Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 5, Number 1, 1 January 1988 — Official Hawaiian Flags Dedicated [ARTICLE]

Official Hawaiian Flags Dedicated

Entertainer Patrick Ka'ano'i, who is also a director of the Hutra Hanauna Society, is astudent of the Hawaiian flag. Understanding the Hawaiian flag and its history has been a passion for Ka'ano'i who shared his findings at the birthday celebration of King David Kalakaua Nov. 16 at Mauna 'Ala during whieh time two specially made Hawaiian flags were dedicated. Ka'ano'i notes that although the specifications of the Hawaiian flag have remained the same for 142 years and specifically spelled out in Section 5-4 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes, Historical Notes, there are currently only two locations where it is officially represented — 'Iolani Palaee and Mauna 'Ala.

The fol!owing Hawaiian flag pledge was given for the first time at the Nov. 16 program. E Ka Hae o Hawai'i O Flag of Hawaii Ke Ho'ohanohano nei au ia 'oe; I honor thee; 'O Ka Hae o Hawai'i pono'i. The Flag of Hawai'i pono'i. The historical outline of the flag, Ka'ano'i observed, began Jan. 20, 1778, whieh was Makahiki time. When Captain James Cook eame to Hawaii, his ships flew the red admiralty flag and Union Jack of Great Britain whieh would become an indelible part of Hawaii's memory. The flag had a red field and no stripes.

The first flag to unofficially represent Hawai'i was a British Union Jack presented to King Kamehameha the Great by Captain George Vancouver in 1793. It represented Hawai'i until 1816 when Kamehameha commissioned an official Hawaiian flag with a union jack and usually nine alternating red, white and blue stripes. There were no set standards in the early years. Between Feb. 25 and July 31, 1843, Lord George Paulet of Great Britain, ordered all Hawaiian flags destroyed and the British f!ag flown in its plaee. Hawaii's official independence, however, was restored July 31, 1843, with the raising of a Hawaiian flag at what is today Thomas Square. The formal introduction of Hawaii's current flag of eight alternating stripes of white, red and blue was made in England and was first used May 20, 1845, at the opening of the legislature.

Ka'ano'i described the flag's official ratio as being "1 by 2" as set by law in the HRS section mentioned earlier. He said that most of the so-called Hawaiian flags being flown today are of the commercial variety sold in stores of varying sizes. He insists they are not official Hawaiian flags.

Anyone interested in discussing the Hawaiian flag or finding out more about it may contact Ka'ano'i at 3960469 or you may write him at Huna Hanauna Society, P.O. Box 26416, Honolulu, Hawaii 96825. The organization is described as "a Hawaiian philosophical society."