The indigenous status of Native Hawaiians is a complex topic with views on both sides of the debate. While there are arguments for and against classifying Hawaiians as indigenous, most scholars and institutions recognize Native Hawaiians as the indigenous people of the Hawaiian Islands.
Definition of Indigenous
According to the United Nations, indigenous people are those who identify themselves as indigenous, have historical ties to a particular territory, and wish to maintain their distinct social, economic, cultural, and political institutions within their territories. Indigenous peoples often maintain connection to land, culture, and community despite colonization or other external pressures.
By this definition, Native Hawaiians have a clear claim to indigenous status. They are the descendants of the original Polynesian settlers of Hawaii who lived on the islands for centuries before European contact. They maintain a unique culture and identity tied to the islands. And they wish to practice self-determination and perpetuate their culture and way of life in their homeland.
History of Hawaiian Settlement
The Hawaiian Islands were first settled between 300 and 600 AD by Polynesian voyagers from the Marquesas Islands. Over the next thousand years, Native Hawaiian society flourished with a distinct language, spiritual belief system, arts, social structure and land management system. Hawaiians had no contact with Europeans until British explorer James Cook arrived in 1778.
This long period of Hawaiian inhabitance and development of a unique culture and identity, free from outside influence, is a key factor in their indigenous status. Hawaiians are not descendants of recent settlers or colonists but of the original inhabitants of the islands.
Effects of European Contact
After Western contact, Native Hawaiians suffered devastating consequences. European diseases like smallpox and measles killed over 80% of Hawaiians between 1778 and 1855. Christian missionaries suppressed native religions and cultural practices. Americans and Europeans took Hawaiian lands. And the Hawaiian monarchy was overthrown in 1893 with backing from American businessmen and troops.
Despite this, Native Hawaiians were able to retain much of their identity, cultural practices, connection to the land, and sense of sovereignty. This perseverance of identity and desire for self-governance further supports their indigenous rights.
Recognition of Sovereignty
The U.S. annexed Hawaii as a territory in 1898. But Native Hawaiian sovereignty was recognized through various government actions in the 1900s. Some examples:
- 1921 – Congress passed the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, designating 200,000 acres of land for homesteads for Native Hawaiians.
- 1959 – Hawaii becomes a U.S. state, but the Admissions Act specified that the U.S. was taking over Hawaiian lands in a public trust for Native Hawaiians, not taking private property.
- 1993 – Congress passes a Joint Resolution apologizing for the U.S. overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii 100 years earlier.
These acts acknowledge Native Hawaiians as indigenous people with rights to land and self-governance, even after U.S. annexation.
Cultural Distinctiveness
Native Hawaiians maintain cultural traditions and practices distinct from mainstream American culture. These include:
- The Hawaiian language – Hawaiian is an official state language and taught in schools.
- Hula and other dance traditions
- Navigation – ancient Polynesians were skilled open-ocean navigators.
- Arts and crafts – tapa cloth making, featherwork, wood carving.
- Music – slack key guitar, ukulele, chanting.
This continued cultural integrity despite outside influences shows Hawaiians meet the definition of indigenous peoples according to characteristics like unique institutions, language, cultural practices, and connection to their ancestral lands.
Arguments Against Indigenous Status
Some make the argument that Hawaiians should not be considered indigenous for various reasons:
- Hawaiians migrated voluntarily, while groups like Native Americans were there before colonizers arrived.
- Extensive intermarriage occurred between Hawaiians and other settlers.
- Most Native Hawaiians today have mixed ancestry and assimilated into mainstream American culture.
- Hawaii is a U.S. state, not a separate nation.
However, these arguments do not invalidate Hawaiian indigeneity according to accepted definitions. Indigenous status does not require being first settlers or maintaining complete isolation and purity from outside cultures. And indigenous peoples can live within existing nation states while maintaining their identity and sovereignty movements.
Legal and Institutional Recognition
The U.S. federal government and various global institutions recognize Native Hawaiians as indigenous people with certain rights and status:
- U.S. Department of Interior – Maintains a formal nation-to-nation relationship with the Native Hawaiian community.
- United Nations – Considers Hawaiians indigenous and recognizes them in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
- International Labor Organization (ILO) – Classifies Native Hawaiians under ILO Convention 169 which protects rights of indigenous and tribal peoples.
- World Intellectual Property Organization – Works with Native Hawaiian organizations on protecting traditional knowledge and cultural expressions.
This recognition by authoritative bodies affirms Hawaiians solidly meet accepted definitions of indigenous peoples internationally.
Self-Identification as Indigenous
Perhaps most importantly, Native Hawaiians themselves identify as indigenous people. Self-identification is the key initial criteria for determining indigenous status according to the UN and other definitions.
The majority of Native Hawaiians consider themselves distinct from the American mainstream with a unique identity tied to their Polynesian roots and Hawaiian homeland. Indigenous identity remains strong despite historical challenges to Hawaiian culture and sovereignty.
Conclusion
In conclusion, by ancestry, history, culture, legal definitions, and self-identification, Native Hawaiians have a compelling case for indigenous status. They are recognized domestically and internationally as the indigenous people of the Hawaiian Islands. Challenges to Hawaiian sovereignty and indigenous rights continue today. But over the last few decades Native Hawaiians have made major strides in culturally revitalizing their communities, gaining formal recognition of their indigenous status, and asserting their rights and identity as indigenous people.