Nation of Hawaiʻi (organization)

On November 23, 1993, President Clinton signed the "Apology Resolution," which acknowledges that while Hawai'i was occupied by the United States, their sovereignty was never relinquished. This resolution was the first of its kind that acknowledged this history. This empowered leaders and organizers of the Nation of Hawai'i to reclaim the physical ownership of their Native land as well as their independence from the United States' annexation of the islands. Given that Native Hawaiians now had a legal document stating that they had not relinquished their sovereignty to the U.S., they were empowered to reclaim this through their various efforts.

In 1989 a homeless group of Kanaka Maoli lived on the beach surrounding the Makapuʻu lighthouse on Oʻahu. This beach was across from Sea Life Park in Hawai'i. Tourists coming to the water park in Hawai'i got nervous about the homeless camp displaying upside-down flags and signs saying that this is not America. The camp was fore-fronted by “Bumpy” Kanahele, who has rights to the land as a descendant of the Kamehameha bloodline, and used his own money to go to Sears in Hawai'i to purchase tents for families to live in. The occupation at Makapu’u lasted for 15 months. It eventually ended with the state granting the homeless group roughly 45 acres of land that became known as “the Refuge of Waimanalo.”

In 1993 its members occupied Kaupo Beach, near Makapuʻu. This was another attempt to be granted land that could be run under sovereignty from the U.S. Government.

The group nearly lost its land several times, due both to sentiment fostered by activists opposing the Hawaiian sovereignty movement, and questions regarding rent and liability insurance. As of 2006, however, it was still home to at least forty people.