Kingdom as an independent state, the arbitration case and the complaint filed with the United Nations Security Council have been published in the following journals: American Journal of International Law, vol. 95 (2001); Chinese Journal of International Law, vol. 2, issue 1, (2002), and the Hawaiian Journal of Law & Politics, vol. 1 (2004).
- AUGUST 7 Hōʻike ʻEkahi (Presentation 1) The importance of terminology. Is Hawaiian a nationality, which is multi-ethnic, or a native indigenous people that have been colonized by the United States?
- AUGUST 14 Hōʻike ʻElua (Presentation 2) The constitutional history of the Hawaiian Kingdom from King Kamehameha III to Queen Lili‘uokalani (1839-1893)
- AUGUST 21 Hōʻike ʻEkolu (Presentation 3) The illegal overthrow of the government of the Hawaiian Kingdom and the continued existence of the Hawaiian Kingdom as a State under international law
- AUGUST 28 Hōʻike ʻEhā (Presentation 4) The road to recovery of ending the American occupation. How to bring compliance to the rule of law in light of war crimes and human rights violations committed in the Hawaiian Kingdom since January 16, 1893
PART II: The Church
Presenter: Dr. Ronald Williams Jr.
ABOUT THE PRESENTER: Dr. Ronald Williams Jr. holds a doctorate in history from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa with a specialization in Hawaiʻi and Native-language resources. He is a former faculty member of the Hawaiʻinuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge, UH Mānoa and in 2017 was the founding director of the school’s Lāhui Hawaiʻi Research Center. Dr. Williams is also a past president of the 128-year old Hawaiian Historical Society. He currently works as an archivist at the Hawaiʻi State Archives and serves as Hoʻopaʻa Kūʻauhau (Historian) for the grassroots political organization Ka ʻAhahui Hawaiʻi Aloha ʻĀina. Dr. Williams was a contributing author to the 2019 Samuel Manaiākalani Kamakau Book of the Year award-winning publication, Hoʻoulu Hawaiʻi: The Kalākaua Era. He has published in a wide variety of academic and public history venues including the Oxford Encyclopedia of Religion in America, the Hawaiian Journal of History, and Hana Hou! Magazine.
- SEPTEMBER 04 Hōʻike ʻEkahi (Presentation 1) The Early Mission, 1820 -1863
- SEPTEMBER 11 Hōʻike ʻElua (Presentation 2) Hōʻeuʻeu Hou: Sons of the Mission and the Shaping of a New “Mission,” 1863-1888
- SEPTEMBER 18 Hōʻike ʻEkolu (Presentation 3) Poʻe Karitiano ʻOiaʻiʻo (True Christians)
- SEPTEMBER 25 Hōʻike ʻEhā (Presentation 4) “I ka Wā Mamua, ka Wā Mahope” (The Future is in the Past)
PART III: The Land
Presenter: Donovan Preza MORE INFO TO COME
- OCTOBER 2 Hōʻike ʻEkahi (Presentation 1)
- OCTOBER 9 Hōʻike ʻElua (Presentation 2)
- OCTOBER 16 Hōʻike ʻEkolu (Presentation 3)
- OCTOBER 23 Hōʻike ʻEhā (Presentation 4)
United Church of Christ Workshops? What does any church or any christian (or other) church or god have to do with the Hawaiian people? It the self-righteous haole missionaries hadn’t show up in the mid-1800’s the history of Hawaii MIGHT have been different. I don’t follow.
Actually the Hawaiian Alii discarded the kapu system in 1819 about the time the missionaries were leaving New England and it left a spiritual vacancy. The missionaries did bring the words of Jesus in 1820, but then they also brought some of the Vain Traditions that Jesus also warns us about. So we should keep the Baby and toss the bath water. Jesus teaches us a lot of wonderful concepts. Those were inclusive of the 1840 Hawaiian Constitution. Which I feel was beautifully put together. Also a restoration of the Kingdom of Hawaii, now, is going to need to be color blind or it will never come to pass. Queen L. really said, “The Life of the Land is perpetuated by the righteousness of Jesus Christ” in 1823, as she and 6 high chiefs were baptized at their own requests. If we all go back to the very source of GOD’s TRUTH and find unity, God will honor in power (mana.) no matter the color of the skin…. We are all Pilgrims…
Newell said and truthful to put it in proper perspective and not revisionist history
Matk Perry, I get where you are coming from, but we cannot judge any religion or church for their beliefs. We judge them by what they do. This United Church of Christ stepping up for the truth and supporting the restoration of our Hawaiian Kingdom when all the other churches rather turn a blind eye to the lie. I not promoting their church or joining their church but if this church willing to stand up for my country, then this Kanaka will stand alongside them. Mahalo UCC
Kekoa, you think the churches in hawaii should get involve in politics? How so and why? What would be on their agenda? Isn’t this the main reason Hawaiians left the church? So I’ve heard but I could be wrong.
Kaulana, I would suggest you look into what the UCC is offering in the way of historical and factual information. You will be amazed. Our Kupuna utilized their churches to protect their country and civil liberties from the other so-called churches that utilized their pulpits to strip them of their country and civil liberties. Are you a Hawaiian Subject or resident alien?
Umm are they offering us $10 million dollars and a free bible translated in the old Hawaiian tongue? Lol no seriously why don’t you just tell me? You don’t need to explain you can just get to the point.
Yes I am self proclaim Hawaiian subject by blood. Why am I subject to being a Christian or something? Why do you ask? And you failed to answer my previous question.
Btw I already looked into some of these articles…
https://www.hcucc.org
Surely you’re not referring to this? What are we talking here? Self governance for “Native” Hawaiians? Smh…. tell me what’s this amazing news you talking about? Did you read the part where they apologize for being involved in the overthrow of our queen? This people you ally yourself with? Because they offer to fight for our Kingdom this time around, make things right? I say they should’ve stayed the hell out of politics in the first place that’s what governments are for and if they tried to resist the overthrow like they claim….. they failed, that is a fact.
Kaulana, you should do your due diligence before engaging. Reading is one thing, but you have to be able comprehend what you read. The UCC is not inserting itself into our politics or gov’t.. The UCC getting involved in educating people with the truth of the overthrow and of our occupation. Hence the workshop with educators such as Dr. Sai, Dr. Ron Williams and Donoven Preza. The UCC apologized for the actions of the (all) haole Borad members in Hawaii that took part in the overthrow. These board members manipulated their congregation and the UCC organization. They weren’t sanctioned to do what they did, they just did it on their own. Your snide remarks about $10 million, Self-governance of Native Hawaiians only goes to show how ill prepared you are in the subject matter. Just like you and everyone else in 1991, 1993 and 1996 no one knew the correct diagnosis of Hawaii’s political status as being under belligerent military occupation. Yet they attempted to provide a remedy with the best knowledge they had at the time which would naturally be “Native Hawaiian Self Governance”. The Hawaiians themselves back then thought that was the path. Once new information came out and people got educated, we now talking about occupation, deoccupation and Nation state. Well so are they. July 18, 2021, the General Synod of the United Church of Christ passed a resolution “Encouraging to End 128 years of War between the United States of America and the Hawaiian Kingdom.” The resolution was introduced by the Association of Hawaiian Evangelical Churches (AHEC). Pastor Wendell Davis is the head of AHEC as the Papa Makua.
AHEC is a successor of the ‘Ahahui ‘Euanelio o Hawai‘i, also known as the Hawaiian Evangelical Association, that was established in 1854 in the Hawaiian Kingdom. Well known churches such as Kawaiaha‘o and Kaumakapili are members of AHEC. The resolution
“calls upon all settings of the church, denomination officers, conferences, associations, and congregations to live into the 1993 Apology of the United Church of Christ delivered to the Native Hawaiian people by President Paul Sherry.”
“call[s] upon the United Church of Christ’s General Counsel’s office to listen to and consider recommendations from the Association of Hawaiian Evangelical Churches, other Native Hawaiian organizations and Native Hawaiian voices drafting communications to local, national and international leaders and organizations calling for compliance with international humanitarian law and an end to the illegal occupation of the Hawaiian Islands.”
“reaffirm its commitment to stand alongside and in support of the efforts of Native Hawaiians to seek redress and restitution for the war crimes of the US against the Hawaiian Kingdom including, but not limited to, the crime of denationalization.”
Kaulana, your statement AHEC is a successor of the ‘Ahahui ‘Euanelio o Hawai‘i, also known as the Hawaiian Evangelical Association, that was established in 1854 in the Hawaiian Kingdom. Well known churches such as Kawaiaha‘o and Kaumakapili are members of AHEC. The resolution
“calls upon all settings of the church, denomination officers, conferences, associations, and congregations to live into the 1993 Apology of the United Church of Christ delivered to the Native Hawaiian people by President Paul Sherry.”
“call[s] upon the United Church of Christ’s General Counsel’s office to listen to and consider recommendations from the Association of Hawaiian Evangelical Churches, other Native Hawaiian organizations and Native Hawaiian voices drafting communications to local, national and international leaders and organizations calling for compliance with international humanitarian law and an end to the illegal occupation of the Hawaiian Islands.”
“reaffirm its commitment to stand alongside and in support of the efforts of Native Hawaiians to seek redress and restitution for the war crimes of the US against the Hawaiian Kingdom including, but not limited to, the crime of denationalization.”
My bad, I double posted my last 4 paragraphs.
Kekoa, what if the overthrow and occupation was part of Gods plan and his punishment? Is the church then seeking to undo Gods work? You might think the church should think about this before choosing a side. Besides my question is whether you believe the church should get involve in politics not whether they are or not.
Kaulana, God was not involved in the overthrow nor was it part of his plan. God doesn’t partake in sin. This one was all Mans doing. Although God will have man reap what he sowed and will use it against them. But all you really need to do is look around because the majority of the churches are already involved in politics. They promote the lie that Hawaii is part of the U.S. and don’t want to deal with the truth because it goes against their politics, and it goes against the politics of their donors. You think they want to lose all that money? How do you counter that? Follow the example of Dr. Sai. He engaged the academic realm and got it turned around. Well, let the UCC engage the religious realm not with politics but academic truth utilizing the context of Christianity and turn the churches around.
1 Peter 4:11
King James Version
11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Isaiah 45:7
King James Version
7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.
1 Corinthians 14:33
King James Version
33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
Please do not interpret.
Read it, “As it is written”.
Mahalo
Try islam. You see how strong in faith those people are? You see how they practice the teachings of the quran? You see how they stick together and stand up to their enemies who continue to try and divide them? There honest people and i love that. Hawaiians need that and I believe it will make us stronger. We need strength and knowledge. I think of Islam all the time and for more than a decade now dreamt of Islam being in hawaii, hawaiian muslims and masjids throughout the islands.
We tried Christianity and we left Christianity. My primary opinion is Hawaiians need to come back to the church but if not then go to islam. Imo this is the most important thing we need to do. Also don’t forget our Hawaiian values its precious and valuable. Also imo don’t mix them up with other peoples values like american values. They’re not the same.
As an ordained minister in UCC, those interested might enjoy a consise unique review of Hawaiian History through http://www.OhanaChurch.Life and especially the Historical links at the bottom of the Home Page. In HIS great Love, Ken Smith
@Rt. Rev. Dr. +N. K. Smith, ThD DD,
I have spent 40 years traveling the world over. I have met many people who ‘pray’ to a whole host of gods. My father’s Kūpuna believed in Aloha and ‘Āina. I fear that people today are no longer capable of being in touch with truth, respect and common decency.
Dr. Keanu, please continue to give us something to believe in.
MAHALO NUI, DR. KEANU SAI and the COUNCIL of REGENCY. Our Na Kupuna, Our Na Makua and Na Keiki— of the Past and Today, extend their heart-felt GRATITUDE AND ALOHA for EDUCATING us, our Aborignal/ Kanaka Maoli/ Hawaiian Subject of their True IDENTITY! “IT’S NOT TO LATE, TO BE KNOWLEDGEABLE/ of our HISTORY!
KUPAU Family from Pukuilua-Hana, Maui- 2022
IF, you have TRUST and JUSTICE in our NA KUPUNA, our NA MAKUA, and our NA KEIKI, …… the trueness of “ALOHA ka `AINA” would help YOU, every Hawaiian Subjects/Kanaka Maoli through Understanding our Hawaiian History & be knowledgeable, be maka`ala, be `eleu where facts are found & shared “WHO WE ARE”, our Identity and be strong, Onipa`a.Kakou….be like our QUEEN LILI`UOKALANI.
There will be 12 sessions on every Sunday`s, starting this Sunday, on August 7, 14, 21, 25 with Dr. Sai, continue on September 4, 11, 18, 25 with Dr. Williams, then on October 2, 9,16, 23 with Mr. Preza….starts at 4-5pm. LISTEN WELL!!! LOVE OUR COUNTRY, the HAWAIIAN KINGDOM Forever!!! —MAHALO!!!
*Cecelia K Kupau and Family & our kanaka maoli, native/ Hawaiian Subjects*