|
Also See:
Photo Tour of the State Capitol
History of Hawai`i
|
The motto
was adopted by the Kingdom of Hawai`i in 1843. The words were
used in an address by Kamehameha III at ceremonies following the return of
his kingdom from the British. An English sea captain (Paulet)
had, in effect, ceded Hawai`i to England, claiming large debts owed by the
Hawaiian nobility. He was acting a bit beyond his authority, and
Admiral Richard Thomas was dispatched to return sovereignty of the islands
to the King. Thomas Square in Honolulu is named for the Admiral. The seal of the state of
Hawai`i hangs from the mauka (toward the mountains) and makai (toward the
ocean) entrances to the state capitol, and is patterned after the royal coat of arms of the Kingdom of
Hawai`i. From the March/April 1979 issue of Aloha
Magazine on the 20th anniversary of statehood, the symbolism of the seal is described:
 | 1959 represents the date of statehood. |
|
The rising sun replaces the royal crown and Maltese cross
of the original coat of arms, and signifies the birth of a new state. |
|
King Kamehameha the Great and Goddess of Liberty holding the Hawaiian flag replace the two warriors on the royal coat of arms. |
|
The quartered design of the heraldic shield is retained from
the coat of arms. |
|
The four stripes of the Hawaiian flag in each of the first
and fourth quarters represent the eight islands. |
|
Puloulou, or tabu ball and stick, in the second and third
quarters was carried before the king and placed before the door of his
home, signifying his authority and power. Here, it is a symbol of
the authority and power of government. |
|
The star represents the fiftieth star added to the national
flag when Hawaii became a state. |
|
The phoenix, symbol of death and resurrection, symbolizes
the change from the monarchy to a freer democratic form of government. |
|
The eight taro leaves, flanked by banana foliage and maidenhair
fern are typical Hawaiian flora. Taro was the staff of life and had
great religious significance. |
|
The state motto "Ua mau ke ea o ka aina i ka pono", "The
life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness" is retained from the
royal coat of arms. |
|
|
