Poll Graphics
Creating a sovereign Hawaiian nation or Hawaiian government

Native Hawaiians want some kind of government to represent them, but they are still waiting for the kind that best suits their needs.

The Honolulu Advertiser Hawaii Poll of Native Hawaiians found that three-quarters of those surveyed feel that some kind of a sovereign nation or other form of Hawaiian government is needed.

Responses to the poll show a desire for a continued relationship with the United States, but with certain rights and representation specific to Hawaiians.

"I think there should be an organization that has the responsibility to speak for the Hawaiians. There has to be something, but I’m not in favor of total independence from the U.S. government," said poll participant Sheila Freitas, 49, of Kane‘ohe, who works in customer service with a manufacturing firm.

The poll portrays a Hawaiian community clearly rooted in the modern age. Respondents rejected proposals that they go back to earlier forms of government. They want something new, a kind of representation that guarantees Hawaiians self-determination, and one crafted by Hawaiians to meet the needs of Hawaiians.

Some are not in a hurry.

"For me, the main thing is get the land back first, then we can worry about that. I’m not too clear on what kind of government. That’s not one of the main priorities," said Wayne Ho of KÃhei, Maui, who also participated in the poll.

"Every different group is trying to make their own government. That should be decided before we go ahead," said Joyce Meafou of Kane‘ohe.

University of Hawai‘i Professor Lilikala Kame‘eleihiwa said that the ultimate Hawaiian government should be a democratic one but that other questions must be resolved before final decisions are made on government models.

"Until you have economic issues addressed, how can you choose the form of government?" Kame‘eleihiwa said.

The percentages

Seventy-two percent of poll participants agreed that an entity of some kind should be formed.

Of those who agreed, respondents were asked their opinions of several possible forms of Hawaiian government.

They resoundingly rejected seceding from the United States and creating a new government in which all Hawaii residents - not just blood Hawaiians - would be citizens.

Although the Hawaiian government overthrown in 1893 was a monarchy, and a majority of Hawaiians assert that lands were stolen from the monarchy, modern Hawaiians are not thrilled with the concept of getting a monarchy back. They reject restoration of a monarchy by more than 2-to-1, even without considering whether a new Hawaiian monarch would have power or be a purely honorary figure.

Before the overthrow

The poll, without reference to the monarchy, suggested a system in which Native Hawaiians would have the same level of independence they had before the overthrow of Queen Lili‘uokalani. A majority said that is also unacceptable.

A majority, 51 percent, said that any new Hawaiian entity should not be one molded out of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Support for using OHA as the basis for a new entity was at 41 percent.

The only model presented in the Hawai‘i Poll that achieved more positive than negative votes is the concept of a nation within a nation. Several Hawaiian organizations, including Ka Lahui Hawai‘i, have suggested this format. But even this, which received 48 percent agreement, did not garner a bare majority among those polled.

Alika Lambert, a Ka Lahui member who was interviewed after participating in the poll, said that while there are some shortfalls with the organization’s format, its concept of an independent representative government for Hawaiians is generally workable.

"I’m not for a monarchy. Complete independence is ridiculous. We can’t do that after going through 106 or 107 years of being colonized. I think a nation within a nation would be something we could work with," Lambert said.

Achievable

Hawaiians, by a large majority, said that they are convinced that an acceptable form of Hawaiian government is possible. They just haven’t seen it yet.

And they say they are convinced - by a margin of more than 5-1 - that the Hawaiian community can find the solution itself, given time.

For the Hawai‘i Poll in general, 401 adult residents of Hawaiian ancestry were randomly surveyed April 18-28. The margin of error from the results is 4.9 percent. In other words: 95 percent of the time, if the entire adult Hawaiian population were sampled, the responses would be within 4.9 percent plus or minus of those obtained in the poll.

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