HONOLULU (AP) — Two men say they chained themselves to the Queen Liliuokalani statue at the capitol to protest subtle racism against Native Hawaiians that started with the annexation of Hawaii in 1893.
HONOLULU (AP) — Two men say they chained themselves to the Queen Liliuokalani statue at the capitol to protest subtle racism against Native Hawaiians that started with the annexation of Hawaii in 1893.
The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports (https://bit.ly/1QOH2nw) 28-year-old Kaipo Hanakahi and 23-year-old Kainoa Keana’aina wore loincloths and spoke to each other in Hawaiian Wednesday as passersby took photos.
Hanakahi said unfair treatment of Hawaii’s indigenous population all started with Queen Liliuokalani, and that the protest was a way to make people aware of the lack of political power Native Hawaiians have.
A handwritten sign at the statue’s base joined the words “Education” and “Desecration” with an unequal sign.
Hanakahi said racism caused the loss of Native Hawaiian land that now has people protesting the Thirty Meter Telescope, who were waving signs at the capitol later in the afternoon.