Recognizing the 120th anniversary of the immigration of Filipinos to Hawai’i.

Recognizing the 120th anniversary of the immigration of Filipinos to Hawai’i.

Whereas, in 1906, 15 brave young Filipino men, later known as Sakadas, embarked on a perilous transoceanic journey to Hawai‘i, becoming the first wave of Filipino immigrants to sustain the sugar and pineapple plantation economy that fueled Hawai‘i’s economic development, pursuing opportunity, building new lives, and intertwining their stories with the islands’ evolving identity;

Whereas, by 1932, 35,000 or 70 percent of plantation workers were Filipino, and there were very few women and children;

Whereas Sakadas toiled under some of the harshest and most exploitative conditions imposed on plantation workers, enduring the lowest wages, grueling labor, racial discrimination, physical abuse, and systemic exploitation, while being confined to plantation camps;

Whereas, despite these injustices, Sakadas displayed courage, solidarity, and perseverance as they united workers across ethnic lines, organized labor actions, and ignited the labor movement in Hawai‘i, securing meaningful improvements in wages, dignity, and working and living conditions for generations to come;

Whereas among the most prominent Sakada leaders was Pablo Manlapit, who arrived in Hawai‘i in 1910 and later became the first Filipino lawyer in Hawai‘i and organized Filipino plantation workers in multiple labor strikes, for which he was arrested on charges of conspiracy, imprisoned, and ultimately deported to the Philippines in 1934;

Whereas the Sakadas brought with them diverse Philippine languages, including the ‘Ilokano, Cebuano, and other regional languages, which served as the primary means of communication and as vehicles for preserving cultural knowledge, historical memory, and community cohesion within plantation life in Hawai‘i;

Whereas many Sakadas laid down permanent roots in Hawai‘i, raising families and establishing communities such that Filipino Americans would grow into the largest non-White and Asian-American group in the State, comprising approximately one-quarter of Hawai‘i’s population;

Whereas the 1906 arrival of the first 15 Sakadas who immigrated to Hawai‘i also represents the beginning of the sustained and diverse immigration of Filipinos to the United States;

Whereas, through their labor, leadership, and cultural legacy, Sakadas and their descendants have made enduring and transformative contributions to Hawai‘i’s agriculture, education, tourism, health, cuisine, arts, and civic life, leaving an indelible and irreplaceable imprint on the social, economic, and cultural fabric of the islands; and

Whereas the State of Hawai‘i honors the legacy of these pioneering Filipino immigrants by observing Sakada Day annually on December 20, in recognition of their unmatched sacrifices and historic contributions: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives commemorates the 120th anniversary of the immigration of Filipino plantation workers to Hawai‘i and honors the Sakadas for their profound, lasting, and unparalleled contributions to the history, economy, and cultural identity of the State of Hawai‘i.