Hui Aloha ʻĀina facts for kids

Hui Aloha ʻĀina was the name for two important Hawaiian groups, one for men and one for women. These groups were started by Native Hawaiian leaders and their families after the Hawaiian Kingdom was overthrown. This happened on January 17, 1893, when Queen Liliʻuokalani lost her power. The main goal of these groups was to show love for Hawaii and fight for its independence. They strongly opposed the overthrow and the idea of Hawaii becoming part of the United States. A big achievement was collecting the Kūʻē Petitions (petitions against annexation). These petitions helped stop a treaty that would have made Hawaii part of the U.S. in 1897.

What the Names Mean

The full name for both groups was Ka Hui Hawaii Aloha ʻĀina, which means "The Hawaiian Patriotic League." Sometimes, the men's group was called Ka Hui Hawaiʻi Aloha ʻĀina o Na Kane, and the women's group was called Ka Hui Hawaiʻi Aloha ʻĀina o Na Wahine or Ka Hui Hawaiʻi Aloha ʻĀina o Na Lede. The word hui in Hawaiian simply means a group or club.

There was also another secret group called the Hawaiian Patriotic League between 1887 and 1893. Its members included Robert William Wilcox.

The Story of Hui Aloha ʻĀina

The Hui Aloha ʻĀina was formed on March 4, 1893. This was about two and a half months after Queen Liliʻuokalani was overthrown. Forces who wanted Hawaii to join America had set up a new government called the Provisional Government of Hawaii.

The leaders who started Hui Aloha ʻĀina were Joseph Nāwahī, John Adams Cummins, John K. Kaunamano, and John W. Bipikane. These men had all been important lawmakers or ministers in the Hawaiian government under Queen Liliʻuokalani and King Kalākaua.

The main aims of the organization were:

• To encourage Hawaiian pride and independence.
• To oppose the overthrow of the monarchy.
• To bring back the Hawaiian monarchy.
• To oppose the new Provisional Government and the Republic of Hawaii.
• To stop Hawaii from being taken over by the United States.

Joseph Nāwahī was chosen as the president, and John Adams Cummins was the honorary president. By July 1893, the group had about 7,500 Hawaiian men as members. The women's branch had over 11,000 members.

Representatives of the Hui Aloha ʻĀina o Na Kane, 1893

A group of members from Hui Aloha ʻĀina met with James Henderson Blount. He was a special commissioner sent by U.S. President Grover Cleveland to investigate the overthrow. They explained the Hawaiian people's desire to restore their monarchy.

After Nāwahī passed away in 1896, the group elected new leaders. James Keauiluna Kaulia became the new president.

The U.S. President William McKinley wanted to try again to annex Hawaii. So, Hui Aloha ʻĀina and other Hawaiian groups worked together. They collected the Kūʻē Petitions in 1897 to stop the annexation treaty. Members of both the men's and women's Hui Aloha ʻĀina groups gathered over 21,000 signatures. These signatures were from people all over Hawaii who did not want to join the U.S.

Another group, Hui Kālaiʻāina, collected 17,000 more signatures. These petitions were given to the U.S. government. They showed how many Hawaiians were against annexation. Because of this strong opposition, the treaty to annex Hawaii was defeated in the United States Senate.

However, a year later, in July 1898, Hawaii was annexed anyway. This happened through a special law passed by the U.S. Congress called the Newlands Resolution. It was done during the Spanish–American War, as Hawaii was seen as an important military location in the Pacific.

In 1895, Joseph Nāwahī and his wife Emma Nāwahī also started a Hawaiian language newspaper called Ke Aloha Aina. This newspaper was published weekly until 1920. It promoted Hawaiian independence and opposed American annexation.

The Women's Branch

Representatives of the Hui Aloha ʻĀina o Na Wahine, 1893

The women's group, called Hui Aloha ʻĀina o Na Wahine (Hawaiian Women's Patriotic League), was started on March 27, 1893. It was founded by Emilie Widemann Macfarlane. Other important early leaders included Abigail Kuaihelani Campbell.

There was a disagreement early on about the exact words for a petition to Commissioner Blount. After this, Abigail Kuaihelani Campbell was elected as the new president of the women's organization. Emma Nāwahī was also a founding member.

On April 18, 1893, an executive group of seven women, including Campbell and Nāwahī, submitted their petition to Commissioner Blount.

What Happened Next

In 1900, the Hui Aloha ʻĀina groups joined with another group to form the Hawaiian Home Rule Party. This new political party continued to fight for the rights of Hawaiians.

In 1996, a historian named Noenoe K. Silva found the 21,269 signatures of the Kūʻē Petitions from Hui Aloha ʻĀina. They were discovered in the National Archives in Washington, D.C. This was an important discovery, showing the strong voice of the Hawaiian people.

Images for kids

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  Sam M. Kaaukai

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  John W. Bipikane

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  Henry Stuart Swinton

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  James Keauiluna Kaulia

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  Luther W. P. Kanealii

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  Joseph Nāwahī

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  John Sam Kikukahiko

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  Samuel K. Aki

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  John Adams Cummins

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  David William Pua

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  John Kapumawaiio Prendergast

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  Aberahama Kaikioewa Palekaluhi

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  John E. Bush

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  John Mahiai Kaneakua

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  Frank Samuel Keiki

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  John K. Kaunamano

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  John Kekipi

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  John Lota Kaulukou

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  James Kahai Merseburg