Ua mau ke ea o ka aina i ka pono.
The sovereignty of the land is perpetuated in righteousness.
Kamehameha III asserted, proclaimed and celebrated
these words, in 1843.

50 years later, sovereignty is no more
choked, strangled, and struggling for air
in the hands of America
in the shackles of manifest destiny
Queen Liliuokalani illegally deposed
politically exiled
and distressingly subdued
Her people signed the mass Ku'e petitions
for their beloved Queen,
for their culture,
for their Hawaii nei.

Over 100 years of noho hewa
Wrongful occupation
bringing with it the dominating forces of
militarization, tourism, americanization
bombings of Kaho'olawe
bombings of history
usurpation of land
usurpation of a native people
desecration of kupuna iwi
desecration of a culture

Citizens have marched on Washington
Citizens have convened at Seneca Falls
Citizens have occupied Wall Street
These are the stories America tells of noble, social protest

But we will show them how beautiful our words, ideas and culture are
We will confront imperial audacity
Because the voices of the kanaka maoli continue to ring
through the dances of hula
through the lyrics of Braddah Iz
through the documentaries and videos
through the poems of Haunani Kay-Trask
through the books of Keanu Sai
through the protesting signs at the buildings of the capitol and the beaches on the North Shore
through the new generations who work to
Rewrite history
Write history
Right history.
Ua mau ke ea...