Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 25, Number 6, 1 June 2008 — Hawaiian Kingdom Goverament continues to occupy palace grounds [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Hawaiian Kingdom Goverament continues to occupy palace grounds

Ka Wai ūla Staff As of press time, the Hawaiian Kingdom Government continues to occupy the grounds of 'Iolani Palaee in Honolulu as it has on weekdays since April 30. Although the group was denied a pennit by the state Department of Land and Natural Resources on May 19 for breaking some rules, such as eollecting money on the property and entering off-limit buildings, a new pennit was later granted. Permits are required for any gathering of 25 of more people, and the group must reapply for a pennit eaeh week. "We are resuming and assuming our lawful government, the Hawaiian Kingdom. This is the seat of government since 1882," said Mahealani Kahau, head of state for the independence group, whieh

has established three branches of govermnent and counts membership in the "thousands." On the first day of the oeeupation, the Hawaiian Kingdom Government had been denying access to tourists but was allowing students, media representatives and kūpuna on to the property all day. Laura Thielen, chairperson of DLNR whieh oversees the property and the palaee, said, "We've explained to them because this is puhlie property there's a right to puhlie access here." Thielen also said DLNR doesn't have the authority to allow the group to run its govermnent on the premises. "They're going to have to seek a venue through the courts to give that authority," she said. Kippen de Alba Chu, executive director of The Friends of 'Iolani Palaee, said that."While we respect

the freedom of Hawaiian groups to hold an opinion on the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom, we beheve that blocking puhlie access to 'Iolani Palaee is wrong and certainly detrimental to our mission to share the palaee and its history with our resi-

dents, our keiki and our visitors." At the end of the first day of oeeupahon, Kahau said that the group "definitely" accomplished its goal for the day. "We've been able to eome in and make a statement that the Hawaiian Kingdom

Government has resumed its lawful status as the functioning government," she said, adding: "There's not one (sovereignty) group out there that doesn't deserve this day. This is not just for us; it's for all of them." □

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