‘Onipa‘a movement
Quick Summary
The 'Onipaʻa movement, meaning "immovable, steadfast, firm, resolute," was a Hawaiian political movement advocating for "Hawaii for the Hawaiians." Queen Liliʻuokalani, the last Hawaiian sovereign, led this movement, fiercely opposing the annexation of the islands by the United States.1
The movement arose during a period of increasing U.S. influence and the dominance of a "white" minority over the Hawaiian monarchy. King Kalākaua attempted to revive ancient Hawaiian customs and absolutism, but his reign was marked by extravagance and corruption, leading to the imposition of the Bayonet Constitution in 1887, which limited his powers.23
When Liliʻuokalani ascended the throne in 1891, she sought to restore the monarchy's traditional authority and opposed concessions made to the U.S., such as the exclusive right to use Pearl Harbor. In 1893, a group of American and European businessmen, with the aid of U.S. Marines, overthrew the monarchy. Despite President Cleveland's order to restore Queen Liliʻuokalani, the provisional government, led by Sanford Dole, defied the order. The islands were annexed by the United States in 1900.213
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