Children Of The Land: A Historical Analysis Of Land Alienation Among The Hawaiian People Until 1898
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2014-09-26
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University of Hawaii at Manoa
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The Hawaiian people have thought of themselves as keiki o ka aina (children of the land) since their Polynesian ancestors settled Hawaii more than a thousand years ago. The Hawaiians inherited from their ancestors a love and respsect for the land, as well as an efficient land system. Under this land system, all the people benefited adequately, if not equally. However, the Hawaiians of today are a largely landless group. That this land alienation has occurred among the Hawaiians is hardly a matter of conjecture. There is also no doubt that this alienation was triggered by contact with Western man. Much controversy does exist, however, as to exactly how and why this land alienation has occurred. Two equally unfounded viewpoints have created much of the controversy. The first of these viewpoints maintains that land controlled by early foreigners was for the most part dishonestly acquired, in effect, stolen. Under this interpretation, the Great Mahele and other land reform measures were merely concessions to the foreigners’ demand for land. The opposing viewpoint contends that it was intrinsic faults in the Hawaiians’ character and culture which led to their loss of land. This second theory is based on the ill-founded belief that the Hawaiian people were essentially an indolent race that had a basic aversion to labor. With the full consent of the hapless Hawaiians, the more aggressive, “superior” civilization of the West rightfully and beneficially assumed control of the land.
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ii, 70 pages
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