The United States of America is turning 250 years old. So what?
I don’t need to tell you that 1776 was a long time ago.
In 1776, the indigenous people of Hawai‘i were still divided across warring chiefdoms. The formal end of the wars of Hawaiian unification didn’t settle until 1810, when Kaumuali‘i (Kaua‘i and Ni‘ihau’s King) pledged fealty to Kamehameha as the King of the entire Hawaiian Archipelago.
Captain James Cook, the British captain who formally initiated contact between Native Hawaiians and the Western world, hadn’t arrived in the islands yet either. In fact, he didn’t even leave England until July 12, 1776, one week after the Declaration of Independence. If he knew about the colonies and their rebellion, I don’t think he cared to share news of America’s independence as he traveled across Polynesia.
And so I return to the question. So what? America is turning 250 years old. Why should Hawai‘i’s residents care?
Our Semiquincentennial Commission
Hawai‘i, at least officially, does care to a degree.
Hawai‘i has a state commission created to oversee Independence Day celebrations for America’s 250th birthday, known also as the Hawai‘i Semiquincentennial Commission.
The organization was formed by Governor Josh Green through an executive order on December 15, 2023. It is largely organized by Peter Young, a former Hawai‘i County official and former Department of Land and Natural Resources chair under Republican Governor Linda Lingle.
Without government funding to support the state commission’s efforts, there was little in the way of supporting any state presence in D.C., Young explained in one recent interview.
Hawai‘i might not be alone, though. Hawai‘i, alongside 10 other states across the country, is not participating in the Great American State Fair in Washington D.C. Partisan discord is discoloring this year’s celebrations, which makes Independence Day a bit bitter.
George Washington, who famously preached against partisanship in his Farewell Address, would be disappointed. Celebrating America’s 250th birthday should be non-partisan. So should one’s willingness to readily tout this country’s rich and nuanced history.
Maybe that’s why it initially feels a little weird to celebrate Independence Day. But then I correct myself. It actually shouldn’t be weird to celebrate something like Independence Day.
If we have the luxury to think about this country’s problems, we’re frustrated with the United States every other day of the year. One day of pride won’t kill us.
Our Independence Day is a reckoning with the United States of America’s progression from a collection of colonies to the wealthiest and most diverse republic in the history of the world. It’s a reckoning with the power of history and the true scope of change over time.
Hawai‘i has historically shown a willingness to celebrate this country’s Independence Day. In the ’70s, efforts to celebrate America’s 200th anniversary (bicentennial) were much more expansive. Planning began in 1970 with the passage of Act 98 into law by Governor John A. Burns (celebrations were set to happen in 1976). Records at the State Archive detail the extent of this extensive planning.
In contrast, our celebrations this year seem to be very muted. That’s the feeling I get across Hawai‘i. Maybe I’ll see an America250 flag in someone’s yard in ‘Ewa or Kailua on O‘ahu, but that’s about the extent of what I see as of this writing.
Maybe this is just another Independence Day.
The Scope of 250 Years
Hawai‘i’s radically changed in the last 250 years. So has the United States of America.
Celebrating America’s 250th birthday is not about the birthday itself. It’s about marking what America, as a country, means to its people one-quarter of a millennium after its founding.
The question extends to the people of Hawai‘i, too. What does it mean to be an American as a resident of Hawai‘i in 2026?
The majority of Hawai‘i’s residents are still U.S. citizens with U.S. passports. If they aren’t U.S. citizens, they may aspire to become U.S. citizens.
Hawai‘i should take this Independence Day to really reflect on how it is a part of the United States. It’s not a partisan question of the past. It’s a practical matter of the future.
Perry Arrasmith can be reached at hello@perryarrasmith.com.
For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up here for our free Daily Edition newsletter.
