Ho'okipa Beach, one of the best beaches where surfing and bodysurfing. Some warn of danger crosses. Maui. Native Hawaiians seeking sovereignty in recent years, a major political issue has been achieving some form of sovereignty for Native Hawaiians. The control of about two million acres of land is still in play. In 1996, about two hundred thousand indigenous descendants of islanders voted to establish some form of autonomy. In August 1998, on the 100th anniversary of the addition of Hawaii as a U.S. state, some demonstrators marched in Washington DC, demanding complete sovereignty of the federal government. In July 2000, the movement received support in the form of a bill that was introduced by Senator Daniel Akaka Hawaiian. This project required to be allowed Native Hawaiians to form their own government and have a legal status similar to that of American Indians.