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Representatives of three Hawaiian sovereignty organizations compared their visions and discussed the role of non-Hawaiians with host Randall Roth. Kekuni Blaisdell, convener of Ka Pakaukau, advocated full and complete independence as the ultimate goal, envisioning a gradual transition away from capitalism and military presence toward a subsistence-based economy grounded in the relationship between people and land. Blossom Feiteira, acting head of state of the Nation of Hawaii, also backed full independence, arguing that a sovereign Hawaii could impose tariffs on air traffic and control its exclusive economic zone, generating revenue currently unavailable under statehood. Keali'i Gora, the O'ahu Island chair of Ka Lāhui Hawaiʻi, took a more pragmatic position: while independence remained one option under United Nations Resolution 742, Ka Lāhui pursued federal recognition as an indigenous nation comparable to Native American tribes, operating under a democratically elected constitution already in place. All three addressed how non-Hawaiians would fit within their frameworks, with Ka Lāhui granting non-Hawaiians honorary citizenship without voting rights. The concrete question is what political status — full independence, nation-within-a-nation, or some intermediate arrangement — Kanaka Maoli should seek.
Transcript
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