Abstract
This essay examines the politics of the controversial proposal for US federal recognition for Native Hawaiians. It explores a range of historical and legal issues that shed light on the multiple claims that constitute the complex terrain of Hawaiian sovereignty politics. The article provides a historical overview of the events that impact the current situation and then discusses a particular set of contemporary conditions that serve as key elements in catalyzing widespread support for federal recognition-namely, the implications of the recent US Supreme Court ruling in Rice v Cayetano and subsequent legal challenges to Native Hawaiian programs and funding by the US government. It also highlights difficulties with the promise of federal recognition as a solution to "the Hawaiian problem" by looking at lessons from Indian Country, Native Alaska, and the Pacific-especially the US unincorporated territories. Finally, the essay explores the independence movement as an alternative to domestic dependent nationhood.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1-27 |
| Number of pages | 27 |
| Journal | Contemporary Pacific |
| Volume | 17 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2005 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Geography, Planning and Development
- Sociology and Political Science
Keywords
- Federal recognition
- Indigenous politics
- Land
- Native Hawaiians
- Self-governance
- Sovereignty
- United States