King Kamehameha Day 2021 significance, history and other details about this special event

On June 11, the Hawaiian state of the United States of America celebrates King Kamehameha I Day. Kamehameha the Great, the Hawaiian monarch who was the first to unify the Hawaiian Islands of Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, Maui, and Hawai'i, was named after him. A duplicate of this statue can be found at Emancipation Hall at the Capitol Visitor Center in Washington, D.C., and in Hilo, Hawai'i. Read on to know more about King Kamehameha day 2021, its history, significance and more.

Kamehameha day significance

Kamehameha Day is a Hawaiian public holiday that includes a day off for the general public as well as school and business closures. Kamehameha the Great was the ruler of Hawaii from 1782 until 1819. He united and founded the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1810, for which he is well-known. Kamehameha Day is celebrated every year on June 11 in his honour. 

Kamehameha day history

To honour his grandpa, Kamehameha I, Kamehameha V (on December 22, 1871) designated June 11 as King Kamehameha Day. It was almost intended to replace Hawaiian Sovereignty Restoration Day (on July 31), which the monarch and ministers disliked due to the Paulet Affair's connection.

The holiday was initially honoured the following year. In the late 1800s, King Kamehameha I Day celebrations included carnivals and fairs, foot races, horse races, and velocipede races. The Governor of Hawai'i and the Hawai'i State Legislature established King Kamehameha I Day as one of the first holidays when Hawai'i became a state in 1959.

King Kamehameha I Day is celebrated today with elaborate activities that harken back to ancient Hawai'i and honour the cultural traditions that Kamehameha fought to maintain as his society transitioned toward European influences. The King Kamehameha Hula Competition takes place over two days at the Neil S. Blaisdell Center, and it attracts hula groups from all around the world. Prizes are given out on the second night.

Kamehameha Day celebration

The celebrations include a traditional Pa‘u Parade and a Ho‘olaule‘a. The activities are organised by the King Kamehameha Celebration Commission and several community organisations. The celebration's most important ceremony dates back to 1901 when the Territory of Hawai'i was created. The Kamehameha Statue in front of Aliiolani Hale and Iolani Palace on King Street in downtown Honolulu is wrapped in long strands of lei during the afternoon draping ritual.

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