Ua Mau ke Ea o ka ʻĀina i ka Pono
July 31st is Lā Hoʻihoʻi Ea, a kingdom holiday that dates back to 1843. It celebrates the return of sovereignty that took place after Lord George Paulet seized control of the Hawaiian kingdom for six months. Paulet even ordered all Hawaiian flags lowered and destroyed. When his superior, Admiral Richard Thomas found out about what Paulet had done, he sailed to Hawaiʻi, returned the Hawaiian flag to its rightful place, and restored Hawaiian sovereignty. The ceremony took place at the area that bears his name today, Thomas Square. In 1987, grassroots efforts began to commemorate Lā Hoʻihoʻi Ea again, and now there are celebrations on many different islands.
Mahalo nui also to the makers of Paʻa ke Aupuni for allowing us to use their footage. If you want a brief introduction to Hawaiian kingdom history, please watch the full film.
