ʻ Iolani Palace Royal Coat of Arms

In 1842, at the direction of King Kamehameha III, Timothy Ha‘alilio, Private Secretary to the King, designed a coat of arms for the Kingdom of Hawaiʻ i. The Royal Advisor, the Rev. William Richards, then commissioned the College of Arms in London to prepare a design which would be in alignment with the practices of European nobility. In 1845, it was adopted by the Legislative Assembly.

ʻIolani Palace Coat of Arms
A MaryAnn Hylton Casting of the ʻ Iolani Palace Coat of Arms

Beginning at the piko, the center, according to The Polynesian, a “triangular flag at the fess point, was an ancient flag of the Hawaiian chiefs which was raised at sea, above the sail of their canoes, and the sail at that time being of a peculiar construction, it presented a very beautiful appearance.”

Expanding out, the quartered shield has in its 1st and 4th quarters red, white and blue stripes which represent the eight inhabited Hawaiian Islands.

The 2nd and 3rd quarters each have a white pulo‘ulo‘u on a yellow ground. In ancient times, according to The Polynesian, these were placed in a leaning position, across two spears in front of the home of an aliʻ i, to indicate kapu status and to demark protected spaces, “or a place of refuge, to which persons might flee from danger and be safe.”The name of the flag was Puela and name of the cross on which it lies Alia. Both the balls and the flag had on some occasions a religious signification, but their appropriateness to a coat of arms results from the above characteristics.”

Atop the shield, which is protected by an elaborate border, rests the crown of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻ i. Flanking the shield are the two royal twins, Kamanawa and Kame‘eiamoku. They are “clad in the ancient feather cloak and helmet of the Islands, the one bearing a kahili (Kame‘eiamoku on the right) and the other a spear (Kamanawa on the left) as in the processions of former times.”

The twins were Chiefs from the Kohala and North Kona districts of Hawaiʻ i. They were uncles of Kamehameha Paiʻ ea, and his counselors his wars to conquer the other islands.

The drawings for these insignia and cultural objects were taken from the original items presented by Aliʻ i Kalaniʻ ōpuʻ u in 1778 to Captain James Cook.

The motto reads: “Ua mau ke ea o ka ʻ āina i ka pono” – “The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness”.

According to the Polynesian, the motto “refers to the speech of the King at the time of cession, February 25, 1843. ‘I have given away the life of the land. I have hope that the life of the land will be restored when my conduct is justified.’”

“It very naturally alludes to the righteousness of the British government, in returning the Island to their legal sovereign, to the righteousness of the Hawaiian which secured the restoration, and to the general principle, that it is only by righteousness that national existence is preserved.”

The design was modified slightly during the reign of King Kalākaua.

The Royal Coat of Arms is displayed at the Huliheʻ e Palace in Kailua-Kona, Hawaiʻ i, at the Maunaʻ ala, the Royal Mausoleum, and at ʻ Iolani Palace on Oʻ ahu to honor the great Kings and Queens of the Hawaiian monarchy.

Herb Kawainui Kane’s deep love of the Hawaiian culture brought him in contact with many historians and kupuna to recreate the story of Hawaiian life. In a meeting at the Bishop Estate, Mr. Kane was asked to make a sculpture of the Hawaiian Kingdom Coat of Arms.Herb Kane took an impression of the Royal Coat of Arms, originally designed by native Hawaiian Timothy Haalili and later cast in Italy.

From that impression, Mr. Kane created the mold that depicts the superb detail of the original design.

Herb later licensed the rights to this mold to MaryAnn Hylton who offered the bas-relief in antiqued true bronze and antiqued pewter. These rich finishes allow all of the unique details and texture of the original sculpture to be revealed.

Only three of these pieces made by MaryAnn Hylton under license by Herb Kane remain available for sale.

They are in the white raw-stone form, but can be finished in hand-rubbed atomized bronze or pewter, each piece hand-made and finished to the highest standards of materials and workmanship, as befitting its historical value, if the purchaser wishes. Any additional finish would be a separate cost paid to the artisan doing the work.

These three works of art are being sold as a fundraiser for the Friends of Kalākaua Park to help with the on-going restoration.

If you cherish Hawai‘i’s colorful heritage and wish to own a true treasure from Hawaii’s history, perhaps curating one of these unique pieces is for you.

Contact info(at)LeiDay(dot)org to make an appointment to view them.

Composition

The coat of arms is hand-poured of cast stone, a natural mineral product.

The remaining three pieces are unfinished. Finished, approximately six layers of finish, including true atomized bronze, are hand-applied and burnished. Adding finish would be a separate cost paid to the artisan doing the work.

  • 20” x 24” x apx 2” relief
  • Hand-poured from cast stone
  • Hand-finished with antiqued true bronze
  • Weatherproof in temperate climates
  • $1,500 plus shipping, unfinished
  • 100% of this price is donated to Friends of Kalākaua Park for their ongoing preservation work. Kalākaua Park hosts the annual Hilo Lei Day Festival.

Contact info(at)LeiDay(dot)org to make an appointment to view them.

Upcoming Events 2022-2023

While in this new paradigm we have to be mindful that things can change at the last minute, we are looking forward to participating in the following events through this year and the next.

  • September 10, Saturday, 10am – 3pm: He Hali’a Aloha no Liliʻuokalani, Liliʻuokalani Gardens
  • November: He Inoa no Kalākaua, Kalākaua Park
  • May 1: Hilo Lei Day Festival, Kalākaua Park
  • June: Kamehameha Day, Piʻ opiʻ o
  • July: Hilo Orchid Festival, Edith Kanakaʻole Stadium

In addition to the events, we participate in workdays to support the venues above, and we hold a variety of workshops, classes, and training sessions throughout the year.

We are looking forward to seeing you and getting to know you better as we learn and share Hawaiian culture and arts!

To stay up to date, join our mailing list at this link.

Hilo Orchid Show

A huge mahalo to the Hilo Orchid Society for another wonderful show!

Bobby Jean Leithead-Todd harvested kūkapaila materials for the Hilo Lei Day Festival booth, and demonstrated and taught lei-making all three days. She also had her gorgeous collection of pāpale and lei there, as well as a portion of her library, for people to see. Friends and ʻohana also brought materials throughout the three-day event.

Marcia Timboy and Ola Jenkins, our other Hilo Lei Day Festival stalwarts were there throughout the weekend demonstrating and teaching.

You can participate, too! Sign up on our e-mail list for updates on events, workshops, and classes!

Also, a “Mahalo nunui!” to Friends of Liliʻ uokalani Gardens for the loan of their table, table cloths, and for buying our booth!

Our next event will be at Liliʻuokalani Gardens He Haliʻ a Aloha no Liliʻ uokalani. Though covid necessitated a break in holding the event, the Friends of Liliʻ uokalani Gardens has been busy (appropriately masked and distanced)! Check out their Facebook page to see what they have been up to!

We really wanted to shrink like Alice in Wonderland and move into these fairy houses in Orchid Land!

Bee careful what you plant, please

Join our mailing list for information on events, workshops, and classes!

With so much of our land now developed, it is important that we plant with pollinators in mind. Here in Hawaiʻ i, we need to be even more mindful. Many popular pollinator plants are invasive and will move into native habitat and push out out endemic species, so please be mindful when selecting your plants.

There are many beautiful native plants that thrive in home gardens and landscaping. Native pollinators already are adapted to them, and with a little planning, you can select plants that benefit our local bee industry, as well as the native insects. While it is true that few of the native fauna remain in human-populated areas, if we do not plant with them in mind, those few will become none.

Remember, native plants are essential for a healthy ecosystem!

Here are some links to help you:

Pollinator Friendly Gardens in Hawaiʻ i

Plants for Bees in Hawaiʻ i

Big Island Beekeepers Association