Er, Happy Birthday, Hawaii?

No. 1 child sits in the Oheo Pools waterfall at Haleakala National Park

Today is the 50th anniversary of Hawaiian statehood.

yay

Oddly, no one here is celebrating.  Well, OK, we outmaneuvered Queen Lilioukalani to force her to give up the monarchy.  That wasn’t nice.  But Hawaii has a thriving Hawaiian culture, most of it vigorously rescued in the 60’s when I lived here as a kid.  It could have turned into just another reservation.  And yes, there is poverty.  Corrugated roof shacks have replaced the little grass ones.   I can’t imagine how difficult it must be to afford food at these prices.  Nearly everything has to be shipped in and the oil speculators really hurt the locals last year.  The roads aren’t in the best shape either, as we learned last night on our way back from Hana travelling clockwise around the island by Haleakala.  There was a stretch of about 20 miles where the blacktop yielded to dirt road, cow guards and virtually nothing to stop the intrepid voyager from plunging into the sea.

Hmmm, maybe that’s the plan.  Keep it rough and it will be that much harder to develop.  The wild unspoiled beauty of Maui, Molokai, Hawaii and Lanai should stay that way.  Forever.

Hawaii ponoi Nana i kou, moi
Kalani Alii, ke Alii.
Makua lani e Kamehameha e
Na kaua e pale Me ka i he.

(translation)

Hawaii’s own true sons, be loyal to your chief
Your country’s liege and lord, the Alii.¹
Father above us all, Kamehameha,²
Who guarded in the war with his ihe,³