"BEWARE OF THE RED WAVE"
The March in Waikiki Sept 2003
(scroll down for pictures)"E KŪ'E KĀKOU and E KŪ MAU MAU could be heard throughout the march, and the hotels and business on Kalākaua Avenue echoed as ten thousand or more people marched for justice through Waikiki, ending up at the Kapiolani Park.
I got there about 7:00 a.m., and Kalākaua Ave. was already closed. A disabled van dropped me off about two blocks before Saratoga St. where the march would be starting, and two security guards had to make room for my electric scooter to go through the thousands of people to get the front of the march to be with the Bishop Estate Trustees and Nainoa Thompson who asked me to march with him. It took me almost a half hour to work my way to the front and there were all the Bishop Estate Trustees, the other Ali'i Trustees (Queen Liliuokalani Trust and Lunalilo Trust), Governor Lingle, Lt. Gov. Aiona, Micah Kane head of the Hawaiian Homes, Haunanai Apoliona, Chair of the Office Of Hawaiian Affairs, Entertainer Amy Gilliam, Jeff Apaka, Brickwood Galuteria and people that I have not seen for years.
As we moved down Kalākaua Ave., people were not waving like in a regular parade, and almost everyone was chanting with anger. As we momentarily stopped, i overheard a tourist say to her husband, "this is scary" — it was and more.
When the march got to the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center, a picture of Princess Pauahi Bishop was on a stage with her family descendants next to her picture. A ho'okupu (offering) was placed by her picture and a beautiful maile and ilima lei was draped on her picture by the young students of the Kamehameha School. The shopping center is built on lands owned by the Kamehameha School which was a gift from Princess Pauahi for the benefit of aboriginal Hawaiian students.
There were Hawaiians of all ages, from all walks of life and everyone had on red shirts symbolizing the Koko or blood of the native people of this land. As a Kanaka Maoli I was really happy to be among the marchers on this very historical event in the history of Hawai'i. We now know that if push comes to shove, we will be there in droves to protect our rights as Kanaka Maoli of this land, so "Beware of the red wave," our people will be Maka'ala and Pono for the generations of Kanaka Maoli yet to come.
Uncle Charlie
Also see University of Hawaii Professor of Law Jon M. Van Dyke's editorial Why Kamehameha Schools will prevail in its effort to limit enrollment to Hawaiians only from the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, August 24, 2003.
