From a Native Daughter: Colonialism and Sovereignty in Hawaii (Revised Edition)

It is encouraging to have a Hawaiian book on Indigenism that, through the perceptions and words of a Native Hawaiian, reconnects Hawaii with victims world-wide of a 500+ year International Indigenous Holocaust. This book provides a useful contribution to the efforts of those of us who's goals, in various sectors, include the convergence, without granting a dominant position to either,of Indigenous and Western world views.

"From a Native Daughter" is very intelligently written with strong academic and historical references. Who can fault Trask for being so passionate and angered about Hawaii's wrongful past? For over 110 years, Hawaii has been seized and administered illegally by the United States. The native people have had their culture, their sovereignty, and their spirits taken away. She is demanding a right of sovereignty for this island nation that has been falling on deaf ears for generations. There have been many interesting comments regarding this book that I've read and some are simply ignorant. No, Haunani Trask is not full Hawaiian but not very many are. One hundred years after Cook 'disovered' Hawaii, the population had been reduced 90% due to disease and cultural shock. There are maybe 5,000 pure Hawaiians left today, and most of them are so disenfranchised they cannot even think of deciding to write a book. Haunani speaks for these people who are powerless. Another opinion is that her statements have little merit academically. The only revisionism occurring is the glossed tourist culture that is Hawaii today. And for anyone thinking that the wrong done to Hawaiians is not recognized (though very covertly), the Apology Bill signed by Clinton in 1993 displays the American government's fault in the illegal takeover. Interestingly, from this APOLOGY, all programs aimed to serve Hawaiians are being called racist and unfair for non-Hawaiians. This is hyprocrisy in the highest. Haunani Trask is a racist? Her words are strong and no one can doubt her forceful style. Her political incorrectness is a reflection of how this government has treated the Hawaiians. America does not even recognize Hawaiians as an indigenous people like they do the Native Americans, not to say that Native Americans have a wonderful life either. The United States believes that Hawaiians are not different than other residents of Hawaii and that everyone should have an equal ground. It sounds so altruistic, but its destructive for native peoples. The Hawaiians have been here since the beginning of creation according to their religion. They practiced their culture, cared for the land, and lived in dignity over a thousand years before Cook landed. What are the results since the arrival: their language was banned, their religion was banned, their kingdom was annexed illegally, their people are still suffering today. I have a brief personal story. I had many relatives and friends on my father's dad's side that lived on a very rural and peaceful area named Makua on Oahu (except for the live military firing that is destroying very rare endemic plants and cultural sites sacred to Hawaiians). They were the kindest Hawaiian people who lived off the land and the sea not bothering anyone. My grandfather was one of these Hawaiians and I loved all of our friends and relatives there. They bothered no one and lived traditional Hawaiians lives, very simple and generous. Th

Many have critiqued Professor Trask's work for being "self-serving," "overly angry," "racist" or worse. These reviewers seem to miss the point that Trask is speaking from a highly personal though richly considered narrative position and not writing a history of Hawaii. In fact, to my recollection Professor Trask never claims to be writing history, but righting it. This book which I picked up during a visit to Hawaii was a compelling read both in the freshness of its perspective and, quite frankly, in the newness of the ideas it lays out. Few of us are actually familiar with the story of how Hawaii came to be a US state and fewer still understand the incredibly destructive and deculturating impact this had on the people who had lived in Hawaii for centuries prior to European arrival. Trask begins to explore these latter issues in this book, carefully exposing and then analyzing practices which reflect the attitudes and actions of colonial powers as they influence Native Hawaiian life today. It may be difficult, even angering, for non-Hawaiians, like myself, to read this work but these reactions do not release us from the responsibility to understand and enage with the lived reality of Native Hawaiians. I highly recommend this book to anyone considering a vaction in Hawaii.

While on vacation in Hawai'i for the first time I had observed there were no Hawaiians except room service and grounds keepers. Most of the people I met were white people from Ohio. Something seemed completely at odds with what I expected. I found a bookstore in search of a Hawaiian history book determined that it be written by a Hawaiian. I chose Professor Trask's book quite randomly based on the previous criteria. Her book was an explanation of what I was seeing first hand, vaudevillian luaus, crass commercialism and near total absence of indigenous people.Once I begin reading it was difficult to stop and I was ready to go to war with christian missionaries and fat cat right-wing republicans. I have since sought to validate Trask's positions and every point she makes will foot and tick to a reliable source.I am not Hawaiian and previously had no interest in this subject but this book was very well written and a call to action even for a middle class suburban haole such as myself.The island of Maui was beautiful but I want return until Hawai'i is a sovereign nation and I am invited.

I discovered this book while doing research for a Cultural Pluralism class last year and was disapointed to find that it was out of print. After finding my own copy many fellow mainland Kama`aina's have wanted to review it as well because it has widened my once narrow perspective shared by most who are unaware of our important and rich heritage. I recommend this book (if you can find it) to any and all who desire to know about the true history of Hawai`i, our culture, the ill-effects of Colonialism, and the importance of Nationalism.