The words spoken by Kauikeaouli (Kamehameha III), “Ua mau ke ea o ka aina i ka pono,” came to life on Tuesday when he rose again from the plains of Kulaokahu‘a to bring our Native Hawaiian community together with others who call Hawaii home.
Sadly, we have too few such occasions where the history of Hawaii can be visually and spiritually portrayed for all to experience.
Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s words, coupled with those of Betty Lou Kam, artist Thomas Jay Warren, Royal Hawaiian Band Director Clarke Bright, Honolulu Fire Chief Manuel Neves and historian Puakea Nogelmeier in the presence of our youth from the Kamehameha Schools, with ho‘ailona Manu-o-Ku circling overhead, set the wonderful tone for the day.
In the course of the ceremony, my thoughts drifted to Dr. Richard Kekuni Blaisdell, who always gave life to this day in the past. He would have loved the day. Kudos must go to the mayor’s Culture and Arts staff who made the day so memorable.
Even Queen Elizabeth weighed in on the occasion, sending her regards from Buckingham Palace. One can only contemplate our lives today if the action of Queen Elizabeth’s great, great grandmother, Queen Victoria, and her commander in the Pacific, Adm. Richard Thomas, had served as a guide for Presidents Grover Cleveland and William McKinley. Yet, in many ways the kingdom and the legacies of our past leaders continue.
For those who have questioned the financial cost associated with Thomas Square renovations: Functions of the heart and soul have no price tag. Remember, there were those who supported tearing down Iolani Palace and Hale Koa to make way for a parking lot for the “new” Capitol Building, and there are those who continue to quibble over the Natatorium restoration on this, the 100th year of the Armistice.
What wonderful historical stories could we relate today to our generations if the homes of our ali‘i, ‘Ainahau (Princess Ka‘iulani), Pualeilani (Queen Kapi‘olani), and Keoua Hale (Princess Ruth), still stood as historical repositories of our past legacies.
A note to those who remain unconvinced: Remember that our famed Kamehameha I statue commissioned by King Kalakaua for his coronation, which today enjoys such popularity, initially cost the kingdom about $12,000. This equates to a cost of about $285,000 in today’s U.S. dollars, so in reality we really got a bargain for Kauikeaouli. And remember Kamehameha I was duplicated because of a transit accident in the Falkland Islands.
Let us continue to give credence to celebrating our unique past and the brave souls who lived and made decisions that have influenced our lives and made Hawaii the unique place it holds in the Pacific and in the world today.
Let us all continue to celebrate and commemorate La Ho‘iho‘i Ea.
Hardy Spoehr, the former executive director of Papa Ola Lokahi (Native Hawaiian Health Board), describes himself as a retired person fortunate enough to have had caring mentors and a fulfilling life.
