HONOLULU (KHON2) — The City and County of Honolulu held a commemoration for the 183rd anniversary of Lā Hoʻihoʻi Ea, or Sovereignty Restoration Day, on July 27 at Thomas Square Park.
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Lā Hoʻihoʻi Ea, which is officially on July 31, honors the day in which sovereignty of the islands was returned to King Kamehameha III after a five-month-long British occupation.
The holiday marks the return of the land and brings to light the significance of sovereignty and the right to govern one’s own land.
“The oldest Hawaiian National Holiday, ka Lā Hoʻihoʻi Ea, celebrates the strength and resiliency of the Hawaiian Kingdom and the enduring struggle for justice, sovereignty and self-determination,” event organizer Imaikalani Winchester said. “It serves as a powerful reminder of the legacy of our ancestors who fought to uphold Hawaiian independence against foreign hostility.”
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The holiday comes with words Winchester describes as “powerful,” bringing to light the strength of the kingdom and its people.
“In July, Hawaiʻi echoes the powerful words of Kamehameha III, Kauikeaouli, who, after five months of British occupation over his kingdom, victoriously proclaimed, ‘Ua mau ke ea o ka ʻaina i ka pono,’ — the sovereignty of the Hawaiian National endures through law and order,” Winchester said.
Thomas Square serves as the original site of the restoration that took place back in the 1840s, and has since become the hosting grounds for the celebration since Hawaiian sovereignty advocate Dr. Kekuni Blaisdell revived the holiday in 1985.
In addition to the historical celebration, the event honored individuals who have been key advocates in Hawaiian independence, with advocates Likookalani Martin and the late Abel Simeona Lui being honored this year.
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The community-led gathering was complete with cultural presentations, music, food, education booths and more, with one key moment being the lowering of the Union Jack and the raising of the Hawaiian flag to represent the Hawaiian Kingdom’s restored power.
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