Who Owns the Crown Lands of Hawai'i? (Paperback)

Jon M. van Dyke (author)

£30.95

Paperback 560 Pages / Published: 30/01/2008

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Synopsis

The 1846 Mahele (division) transformed the lands of Hawai'i from a shared value into private property, but left many issues unresolved. Kauikeaouli (Kamehameha III) agreed to the Mahele, which divided all land among the mo'i (king), the ali'i (chiefs), and the maka'ainana (commoners), in the hopes of keeping the lands in Hawaiian hands even if a foreign power claimed sovereignty over the Islands. The king's share was further divided into Government and Crown Lands, the latter managed personally by the ruler until a court decision in 1864 and a statute passed in 1865 declared that they could no longer be bought or sold by the mo'i and should be maintained intact for future monarchs. After the illegal overthrow of the monarchy in 1893, Government and Crown Lands were joined together, and after annexation in 1898 they were managed as a public trust by the United States. At statehood in 1959, all but 373,720 acres of Government and Crown Lands were transferred to the State of Hawai'i. The legal status of Crown Lands remains controversial and misunderstood to this day. In this engrossing work, Jon Van Dyke describes and analyzes in detail the complex cultural and legal history of Hawai'i's Crown Lands. He argues that these lands must be examined as a separate entity and their unique status recognized. Government Lands were created to provide for the needs of the general population; Crown Lands were part of the personal domain of Kamehameha III and evolved into a resource designed to support the mo'i, who in turn supported the Native Hawaiian people. The question of who owns Hawai'i's Crown Lands today is of singular importance for Native Hawaiians in their quest for recognition and sovereignty, and this volume will become a primary resource on a fundamental issue underlying Native Hawaiian birthrights.

Publisher: University of Hawai'i Press
ISBN: 9780824832117
Number of pages: 560
Weight: 1048 g
Dimensions: 254 x 178 x 27 mm

MEDIA REVIEWS

Definitive. Who Owns the Crown Lands of Hawaii? [is] certain to become the standard reference for that question.-- "The Nation"
This book is not merely an objective catalog of a series of tragic acts perpetrated against Hawaiians. Beyond a legal history, it is an attempt to provide some guidance toward the reconciliation of past wrongs. . . . Van Dyke doggedly pursues his subject and his reasoning is sound and persuasive, drawing attention to past injustices and pointing toward possible restitution among which would include use of the Crown Lands as a land base for the Native Hawaiian Nation. This is an essential work, one that will likely be influential in future discussions of this issue and one that must be read, processed and understood.-- "Honolulu Weekly"
Fascinating. . . . Deeply researched. . . . Adds a new and thought-provoking dimension on a debate that has too often boiled down into simplistic arguments.-- "Honolulu Advertiser"