Some Thoughts on

Hawai`ian Independence

One of the many things we want to do after we are settled on Maui is to become involved in the movement to acquire independence from the United States. Most of the emphasis so far seems to have been to return to the status quo ante - in other words, to just turn back the clock 120 years to before the US seized the Kingdom of Hawaii. But the world has changed since then, and so has Hawai`i.. I think if a future nation of Hawai`i is to avoid becoming yet another third world country being run by the IMF and multi-national bankers that it must be pro-active in preparing for its status as a separate nation.

The first item I would address would be food independence, which could easily be achieved. Too often when you go shopping n Hawai`i the bananas are from Costa Rica, the potatoes from Idaho... on and on, almost nothing grown on the islands. So long as it is still a state Hawai`i cannot impose import restrictions, but it should be prepared to do so immediately upon independence and force citizens to live on what is grown there.

A second goal, and even more difficult to implement, is energy independence. By using a mix of solar, wind and water power (not dams, but pelton generators in the streams) combined with some restrictions on use, adequate electricity could be produced without importing fossil fuels to do it. Producing fuel for transportation would be more challenging, but the new nation could follow the example of Brazil and use sugar cane to produce alcohol to power vehicles, either internal combustion or steam. And oil from coconuts can provide fuel for diesel engines as well as lubrication. Using potential food as a source for fuel gives a new appreciation for its value.

A new nation would need to establish a currency. Given the amount of tourism to Hawaii it would be necessary to be able to utilize a standard currency like the US dollar. Income in that form could be used for needed imports to build the infrastructure. But for internal purposes it would be interesting to employ a calorie-based economy, that basically treats all forms of labor as being intrinsically equal. A possible unit for the currency is the kukui nut, which is not only edible but can be used as fuel. A novel that illustrates this kind of economy is the novel Dispossessed by Ursula LeGuin.

I think it is important for the Hawai'ian language to be preserved, and one way for this to happen is to incorporate it into English in a new Hawai`ian/English language using a phonetic alphabet.

It would be wise to consolidate the various schools of oriental medicine and create a national program to establish a doctor of oriental medicine in every community, to be supported by the community, with the goal of keeping everyone healthy, rather than waiting for them to become ill to treat them..

Primary education should be eliminated. A study done by the Educational Psychology Dept. of the University of Washington years ago showed that the first 6-8 years of schooling were unnecessary, that all that learning could be done in a few months as the child reached adolescence. Those years would be better spent learning social skills than being trained for factory work, the original purpose of universal education.

Here are other changes that would seem to promote freedom for the citizens of the new nation:

Eliminate the private ownership of land and return to a user system somewhat similar to what existed before the arrival of the Europeans.

Eliminate all personal taxes. Income from tourism and tariffs on imports should be enough to support the government. If it's not, then the government is too big.

Promote the native Hawai`ian animism. For centuries the Hawaiian people enjoyed an intimate relationship with the land and sea around them. By restoring that relationship they will once again be able to live in a beautiful harmony with their surroundings, their families and friends.

The people of Hawai'i have the potential for becoming leaders in showing humanity a better way of living on this planet and hope they will share that vision.

Dr. David Keanu Sai, who has written and lectured extensively about Hawaiian independence, http://www2.hawaii.edu/~anu/

Jared Diamond's books: Guns, Germs and Steel; Collapse; The World Until Yesterday. These books are unequaled in their analysis of why some cultures succeed and others don't.