Now that he is out of public office, former U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka is calling on the next generation of public officials from Hawaii to continue his work of spreading the aloha spirit at home, in the halls of Congress and throughout the country.

"To all of you who are elected officials, that have to do the people’s work, remember that in all you do, do it with aloha. It makes a huge difference," Akaka said Monday upon being honored as the first recipient of the state Aloha Order of Merit, established 20 years ago.

Akaka received the award at a ceremony in the state House chamber attended by friends and family members that included some of his 15 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. After the Kawaiaha‘o Church Choir serenaded him from the chamber gallery, Akaka decided to go off program and sing the "Hawaiian Lullaby (Where I Live, There Are Rainbows)," accompanied by his sons playing guitars.

Lawmakers past and present, including Gov. Neil Abercrombie and former Govs. George Ari­yo­shi, John Wai­hee, Ben Caye­tano and Linda Lingle, were among those who packed the House chamber for the event.

"When one considers the idea of aloha, I think I am not far wrong if I say that the name Daniel Akaka follows soon after," Abercrombie said in presenting the award.

Akaka spent 36 years in Congress, the last 22 in the Senate — where he was the first Native Hawaiian to serve — before retiring when his most recent term ended at the beginning of this year. Akaka was chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee from 2007 to 2011, then became chairman of the Indian Affairs Committee.

The Aloha Order of Merit was created by the state Legislature in 1993. It recognizes individuals who have provided distinguished service — nationally or internationally — to the state, devoted themselves to the betterment of Hawaii or brought honor to the state.

Honorees are selected by a committee and approved through a concurrent resolution. Akaka was selected in 2012, and the committee waited until he returned to Hawaii to conduct the ceremony.

State Sen. Brickwood Galu­te­ria, chairman of the three-person selection committee, said members wanted to set the bar high for the award’s first recipient.

"We figured there’s nobody more appropriate to give the inaugural award to than Mr. Aloha," he said.

In addition to a koa wood medal, members of the Aloha Order of Merit may serve as emissaries for the people of Hawaii, if requested by the governor.

"Well, we’ll see, but we need to spread the word," Akaka said. "Anyone who was born in Hawaii or lives in Hawaii captures that spirit, but we’ve got to share it.

"That’s what it’s all about."