Loss of Land: The Māhele (1848)

The Great Māhele of 1848

Introduced private property ownership into Hawaiʻi, aiming to modernize land management under Western influences. However, this land division, orchestrated largely by American missionaries and their business allies, resulted in profound dispossession for Kānaka Maoli (Native Hawaiians), stripping them of ancestral ʻāina (land) and contributing to long-term cultural and economic devastation.

Impact on Native Hawaiians

Few Kānaka Maoli received secure land titles due to unfamiliar and complex legal requirements, language barriers, and imposed taxes they could not afford. Many lost their holdings through foreclosures or forced sales. Foreign investors, sugar planters, and missionaries rapidly acquired vast tracts of prime ʻāina, consolidating control over resources essential to Hawaiian sustenance and culture. By the early 20th century, the majority of Native Hawaiians had become landless tenants or laborers on their own ancestral territories, exacerbating poverty, displacement, and population decline.

Connection to Genocide

The Māhele's effects align with elements of cultural genocide under international law, as defined by the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. It deliberately disrupted traditional Hawaiian land tenure systems (ahupuaʻa), which were integral to communal identity, spirituality, and self-sufficiency, leading to the erosion of cultural practices, language, and social structures. This systematic dispossession, combined with subsequent policies like the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom in 1893, contributed to the physical and cultural destruction of Kānaka Maoli as a distinct group—evidenced by drastic population drops from introduced diseases, economic marginalization, and forced assimilation. Scholars describe it as an act of genocide planned by external powers to facilitate colonial control and resource extraction, mirroring broader patterns of Indigenous erasure worldwide.

Why It Matters

ʻĀina is not merely property in Hawaiian worldview but a living ancestor central to identity, survival, and intergenerational well-being (pono). The Māhele's legacy perpetuates economic disparities, health inequities, and cultural disconnection among Kānaka Maoli today, with ongoing struggles for land rights and sovereignty. This historical injustice underscores the need for restorative measures to heal generational trauma and prevent further erosion of Native Hawaiian heritage.

The Role of Kamehameha Schools in Prevention and Restoration

Kamehameha Schools (KS), established through the will of Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop—the last direct descendant of King Kamehameha I—represents a critical counterforce to the Māhele's harms. Inheriting over 365,000 acres of ʻāina, KS uses these lands not for profit but to fund education and cultural programs exclusively benefiting Native Hawaiian children, aiming to empower them with knowledge, skills, and cultural pride. By prioritizing Hawaiian ancestry in admissions, KS addresses historical inequities, fostering leaders who can advocate for land stewardship, language revitalization, and community resilience—directly combating the cultural genocide initiated by the Māhele. Initiatives like ʻĀina Ulu restore native ecosystems on KS lands, integrating traditional Hawaiian values with modern science to promote sustainable management and prevent further environmental degradation that disproportionately affects Kānaka Maoli. This model ensures that ʻāina benefits its original stewards, reducing the risk of future dispossessions by building economic independence and cultural continuity. In the context of the recent threat from Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA), which has launched a campaign challenging KS's ancestry-based admissions as discriminatory, defending these policies is vital. SFFA's efforts, led by figures like Edward Blum who previously dismantled affirmative action in higher education, could undermine KS's mission, potentially reopening wounds from colonial-era land grabs and hindering genocide prevention through targeted Indigenous upliftment.

Sources

• Jon Chinen, The Great Māhele: Hawaiʻi’s Land Division of 1848
• Hawaiʻi State Archives, Land Commission Awards