KE AUPUNI UPDATE - JULY 2025
Hawaiiʻs First National Holiday
On February 11, 1843 a British naval officer, Captain Lord George Paulet, arrived in Honolulu to investigate a land dispute complaint by Richard Charlton, the British Consul to Hawaii.
When negotiations with King Kamehameha III did not go his way, Paulet seized control of the Hawaiian Kingdom for the British Crown. Paulet did not know that three envoys from Hawaii — Timoteo Ha’alilio, William Richards and Sir George Simpson — were already in England negotiating with the United Kingdom to formally recognize the Hawaiian Kingdom as a sovereign country. Upon learning of Paulet’s brazen seizure of Hawaii, the delegation filed a diplomatic protest with British authorities.
On July 26, 1843 British Admiral Richard Thomas, arrived in Honolulu to put an end to Paulet’s illegal occupation. On July 31 at a site now called, Thomas Square (in honor of the admiral) the British flag was lowered and the flag of Hawaii was raised acknowledging Hawai‘i’s sovereignty and restoring King Kamehameha III as the rightful ruler.
At a speech at Kawaiaha‘o Church later that day, King Kamehameha III declared, Ua mau ke eā o ka ‘āina i ka pono (The sovereignty of the land is perpetuated in righteousness). It became the official motto of the Hawaiian Kingdom and was such a good motto that even the fake Territory and State of Hawaii adopted it for their motto too.
King Kamehameha III declared July 31 to be celebrated as Lā Hoʻihoʻi Ea, Sovereignty Restoration Day in perpetuity. So, from 1843 to 1893, it was robustly celebrated throughout the Kingdom as a week-long national holiday marked by patriotic speeches and activities; music, crafts, games, food and community events.
But in 1893, Hawai‘i once again came under an illegal occupation, this time by greedy traitors and seditious foreigners backed by a ruthless U.S. minister with a fully armed force of U.S. sailors and marines.
The usurpers banned celebrations of Lā Ho‘iho‘i Ea, along with other national holidays such as Lā Ku‘oko’a, Hawaiiʻs Independence Day. Unlike the one that began in 1893, the illegal occupation of 1843 lasted, morphing into the fake “Territory of Hawaii”, then todayʻs fake “State of Hawaii”.
In 1985. however, Hawaiian national scholar, patriot and activist Dr. Kekuni Blaisdell and friends revived Lā Ho‘iho‘i Ea to assert and celebrate Hawaii’s sovereignty, despite the nearly century-long U.S. occupation. Lā Ho‘iho‘i Ea is now celebrated by a huge gathering at Thomas Square in Honolulu, and by numerous gatherings and activities throughout the islands.
This year, even the “State of Hawaii”, joins inrecognizing Lā Ho‘iho‘i Eā and Lā Ku‘oko’a, as Hawaiian Kingdom national holidays. Another sign that a Free Hawaii is getting close…
Aloha ʻĀina —
“Love of country is deep-seated in the breast of every Hawaiian, whatever his station.” — Queen Liliʻuokalani
Ua mau ke ea o ka ʻāina i ka pono.
The sovereignty of the land is perpetuated in righteousness.
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For the latest news and developments about our progress at the United Nations in both New York and Geneva, tune in to Free Hawaii News at 7 PM, the first Friday of each month on ʻŌlelo Television, Channel 53.
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Malama Pono,
Leon Siu
Hawaiian National
