Posted on: Friday, July 30, 2004

Thomas Square ceremony tomorrow

Advertiser staff

Ka La Ho'iho'i Ea, a Hawaiian holiday dating to the monarchy days that also is known as Sovereignty Restoration Day, will be marked with a celebration set for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. tomorrow at Thomas Square.

The observance has become an annual event for Native Hawaiian sovereigntists and their supporters who assert that the kingdom was never legally extinguished.

The U.S. flag will be lowered at noon and the Hawaiian flag raised. The ceremony will reflect the original event that took place at the site when British Adm. Richard Thomas, in the presence of King Kamehameha III, ordered the Union Jack removed and the flag of the Hawaiian kingdom flag raised on July 31, 1843.

That ceremony declared Britain's recognition of Hawai'i's sovereignty, ending five months of military occupation by Britain's Lord George Paulet.

The king declared July 31 a national holiday

Tomorrow's keynote addresses will be by Jon Osorio and Kanalu Young of the University of Hawai'i Center for Hawaiian Studies and Maivan Lam, international law professor at the City University of New York.

Sponsors include Kanaka Maoli Tribunal Komike, Ka Pakaukau, the Pro-Kanaka Maoli Independence Working Group, the Ahupua'a Action Alliance, the American Friends Service sovereignty education subcommittee, 'Ohana Koa, Nuclear Free and Independent Pacific, Ka Pae'aina Affiliate, DMZ Hawai'i/Aloha 'Aina, Ho'okipa Network and Na 'Oiwi O Hawai'i.