Hawaiian Hero

George Helm, an inspirational figure for Kanaka Maoli; As I watched the video on George Helm I realized that I really didn’t know much about him so I decided to do some research to share with my class, and anyone who is interested in George Helm.

George Jarrett Helm, Jr. (b. Mar 23, 1950 - Disappeared, 1977) was a Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) activist and musician from Kalama’ula, Moloka’i. He graduated from St. Louis High School on Oahu. George was known for many outstanding qualities such as his beautiful falsetto voice, and guitar playing. He was a powerful speaker, writer and "revolutionary" philosopher who pioneered many sovereignty concepts.

George Helm began his activism with a Moloka’i-based group by the name of Hui Alaloa around 1975. In 1976 he became involved with a group known as The protect Kaho’olawe 'Ohana, which was a Hawaiian led organization that sought to end the bombing of Kaho’olawe. Kaho’olawe was used as target practice by the U.S. Navy since 1941.

In 1976, 9 activists occupied the island of Kaho’olawe, Helm among them. He was moved intensely by the power and beauty of the island, and dedicated the rest of his life to fighting for its protection. Helm appealed to the Hawai’i State legislature and to the U.S. congress for the protection of Kaho’olawe, but the bombing continued, so he and five others, Walter Ritte, Richard Sawyer, Charles Warrington and Francis Ka’uhane decided to occupy the island again in hopes that they would gain greater public recognition. Upon their arrival they were all arrested except for Ritte and Sawyer, who stayed hidden on the island for 35 days, with very limited food and water.

Concerned for their two friends that was left on the island; George Helm, Kimo Mitchell, and Billy Mitchell went in search for them first by boat, then by surfboard. When they reached the island they found that Sawyer and Ritte had been picked up. The next day, the boat that was scheduled to meet them did not come, as it had sunk. Oddly, the three apparently decided to return to Maui despite high surf and a wound to George Helm’s head. The unsolved mystery still haunts many kanaka maoli about what really happened to Goerge Helm and Kimo Mitchell who were last seen near the crescent-shaped islet of Molokini by Billy Mitchell, who was the only survivor of the group.

Today George Helm is remembered as one of the greatest hero’s who surfed, fished, farmed, loved, sang, worshipped and thought in the ways of old. As Helm stated in his letter written on January 29, 1977 “My duty is to protect Mother Earth, who gives me life!” And that my friends, is the legacy of a “True Hawaiian.”

Work Cited

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Helm
Letter written by George Helm January 29, 1977