Site chosen for Battle of Hanapepe memorial on Kauai

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Plans for a memorial commemorating the 1924 Battle of Hanapepe, which was instrumental in shaping Hawaii’s labor rights, are moving forward on Kauai.

The state Department of Accounting and General Services (DAGS) has chosen Hanapepe Filipino Cemetery as the memorial site.

Just over a century ago, Filipino workers across the territory’s sugar plantations went on strike.

Workers had demands for higher pay, from one dollar to two dollars, and fewer working hours from 10 hours a day to eight hours.

On Sept. 8, 1924, a Visayan strike camp kidnapped two Ilocano strike breakers trying to cross the picket line.

Sheriffs and police tried to free the captured men the following day. However a deadly confrontation broke out, resulting in deaths of 16 Filipino strikers and four police officers, and over 100 arrests.

The strikers that were killed are buried in a mass grave at the Hanapepe Filipino Cemetery.

“Because of these plantation workers’ sacrifices, powerful unions exist today to advocate for worker’s rights,” said Gov. Josh Green.

The state says a memorial will be built at the front of the Hanapepe Filipino Cemetery, and will have two concrete columns with a gap in between symbolizing two sides of the conflict.

“The way they’re oriented is that no matter the time of day, there’s always a shadow cast,” said DAGS Kauai District Office program manager Eric Agena. “The shadow represents that dark chapter of labor history.”

The memorial is expected to be installed late next year.

“This is very important for us because it is going to allow us to honor those who lost their lives in this battle that was really about changing the future of labor in the state of Hawaii,” said DAGS director Keith Regan.

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