Celebrate Sovereignty Restoration Day in Paʻauilo

Hui Mālama i ke Ala ʻŪlili (huiMAU), a grassroots organization based in Paʻauilo, Hāmākua, will host a community event in celebration of the 175th anniversary of Lā Hoʻihoʻi Ea at the Paʻauilo School Field on Saturday, July 28, 2018, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Lā Hoʻihoʻi Ea (Sovereignty Restoration Day) was celebrated for over half-a-century in the Hawaiian Kingdom as Hawaiʻi’s first national holiday. The holiday commemorates the events that took place in Honolulu on July 31, 1843, when British Admiral Richard Thomas ended a five-month British occupation of Hawaiʻi, recognizing the sovereign authority of Kauikeaouli (Kamehameha III) and restoring ea (life, sovereignty) to the Hawaiian Kingdom.

It was on this day that Kauikeaouli rejoiced, stating his famous words, “Ua mau ke ea o ka ʻāina i ka pono” (The sovereignty of the land continues on because it is pono).

Event organizers hope this event brings the Hāmākua community together to celebrate their own ea—the abundance of knowledge, skills, values and life-giving practices in our community, past and present, that hold the potential for our return to a thriving Hāmākua and Hawaiʻi Island community in the future.

“We welcome all in our community to come share in this family-friendly, drug- and alcohol-free event, featuring local food and craft vendors, farmers, games for the whole ʻohana, educational activity booths for all ages, speakers and live music by Kainani Kahaunaele, Ho-a, Chadd Paishon, and Jon & Jamaica Osorio,” said event organizers in a press release.

For more information, find huiMAU on Facebook or Instagram, or go online.