They Cried for Help

About the Book

King Kamehameha III of Hawaii hoped that his historic land reformation would lead to a fair distribution of land among his people. However, the chiefs (konohiki) ended up with 1,571,340 acres, while the commoners (hoa'aina) received only 28,653. Using historical documents, this book explores the reasons for the inequality. Many commoners, for example, were pressured by their chiefs to abandon their claims, so land diverted to the chiefs. Commoners petitioned the government for relief, to no avail. They cried for help, but as Kamakau, a native historian, said: "There was no powerful chief to stand back of the people...."

About the Author

Born and raised in Hawaii, Jon J. Chinen is a decorated World War II combat veteran, serving with the 100th/442nd unit. He subsequently earned his law degrees at the University of Michigan, and after returning to Hawaii, he served as a Deputy Attorney General, specializing in land problems, then as a State District Judge, and later in private practice, handling land matters. In 1976, Chinen was appointed United States Bankruptcy Judge for Hawaii, serving until his retirement in 2000. His previous publications have been The Great Mahele: Hawaii's Land Division and Original Land Titles in Hawaii, often used as textbooks.