On July 31st, we celebrate La Hoʻi Hoʻi Ea, Sovereignty Restoration Day, a powerful reminder of the Hawaiian Kingdom’s resilience and the restoration of its independence in 1843 after a brief British occupation. This day is not just a historical milestone but a living symbol of the sovereignty that continues to thrive within the Hawaiian people. As we honor La Hoʻi Hoʻi Ea, we invite you to join us in celebrating our enduring self-determination, our deep connection to ʻāina (land), and our collective efforts to continue the restoration of our Nation.

The Unbroken Sovereignty of the Hawaiian People

La Hoʻi Hoʻi Ea reaffirms that the sovereignty of the Hawaiian people has never been relinquished. This truth is also recognized in U.S. Public Law 103-150, the Apology Resolution of 1993, which acknowledges the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom and confirms that the Hawaiian people have never relinquished their sovereignty over themselves or their national lands. Our sovereignty lives in us, our culture, our traditions, and our commitment to mālama ʻāina (care for the land). It is a force that guides us as we reclaim our communal way of life and steward the ʻāina for future generations.

Puʻuhonua o Waimānalo: A Sovereign Sanctuary

The belief in our sovereignty fueled a remarkable act of resilience over 31 years ago when our families at Makapuʻu Beach asserted their self-determination in a 15-month stand. Over 300 people united, compelling the State of Hawaiʻi to negotiate and allocate 45 acres of land in the backroads of Waimānalo. There, we established Puʻuhonua o Waimānalo, the land base of the Nation of Hawaiʻi. For over three decades, this village has been a sanctuary for more than 70 Hawaiians, a place where we live in harmony with the ʻāina, guided by aloha, kuleana (responsibility), and communal values.

Restoring Ancestral Kalo Terraces

Above our village in the mountains of Waimānalo, we are revitalizing ancient kalo (taro) terraces built by our ancestors centuries ago. These loʻi kalo are sacred spaces, connecting us to our kūpuna (ancestors) and sustaining our future. Since September 2023, we have welcomed thousands of volunteers from across Oʻahu and the world to join us on the last Saturday of each month for Aloha ʻĀina Day. These gatherings bring together people from all walks of life—Hawaiian and non-Hawaiian—to participate in restoration work, connect with the ʻāina, build community, and embrace kuleana. Living in Hawaiʻi comes with a responsibility to care for the land, and through Aloha ʻĀina Day, we invite everyone to experience the true beauty of Hawaiʻi by taking part in this shared kuleana.

Expanding Our Restoration Work: A Call for Support

Our efforts to restore the kalo terraces and expand our stewardship of the ʻāina are growing, and we need your support to make this vision a reality. We recently collaborated with Andrew Millison, a renowned expert in permaculture food systems, who visited Puʻuhonua o Waimānalo to highlight our restoration work. In a powerful video, Andrew shares how our efforts are not only revitalizing ancestral practices but also creating sustainable food systems for our community. He emphasizes the importance of expanding this work to include more restoration days and involve more people in restoring additional lands.

You can watch Andrew Millison’s video here to learn more about our mission and see the impact of our work firsthand. To support the expansion of our restoration efforts, we invite you to make a donation to our nonprofit organization. Your contributions will help us fund additional Aloha ʻĀina Days, engage more volunteers, and restore even more of our ancestral lands. Every donation brings us closer to a future where our ʻāina thrives, and our community grows stronger together. Visit our nonprofit’s donation page to contribute today.

La Hoʻi Hoʻi Ea: A Call to Action

This La Hoʻi Hoʻi Ea, we celebrate the sovereignty that lives within us and the tangible ways we are reclaiming and restoring our nation. Puʻuhonua o Waimānalo and the restoration of our kalo terraces are powerful expressions of our self-determination, rooted in aloha and kuleana. We invite you to join us—whether by volunteering on Aloha ʻĀina Day, watching Andrew Millison’s video, or making a donation to support our work. Together, we can ensure that our ʻāina, our culture, and our sovereignty flourish for generations to come.