Chris Tillen, Contributing Photographer

Students celebrated Lā Kūʻokoʻa, or Hawaiian Independence Day, through a range of student-organized events that honored Native Hawaiian identity and culture. 

Organized by the newly founded Indigenous Peoples of Oceania, students celebrated Lā Kūʻokoʻa throughout the week of Nov. 27 through Dec. 4. The celebrations included Lei and Mele Oli workshops, a screening of Boy, a Hawai’i Sign Language panel and speaker events. 

“Our goal really was to bring the Pacific to Yale and have this space be somewhere where everybody on campus can learn about our culture and engage with it in meaningful ways,” Joshua Ching ’26, executive director of IPO, said. 

Lā Kūʻokoʻa is an important time of year for Kānaka Maoli people, or Native Hawaiians, as they commemorate the formal recognition of the sovereignty of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Celebrated every Nov. 28, the holiday honors the 1843 proclamation signed between Hawaiian and Anglo-Franco representatives which recognized the independence of the kingdom. The United States verbally acknowledged Hawaiian sovereignty at this time but explicitly declined to join in on the proclamation because it would be legally binding a require a formal treaty ratified by the United States Senate. Lā Kūʻokoʻa events throughout the week also further recognized the tragedies inflicted by the United States when they overthrew the Hawaiian Kingdom in 1893 and then annexed Hawai’i in 1898.

For Kānaka Maoli at Yale, Lā Kūʻokoʻa serves as a time to reconnect with Hawaiian values, culture and histories within the Pasifika and wider Indigenous community. Aligning with the founding of IPO, this year’s events are the first official celebrations for Lā Kūʻokoʻa on Yale’s campus. 

Financial Director of IPO Amber Nobriga ’27 noted the relation Lā Kū’oko’a has to sovereignty movements throughout Hawaiian history, given that the U.S. violated the recognition agreement of 1843. 

“In Hawai’i, the celebration of Lā Kūʻokoʻa is a protest of the current order of things,” Nobriga wrote to the News. “To the people who understand and who care, the day is spent remembering and educating, and at Yale, we are trying to create that same space of remembrance and education.” 

Planning for Lā Kūʻokoʻa at Yale originated with Ching’s service project for his American Sign Language class which included organizing a Hawai’i Sign Language panel. Once the panel was scheduled for the week of Lā Kūʻokoʻa, Ching then brought up the idea of a week-long series of events at an IPO meeting, snowballing into IPO organizing different events for the whole week. 

Nobriga, who organized the speaker events and funding for the week, highlighted that the aim was to uplift Hawaiian culture through events showcasing language, cultural practices, art and discussion. 

“All of the different backgrounds that people came from were able to kind of mesh together and create something that is genuinely so beautiful,” Ching said. 

IPO Media Director Emma Slagle ’26 told the News that her family would wear Lā Kūʻokoʻa themed t-shirts and unfurl three massive Hawaiian flags in their garage to celebrate the day at her home in Hawai’i. 

Slagle also emphasized the significance of celebrating where students come from and acknowledging Native Hawaiian and Pasifika history, as well as creating a sense of community so far from home.

Ching reflected on the programming that his high school organized surrounding Lā Kūʻokoʻa. These events included discussions in social studies classes, and past celebrations were held at the Hawai’i state capitol in conjunction with other community organizations. Ching said he specifically remembered an event in middle school where students received t-shirts with the original document that recognized Hawaiian independence. 

Dane Keahi ’27, who also attended the same school, noted his appreciation of the continued space to celebrate Hawaiian independence and culture, especially in the transition from home to Yale. 

“I wouldn’t want to see it where [Lā Kūʻokoʻa] doesn’t have the celebration,” Keahi said.  

Ching discussed the positive benefits of creating a small home away from home within the IPO community. Nobriga echoed these sentiments, adding that celebrating Lā Kūʻokoʻa at Yale is important because it allows Kanaka Maoli and other Pasifika students to find a community and bond. 

After a year without being able to take part in formalized celebrations, Ching said he felt there was special significance in this year’s events for him. 

“After [my] first year where there wasn’t really much presence of Native Hawaiian-centric or Pasifika-centric events or celebrations on campus, it was really just awesome to be able to have that and hold space in such an important way,” Ching said. 

Jairus Rhoades ’26 discussed the strength Lā Kūʻokoʻa celebrations have in uniting people from across campus. 

“[Lā Kūʻokoʻa] connects Native Hawaiians with their culture,” Rhoades said. “It connects Polynesians with a culture that is very proximate to their own like mine as a Samoan. It connects me with the place I’m from and it connects allies with a history inflicted on these marginalized communities.”

Waihe’e, Osorio speak at NACC

Speaker events the IPO organized at the Native American Cultural Center featured former Hawai’i Governor John Waihe’e and Dean of Hawai’inuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge Jon Osorio over Zoom. On Thursday, Nov. 30, Waihe’e’s talk began with the oli E Hō Mai. An oli is a traditional Hawaiian chant, and E Hō Mai was taught and practiced during the Mele Oli workshop which took place on Nov. 29.

Waihe’e discussed the significance of Lā Kūʻokoʻa in preserving Hawaiian life and identity, sharing historical stories and noting the stream of consciousness that unites all Hawaiians. 

Emphasizing that Lā Kūʻokoʻa is not just a political moment, Waihe’e said that recognition and independence are preservation of Native Hawaiian life. 

 “We have a love for this place, this land, and for who we are,” Waihe’e said.  

Waihe’e shared one specific story about the allyship between Japan and Hawai’i, where Japan stood in defense of Hawaiian sovereignty against American attempts to annex Hawai’i in 1893. Several students at the event mentioned that this was an aspect of Hawaiian history that they were not previously familiar with. 

Following his talk, Waihe’e opened the floor to questions. Following a question about advice for Pasifika students learning and living so far from home, Waihe’e told attendees to, “Never forget who you are.” 

On Monday, Dec. 4, Osorio spoke at another speaker event at the NACC about the importance of talking about Hawai’i’s past colonial struggle within the context of sovereignty and indigenous representation in positions of power. Osorio provided historical context on the American and European influence in Hawai’i before and following Lā Kū’oko’a, particularly the demand for equality and equity for Kānaka Maoli people in Hawai’i. 

Osorio emphasized the importance of Lā Kū’oko’a as a time to further recognize “the devastation to our dignity, to our pride” following the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom in 1893 by the United States. 

Osorio added that, since 2016, he has observed Native Hawaiians taking greater action in government to “take care of the land.” He finished his talk with a performance of a song he wrote in 1983 for his grandmother with English lyrics, accompanying his singing with the ukulele.

Slagle noted that the speaker events were her favorite part of the week-long celebrations and she was pleased with the high turnout. 

“It’s a really rare opportunity to be able to talk and interact with people that knowledgeable…you learn things you can’t find in history books,” Slagle said. 

Looking toward the future

When looking to the future of celebrating Lā Kūʻokoʻa at Yale, Rhoades said that his personal goal as a member of IPO is to engage allies and non-Pasifika students. He noted the positive effects of people visiting the NACC and engaging with Indigenous culture. 

Nobriga said that she hopes next year’s celebrations will reach even more people. Reflecting on this year’s celebrations, she highlighted the importance of engagement from members of the Yale community who are not part of the IPO.  

“When people and classmates that you respect show an interest in learning about your culture and your history, it feels amazing, validating, and makes you feel that what you have been doing and advocating for is making a difference,” Nobriga wrote. 

Ching noted some potential events for the years coming. In addition to speaker events, Ching mentioned the possibility of partnering with Yale Hospitality to bring traditional Hawaiian food to the dining halls. Ching also discussed the goal of a large celebration on the day of Lā Kūʻokoʻa. 

“In future years, as these events continue to grow and [Pasifika] presence continues to grow, our intention is for IPO to be an organization that is teaching the wider community about our culture and allowing them to also engage in it.” Ching said. 

IPO at Yale was founded in the fall semester of the 2023-2024 school year. 

Correction: A previous version of this article included numerous diacritical errors, which have since been fixed; details have also been added and amended about historical relations between the Hawaiian Kingdom and the United States.