The celebration has generated heated discussion on the Hawaiian Independence Blog Web site.

Opponents say that independence supporters are seeking to draw Hawaiians away from the American mainstream and seeking to perpetuate "ethnic cleansing" by downplaying the role of non-Hawaiians in the former kingdom.

Supporters of Hawaiian sovereignty applaud the renewed interest in the holiday and say it was the U.S.-backed republic that replaced Hawaiian Independence Day with Thanksgiving.

Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and His Majesty the King of the French, taking into consideration the existence in the Sandwich [Hawaiian] Islands of a government capable of providing for the regularity of its relations with foreign nations, have thought it right to engage, reciprocally, to consider the Sandwich Islands as an Independent State, and never to take possession, neither directly or under the title of Protectorate, or under any other form, of any part of the territory of which they are composed.

The undersigned, Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State of Foreign Affairs, and the Ambassador Extraordinary of His Majesty the King of the French, at the Court of London, being furnished with the necessary powers, hereby declare, in consequence, that their said Majesties take reciprocally that engagement.

In witness whereof the undersigned have signed the present declaration, and have affixed thereto the seal of their arms.

Done in duplicate at London, the 28th day of November, in the year of our Lord, 1843.

[L.S.] Aberdeen
[L.S.] St. Aulaire