Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 25, Number 9, 1 Kepakemapa 2008 — ʻIolani Palace break-in rumbles community [ARTICLE]

ʻIolani Palace break-in rumbles community

By Lisa Asatū Public lnfurmatiun Specialist

Increased security, shock and proposed discussions at the University of Hawai'i are all part of the aftershocks reverberating through the Hawaiian eommunity following the break-in at 'īolani Palaee by a group attempting to seat its king on the throne. "ī'm just very disappointed. ī think it's disrespectful when you desecrate anything on the palaee grounds," said Mahealani Kahau of the independence group Hawaiian Kingdom Government, whieh itself blocked access to nonHawaiians to 'īolani Palaee for more than six hours on April 30, and has continued to resume the seat of the Hawaiian govermnent there on weekdays, completing a state pennit to do so. Kahau said she had heard rmnblings at a Maui meeting of the state Department of Land and Natural

Resomces that the group known as Kingdom of Hawai'i, Nahon, would be coming down to the palaee, but said she was "shocked" that they broke in, allegedly assaulted a palaee employee and attempted to seat their leader, Iames Akahi, known as Akahi Nui, and ehain him to the throne. At least six individuals have been charged with second-degree burglary relating to the incident on August 15 Admission Day, a sensitive date for some, as it celebrates Hawai'i heeame a state. They are scheduled to appear in Honolulu District court on Sept. 20, the state Attorney General's offtce said in a statement. A seventh individual, Donald Affred Love-Boltz, has been charged with second-degree assault for an alleged assault on Betty lean Noelani Ah Yuen, the facilities manager for the Friends of 'īolani Palaee. All seven were released on $5,000 hail eaeh, the statement said. Concerns were also raised that jurisdictional issues kept a

Honolulu Poliee Department offtcer from intervening during the alleged assault. The next week, coming out of a meeting with Gov. Linda Lingle and state and county law enforcement officials, state Attorney General Mark Bennett told media that an investigation was ongoing on the matter, but that state and county officials would not hesitate in the future of intervening for puhlie safety no matter where incidents occur. The palaee sits on state land. The palaee was closed following the incident and reopened Aug. 20 with increased security. Hardware at the palaee and barracks were damaged, but "there was no loss or damage to artifacts, though the risk was great," said a statement by Kippen de Alba Chu, the executive director of the Friends of 'īolani Palaee. "The thrones, whieh are on loan from Bishop Museum, have the original upholstery fabric from the monarchy period," said

de Alba Chu. Both the fabric and the gilded surfaces of the wood frame are extremely fragile. The use of chains on the thrones would have caused gouging of the wood frame and abrasion of the gilded surface. Any pressure on the delicate threads of the upholstery fabric would cause them to tear." At the University of Hawai'i, professor at the Kamakakūokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies Lilikalā Kame'eleihiwa was asked whether there's any credence to Akahi's elaim of being the heir to the throne. "ī haven't seen Akahi Nui's genealogy so I can't really say, but I would say this - that there are hundreds of Hawaiians today who have the genealogical iight to lead a nation and then there are thousands of Hawaiians today who have the intellectual right to lead the nation. And when we vote on who that person will be - that's whoil sit on the throne," said Kame'eleihiwa, who is also a genealogist.

Maenette Benham, the new dean of UH's Hawai'inuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge, said 'Iolani Palaee "represents who we are as a people and a history" and it is the people's responsibility to care for it. The "events at 'Iolani Palaee are very symbolic of something mueh larger," she said, and is a siren eall to begin to educate "everyone in Hawai'i about our history and our genealogy so we don't have to ask questions like (who's the rightful heir)," she said. DLNR held statewide meetings in August to discuss proposed mle changes for the use and protection of the 'Iolani Palaee State Monument. Written testimony may be mailed by Sept. 5 to: Administrator, DLNR Division of State Parks, 1151 Punehhowl St., Room 310, Honolulu, HI 96813. A copy may be requested in person ftom the state parks oflices on eaeh island or by mail to: Administrator, DLNR Division of State Parks, 1 15 1 Punehhowl St, Room 310, Honolulu, HI 96813. The proposed changes are online at hawaiistateparks.org/adtiiinistrative/index.cfin. □

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