Shortly before the beginning of the 20th century, the U.S. Army occupies Hawaii and deposes the queen. Since then Harrison is governor over the archipelago. The Hawaiian princess Lia has more or less come to terms with the new balance of power and she prefers to stay in Paris, where in her childhood her parents allowed her an education. As a child Lia was already betrothed to prince Lilo-Taro, but he loves life more than his homeland and he travels a lot. Meanwhile, a large part of the native Hawaiians have enough of the American occupiers. The king's faithful followers have elected Kanako Hilo as their leader and they hope he will be successful in expelling the colonial rulers.