Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 37, Number 9, 1 September 2020 — Hawaiian History Month Pivots to Virtual Events in September [ARTICLE]

Hawaiian History Month Pivots to Virtual Events in September

By The Hawai'i Pono'ī Coalition In honor ofthe 182nd birthday of Hawai'i's last reigning monarch, Queen Lili'uokalani, on September 2nd, the 14th annual Onipa 'a CeIebration, organized by the Hawai 'i Pono 'ī Foundation/Coalition, is launching a five-week series of virtual events to celebrate Hawaiian History Month, (For more info visit: littp:// hawaiianhistorymonth. org ) We invite our global virtual community to join us online for a rich variety of LIVE programs that will commemorate Queen Lili'uokalani's September 2nd birthday as well as Hawaiian History Month. It will serve as a forum for education and cultural awareness celebrated through music, poetry, theatre, film, and edueahonal panel discussions. In addition, an Interfaith service will commemorate the Queen's great wisdom of tolerance for all spiritual traditions that have found a footing in Hawai'i since her time. Hawai'i's last sovereign, Queen Lili'uokalani was a woman of many talents: a skilled musician, an educated royal, and a leader for peaee and social justice. Thus, designating September as Hawaiian History Month would be an appropriate way to honor Hawai'i's Queen and also recognize the many and numerous contributions of the native Hawaiian community. Advocate, community organizer, and President of the Hawai'i Pono'ī Foundation Soulee Stroud explained, "A resolution was adopted by the AHCC at their 2019 annual Convention 'Urging the Declaration of Establishing September as Hawaiian History Month.' Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 55 was also considered by the Hawai'i State Legislature designating September as Hawaiian History Month, but the hearing was postponed due to COVID-19. Nevertheless, Hawaiian History Month will be celebrated eolleetively in 2020 to honor the Queen and to share Hawai'i's true history along with the contributions of the native Hawaiian community. Whereas Prince Kūhiō Day and Kamehameha Day are official state holidays honoring Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalaniana'ole and King Kamehameha I, respectively, there is no Hawai'i state observance or holiday recognizing Queen Lili'uokalani. Artist, educator, filmmaker, community activist and one of the original founding members of the Hawai'i Pono'ī Coalition Meleanna Meyer stated, "We have a legitimate reason to focus on the month of September as Hawaiian History Month because in addition to celebrating Lili'u's birthday, the International day of Peaee is celebrated on September 21st. Our Queen Lili'uokalani has always been a woman of peaee, as she strived for justice and pono - righteous action. She is our Gandhi, our Mandela, having devoted her life to her Nation and its return, to the land, and to her beloved lāhui - to her people." Hawaiian History Month will focus on five main themes including- • Hau'oli Lā Hānau e Lili'uokalani • Ha'i Mo'olelo: From Page to Stage • Ho'ōla • Mele Lāhui, and • Aloha 'Āina: From Voice to Action For more information visit: http://hawaiianhistorymonth.org and follow us on our social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @hawaiiponoi #hawaiianhistorymonth ■