On January 17th, 1893, with the assistance of the u.s. military, a small group of Haole businessmen usurped control of the Hawaiian Kingdom from Queen Lili’uokalani, an act of war that has yet to be remedied 130 years later.
For generations, this egregious insurrection was hidden from the lāhui’s consciousness, and the world. Ka Lāhui Hawai’i believes that the events leading to this infamous day in Hawai’i’s history should never be forgotten again. The Onipa’a Peace March and Rally is held each year at Mauna’ala Royal Mausoleum and ‘Iolani Palace on January 17th to commemorate the beginning of the u.s. occupation of Hawai’i, its people, and control of its government. The annual gathering encourages public awareness, provides a venue to learn about the sordid events leading to the “overthrow”, community education opportunities to highlight and heal the effects of its injustice, and calls to ONIPA’A (stand firm) in the conviction to undo the harm to Kanaka Maoli, their ancestral lands, and political power in their own homeland.