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John Dominis Holt Books

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“On mountain tops, in green valleys and all across the land We sing new songs, create sharper visions and we shout with pride give us back what is left of what was ours Our pride, our hopes. And what about our lands? They belong to us. Give them back. We sleep no longer in compliance. We have awakened with the beat of ancient pahu, the shark skin stretched tight, and move determined to a new rhythm, a new beat. Aloha aina, aloha aina, E Hawaii aloha e. --from "Pono”

AmericaPoetryHawaiiReparationsHawaiianQueen LiliuokalaniHawaiian OverthrowHawaiian Kingdom
Book:Hanai: A Poem for Queen Liliuokalani
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“Cruel and proud America give us back our pride, our dreams, our land. Liliuokalani is long gone but we are here and you are here and the ghosts of Kepookalani, and Kamanawa. The great Paiea, our ageless king, will stalk you until the end and we will be there because Queen Liliuokalani is long gone but she is also here to haunt you and we are here witnesses to your greed, your stubborn clutching to what is ours. We are here and the ghosts of our makua watch you from the shadows of their island valleys and caves. From the mountain tops of Kaala and Maunakea Where old gods and the makua wait patiently. --from "Enaʻena”

AmericaPoetryHawaiiReparationsHawaiianQueen LiliuokalaniHawaiian Overthrow
Book:Hanai: A Poem for Queen Liliuokalani
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“Makaaina voices with fresh songs to sing Speaking of new strengths Mind and body strengths, Strengthening the hope of change -- new joys in this tiresome regimen of want and confusion. Grand queen sleep the ageless sleep in peace Your people rise now, and demand their share of this sweet and wondrous place. The populace from their sleep of compliance Awake now to the beat of new drums hewn from betrayal and delusion urging the makaaina voice to rise above the din of daily trumpetings of man and machine To be rid of confusion and fear To stand equally with the new rulers of this precious place to be ruthless in demanding what is ours. --from "Pono”

PoetryHawaiiAdvocacyReparationsHawaiianQueen LiliuokalaniHawaiian Kingdom
Book:Hanai: A Poem for Queen Liliuokalani
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“Did you reflect on Cook's arrival and rue the day we were discovered and curse the coming of foreign sailors with bodies soaked in the blights of London sewers? Giving this cruel treasure to our unblemished women? Did you think of this and rage and want to kill? Did you remember all the insults down the years from French, British and American alike Did you remember the threat of their guns? I was not there during those dark days of anguish and confusion when the palace shook with intrigue and rumor that the greedy determined men downtown were plotting your ruin and demise of our nation. --from "Manawaʻino”

PoetryOppressionHawaiiHawaiianQueen LiliuokalaniHawaiian OverthrowCaptain Cook
Book:Hanai: A Poem for Queen Liliuokalani
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