Visit to Hawaiian Kingdom Government

The end of July and first week of August was a restful time, as we went on our family vacation to Kaneohe, Oahu, Hawaii. Our daughter Elevila is a student at Windward Community College, satellite campus of the University of Hawaii. We stayed at Schrader's Inn in Kaneohe. It was a great place to stay on Kaneohe Bay. Daily breakfast and a luau on Wednesday nights. There is also a bi-weekly boat ride to the middle of Kaneohe Bay - we were surprised when we dove in the ocean that it was waist high water due to a sand bar! We went surfing at Ala Moana Beach with our instructors Girls Can Surf (see NPIEN Home Page). We also visited the Hawaiian Kingdom Government at the Iolani Palace in Honolulu. I read about them in a June 20, 2008 story in the Associated Press. The Hawaiian Kingdom Government is one of several Native Hawaiian organizations that claim sovereignty over the islands. The government has a queen, Mahealani Kahau, and several government ministers. I was not able to participate in the meeting, but the security guard informed me that they are there daily, conducting meetings. The government uses its own license plates, claims the right to all Hawaii bank assets, and has voted to not recognize the State of Hawaii. This was a a good vacation, both for pleasure, and to learn more about the Native Hawaiian people.