The Sword of History

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs is a semi-autonomous government agency established at the height of the Hawaiian cultural and political renaissance to expend public funds for the benefit of Native Hawaiians. In The Sword of History Troy Andrade offers a legal and political history of this agency in order to excavate its role in the ongoing struggle for Native Hawaiian self-determination. Andrade demonstrates how the framing of past events in connection with present-day lawmaking perpetuates narratives of either justice or injustice, which in turn support or undermine the legal bases for reparative action. He sheds light on how history becomes a metaphorical sword that is wielded by those with power to control reconciliation efforts.

  Using legal records, archival materials, and personal interviews, this manuscript expands on legal-historical understandings of the use of collective memory in different legal institutions, such as through state constitution building, legislation, and court opinions. Andrade deftly weaves a compelling narrative out of these complex and often fraught legal battles, which often had implications far beyond the Hawaiian state. Ultimately this book offers a novel perspective on the complicated legal politics surrounding indigeneity in the U.S. writ large.