E-Mail Report and Link to Star Bulletin Article on San Francisco March and Rally

Aloha kakou,

Well, Assoc. Press said 400, but the SF Police and crowd control volunteers estimated at least 2,500. (Hence the exclamation, "Go figgah!") In one of the photos in this story, you can see Judge Fernandez (KS '52) and I carrying Princess Pauahi's portrait, and turning to look behind us at the folks still marching past the Ninth Circuit. Even two blocks later, as we prepared to turn the corner, we still couldn't see the end of the line! Therefore, I tend to agree with the SF police....there were red shirts beyond what our eyes could see!

It was a truly humbling and awe-inspiring event -- to SEE so many native Hawaiians and Hawaiians-at-heart come together in unity, to HEAR the oli (chanting) of "Ku i ka pono" (justice for Hawaiians) as we marched past the Court building, and to SMELL all the beautiful flower leis generously donated by the Honolulu chapter of the Haw'n Civic Clubs. It was also quite a sight to see so many freezing cold Hawaiians don their red Ku i ka Pono shirts and royal blue Kamehameha shirts over much warmer sweatshirts in the 50-60 degree weather! Indeed, the only time the sun came out was when Trustee Nainoa Thompson (Hokule'a navigator) addressed the gathering. Hmmmmm.....

Compared to similar marches in the islands, I believe this one had a much more somber tone (from speeches, to oli, mele and hula) - almost as if it were a funeral for mother, Princess Pauahi. I think that was appropriate - because the judges of the Ninth Circuit, and those living on the continent, needed to see that this court ruling was received as a death blow to our people.

However, as I shared with the crowd yesterday, we are not at a dead end, but rather at a crossroads. The American legal system can seem to native peoples like the daunting Red Sea appeared to the Israelites in the Old Testament, with their enemies at their backs, and no apparent recourse before them. But when they made the choice to trust Ke Akua, and come together as one, He made a way through the troubled waters....We have that same choice, and I believe we chose LIFE yesterday. Now, let's pray expectantly that Ke Akua will show us the way to the other side. The battle is no longer ours, but His!

So many of you made this day possible -- there is no way to extend an adequate mahalo via e-mail. But if I were with you today, I would ask you to ha as my new friend Pi'ikea asked me to share yesterday -- the beautiful exchange of the breath of life. May Ke Akua bless and keep each one of you....

Me ke aloha pumehana o Iesu, (in Jesus' most cherished love)
Noelani (Loo) Jai
alohajai@socal.rr.com


Enjoy this article and photos of the march and rally:
http://starbulletin.com/2005/08/21/news/story1.html