ʻIke Mōakaaka, Seeing a Path Forward: Historiography in Hawaiʻi

Abstract

The creation of a hegemonic, master narrative for Hawaiʻi - sourced almost solely from English-language materials - has long offered a highly exclusive characterization of past events and figures in Hawaiian history. Elements within this dominant narrative not only shape understandings of specific individuals and actions but also work together to construct a general understanding of a people and their nation. This article advances analysis of a political biography, set in a crucial period of Hawaiian history, to highlight a historical process that continues to inform paradigmatic yet problematic histories. It calls for a decided and comprehensive move to a more inclusive historical process that offers a more complex, rich picture of Hawaiʻi