A Genealogy of Hawaiian Territoriality

A Genealogy of Hawaiian Territoriality

The Interweaving between Contemporary Issues of Hawaiian Sovereignty and Real Property

Donovan C. Preza, PHD Student & Lecturer,

Geog 368: Geography of Hawaii

University of Hawaii at Manoa, Geography Department

Hawaii’s transition to private property in the mid-19^th century (the Mahele) is often identified as the source of dispossession and is considered one of the main mechanisms which severed Hawaiians’ connection to land.  Through this lens, the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom government is treated as inconsequential and is presented as but one of the inevitabilities resulting from the Mahele.  Donovan Preza’s research traces the genealogy of Hawaiian territoriality (the kanaka/aina relationship) to problematize our current day understandings of what we identify as the source of the disruption of this relationship.  His analysis attempts to contextualize kanaka/aina relationships during the Hawaiian Kingdom era as a way to understand contemporary issues of landlessness, contestations over Crown and Government land ownership, and other present day issues that are tied to the Hawaiian Kingdom.

Third in a series of presentations on new research into Hawaiian Kingdom history

Olelo Community Media Center · 1122 Mapunapuna St.

May 10, Saturday, 5:00 pm

Sponsored by Ka Lei Maile Alii Hawaiian Civic Club, with funding from

the Office of Hawaiian Affairs

Ample parking in the Olelo Community Media Center parking lot and on the street

For more information:  palolo@hawaii.rr.com, phone (808) 284-3460

Seating is limited

This event is free and open to the public