Kalahui Hawaii was an UNPO member between 1993 and 2012.  

The Indigenous Hawaiian people, represented by Ka Lāhui Hawaiʻi, have brought their concerns to the international stage through forums such as the UNPO. Central issues included the legacy of the 1893 overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawai’i and the subsequent annexation and US statehood process, which Indigenous people regard as illegal and resulting in ongoing dispossession of land, natural resources, and governance rights. The organisation highlighted that Native Hawaiians face disproportionately poor health, education and socio-economic outcomes—outcomes attributed in part to the erosion of Hawaiian-language education, cultural marginalisation, and legacy of land-loss. 

On governance and self-determination, Indigenous Hawaiians contend that many state and federal initiatives (e,g., the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganisation Act, aka the “Akaka Bill”) bypass authentic Hawaiian self-governance by failing to secure Free, Prior and Informed consent from the Hawaiian people. They advocate for a process rooted in Hawaiian cultural practices, collective decision-making and Indigenous rights frameworks rather than solely U.S. congressional or state-legislative solutions. 

In the context of UNPO representation, Ka Lāhui Hawaiʻi used the platform to raise in international awareness of Hawaiian sovereignty and self-determination, submitting statements to UN bodies and participating in sessions on Indigenous development, land rights and decolonisation. Despite progress in cultural resurgence and increased visibility of Hawaiian rights, major challenges persist: the absence of formal recognition under U.S. law for a native Hawaiian governing entity, continued pressure on Hawaiian lands and water resources (especially due to tourism), and the need to translate advocacy into legal and institutional change that restores Indigenous political agency. 

The Indigenous Hawaiian people, often referred to by the term Kānaka ʻŌiwi, draw their identity from a deeply rooted connection to ʻāina (land), moana (sea), and genealogy. Their ancestors arrived via voyaging canoes from Polynesia over a millennium ago, and their worldview emphasises relationality, between people, nature, spirits, and place. Language and tradition from core pillars: the Hawaiian language (ōlelo Hawaiʻi) is undergoing revival through immersion schooling (e,g., Pūnana Leo) and community programmes, reinforcing ethnic identity and cultural continuity. Cultural practices—such as hula, chant (mele), navigation by stars, carving of wood and kapa (bark cloth), and ceremonial observance of values like aloha ʻāina (“love of the land”), remain living expressions of identity. 

The Hawaiian Islands were first settled by Polynesian voyagers, who arrived in canoes from the Marquesas, Tahiti, and other parts of Polynesia. These early settlers established complex societies with a sophisticated understanding of agriculture, navigation, and natural resource management. Social hierarchies emerged, including ali‘i (chiefs), kahuna (priests and experts), and makaʻāinana (commoners), with governance deeply entwined with spiritual and ecological knowledge. Over centuries, Hawaiian society developed a rich cultural and political structure, culminating in the unification of the islands under Kamehameha I, who established the Kingdom of Hawai’i. The kingdom maintained diplomatic and trade relations with European powers and the United States, while preserving Indigenous governance, laws, and traditions. Hawaiian culture thrived during this period, with language, religion, ceremonies and arts embedded into daily life and leadership. 

The 19th century brought growing influence from foreign residents, missionaries, and commercial interests, particularly in sugar and other plantation industries. These interactions reshaped Hawaiian society, introducing new technologies, religious practices, and legal frameworks, while simultaneously undermining Indigenous political authority. The overthrow of the monarchy in the late 19th century and subsequent annexation by the United States marked a profound rupture in sovereignty, initiating decades of land dispossession, marginalisation of Hawaiian language and education, and socio-economic change. 

Despite these pressures, Native Hawaiians preserved cultural knowledge, oral histories, and social structures, often in clandestine or community-based forms. Over the 20th century, population recovery, cultural renaissance movements, and educational initiatives helped revive ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, hula, navigation, and other traditional practices. Today, Indigenous Hawaiians continue to negotiate their political and cultural rights within the United States, advocating for self-determination, protection of natural and ancestral lands, and the preservation of heritage while maintaining their connection to the islands and traditional values.