Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 30, Number 11, 1 November 2013 — Nov. 28 Celebrating Lā Kūʻokoʻa (Hawaiian Independence Day) [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Nov. 28 Celebrating Lā Kūʻokoʻa (Hawaiian Independence Day)

The most celebrated Hawaiian Kingdom national holiday marks the events of 1843 when, on Nov. 28, the British and French governments signed a joint agreement bringing the Hawaiian Kingdom into the small family of mutually recognized independent nations. Hawai'i was the first non-European eountry granted entry into this Family of Nations.

The landmark accomplishment occurred through a formal declaration, whieh, in part, stated: Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and His Majesty the King of the French, taking into consideration the existence in the Sandwich Islands (Hawaiian Islands) of a government eapahle of providing for the regularity of its relations with foreign nations, have thought it right to engage, reciprocally, to consider the Sandwich Islands as an Independent State, and never to take possession, neither directly or under the title of Protectorate, or under any other form, of any part of the territory of whieh they are composed. U.S. President Tyler affirmed the same in personal communications with Hawaiian Kingdom emissaries Timothy Ha'alilio and WilliamRichards. And later, U. S . recognition was formalized through numerous U.S.-Hawaiian Kingdom treaties. From 1844 through the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom in 1893, Fā Kū'oko'a was a Hawaiian national holiday. As we gather with our 'ohana this holiday season, let us not forget a most important Hawaiian holiday, Fā Kū'oko'a. Take a moment with your 'ohana on Nov. 28 to consider what our kūpuna accomplished in 1843 and what that suggests for ourlāhui today. ■