No Makou ka Mana: Liberating the Nation asserts that the founders of the Hawaiian Kingdom exercised their own agency and were not just acted upon by foreign powers. The ruling ali`i selectively appropriated tools and ideas from the West – including laws, religion, educational models, protocols, weapons, printing and map-making technologies, seafaring vessels, clothing, names and international alliances.

The result? A hybrid system based on an enduring tradition of Hawaiian governance and intended to preserve, strengthen, and maintain the Lahui. Using rare primary documents and “Oiwi optics”, Kamanamaikalani Beamer offers a new point of reference for understanding the motivations, methods, and accomplishments of Hawaii’s great leaders.