Mr. President. this year marks the 100th anniversary of the arrival of the first Japanese contract laborers to Hawaii. The descendants of these pioneers in Hawaii and the continental United States have achieved success and prominence in our society. as scientists and physicians. as academicians and artists. as a Governor and an astronaut. as U.S. Senators. Congressmen. and mayors. as leaders in business and labor. and in many more fields of endeavor. Celebrations in Hawaii marking the arrival of these first Japanese immigrantsknown as the "kanyaku imin"-were honored by the presence of members of the Japan royal family. Prince and Princess Hitachi. Among the many speeches that accompanied these events. none was more eloquent and deeply meaningful than that of Princess Abigail Kekaulike Kawananakoa on June 16. 1985. in Honolulu. She is the last descendant of the Kamehameha family line. the royal family of the Hawaiian Islands. If Hawaii had not been annexed by the United States in 1898. and instead remained an independent nation. its monarch today would be Princess Kawananakoa. Her remarks on this occasion. from one royal family to another. reflected the unique history of Hawaii as a crossroads for the native Hawaiian people and immigrants from Japangroups diverse in cultural heritage and background but joined in a warm love for the aloha of the Hawaiian Islands. Mr. President.
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immigrants contract laborers immigrantsknown