Anniversary...

Today was the anniversary of the January 17, 1893 illegal overthrow of our beloved Queen Lili'uokalani.

Whereas, on January 14, 1893, John L. Stevens, the United States Minister assigned to the sovereign and independent Kingdom of Hawaii conspired with a small group of non-Hawaiian residents of the Kingdom of Hawaii including citizens of the United States, to overthrow the indigenous and lawful Government of Hawaii;

Whereas, in pursuance of the conspiracy to overthrow the Government of Hawaii, the United States Minister and the naval representatives of the United States caused the armed naval forces of the United States to invade the sovereign Hawaiian nation on January 16, 1893, and to position themselves near the Hawaiian Government buildings and Iolani Palace to intimidate Queen Lili'uokalani and her Government;

Whereas, soon thereafter, when informed of the risk of bloodshed with resistance, Queen Lili'uokalani issued the following statement yielding her authority to the United States Government rather than to the Provisional Government:

"I Lili'uokalani, by the Grace of God and under the Constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom, Queen, do hereby solemnly protest against any and all acts done against myself and the Constitutional Government of the Hawaiian Kingdom by certain persons claiming to have established a Provisional Government of and for this Kingdom."

"That I yield to the superior force of the United States of America whose Minister Plenipotentiary, His Excellency John L. Stevens, has caused the United States troops to be landed at Honolulu and declared that he would support the Provisional Government."

"Now to avoid any collission of armed forces, and perhaps loss of life, I do this under protest and impelled by said force yield my authority until such time as the Government of the United States shall, upon facts being presented to it, undo the action of its representatives and reinstate me in the authority which I claim as the Constitutional Sovereign of the Hawaiian Islands." Done at Honolulu this 17th day of January, A.D. 1893

Public Law 103-150 Senate Joint Resolution 103rd Congress, United States of America, January 5, 1993

The Hawai`i Pono`i Coalition gathered at Bishop Square in Honolulu to sing Mele Ai Pohaku, songs about consuming the rocks. From i ka po'e i aloha i ka 'aina. The people who love the land. The people who love their Queen. Always our Queen. Still our Queen. Even in death. Love you sweetheart...