Nation's capital honors king
By Susan Roth
Advertiser Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON — Unity was the theme of the Kamehameha Day celebration in Washington yesterday, as local Hawaiians and those with the spirit of the Islands gathered for the traditional ceremony at the Capitol.
Sandy Schaeffer • Gannett News Service
Every year, the Hawaii State Society and the congressional delegation organizes the event at the marble and gold statue of Kamehameha I to commemorate the birthday of the monarch who united the Islands in a single kingdom by 1810.
Three children from Virginia prepare to place a maile lei on the statue of King Kamehameha I at the U.S. Capitol. The monarch's birthday was yesterday.
The imposing statue, nearly hidden in an alcove behind statues from Washington state, Idaho, North Carolina and Michigan, is one of many important figures from the 50 states in Statuary Hall, between the House and the Senate in the Capitol building.
More than 150 people, many wearing purple orchid leis and brightly colored mu'umu'us and aloha shirts, sat in the audience, bringing a bit of the Islands to the gray room as tourists looked on.
Sen. Daniel Akaka and Reps. Patsy Mink and Neil Abercrombie spoke of the Native Hawaiian recognition bill they introduced with Sen. Dan Inouye as a symbol of the continuing unification of Hawaiians begun by Kamehameha so many years ago.
"I disagree with this stereotype that Native Hawaiians can't work together. When we do, we are a political force to be reckoned with," said Akaka, urging Hawaiians to form a governing body to interact with the federal government similar to American Indian tribal governments.
The bill would extend federal policies of self-determination and self-government to Native Hawaiians, but it would not establish their government for them, the senator said.
"We must honor our tradition to provide a better future for our people and fulfill the king's legacy of unification," Akaka said. "Let us rise to meet this challenge."
Just as Kamehameha fulfilled his own destiny, "I believe with all my heart that this bill will fulfill that destiny of uniting all Hawaiians and that it will be enacted before this year is out," Abercrombie said.
With Abercrombie's help, the measure has passed a House committee and awaits action on the House floor.
Inouye, now chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, said last week that he plans to move the bill out of his panel to the Senate floor "shortly."
The local Halau O'Aulani, with dancers decked out in traditional yellow costumes and maile garlands, performed hula honoring the goddess Pele while halau member Glen Hirabayashi chanted sacred rituals and beat a ceremonial drum.
The Aloha Boys, a Washington-area band originally from the Islands, joined with musicians from the halau on guitar and ukulele as the members of the delegation, halau and audience lined up to place lei on the statue. Kamehameha will remain covered with maile, red, white and pink carnation and purple orchid lei for a week.
