Hawaii’s state motto, “Ua Mau ke Ea o Aina ai ka Pono,” was born out of conflict in the 19th century when a British sea captain seized Honolulu. King Kamehameha III’s impassioned speech upon the return of sovereignty to the islands included the phrase, which later became the state motto. It symbolizes Hawaii’s resistance to takeover and remains controversial due to the issue of sovereignty.
Perhaps no other motto can compete with the dramatic and historic events that led to the first pronunciation of the Hawaiian state motto: Ua Mau ke Ea o Aina ai ka Pono, or “the life of the earth continues in righteousness.” Born out of a period of major conflict in Hawaiian history, Hawaii’s state motto remains representative of the controversial issue of sovereignty in the 50th state of the United States. Believed to have been spoken by King Kamehameha III, the later adopted motto serves as a reminder of the importance of freedom and justice for survival.
In the 19th century, the independent island kingdom of Hawaii proved extremely attractive to many governments. The island chain’s importance to shipping, whaling, and agriculture made it highly desirable in a world bent on imperialism. The story of the Hawaiian state motto begins against this tense backdrop, when a rash British sea captain, Lord Paulet, seized Honolulu and claimed British sovereignty of the islands. On February 10, 1843, a day long remembered for his infamy, Paulet demanded the surrender of King Kamehameha III and ordered the Hawaiian flag removed and replaced with the British flag.
Although Lord Paulet had been sent to the region to oversee British interests, his actions were neither authorized nor particularly well advised. Although Paulet claimed to be acting on allegations of abuse and harassment by the resident British consul, Queen Victoria and her government acted quickly to challenge her claims. British Admiral Richard Darton Thomas was sent to the island within five months, restoring sovereignty to the king on July 31, 1843. To mark the return of the Hawaiian flag to Honolulu, King Kamehameha III made an impassioned speech, which included the phrase that it would grow to become the state motto of Hawaii.
After the Paulet affair, Ua Mau ke Ea o Aina ai ka Pono became a symbolic phrase denoting the islands’ resistance to takeover. King Kamehameha III placed the phrase on an updated coat of arms, and the term was later included in the seal of the Republic of Hawaii in 1895. In 1900, when the islands were annexed by the United States, the phrase became part of the seal territory. When Hawaii attained statehood in 1959, the term became the Hawaiian state motto. Though Hawaii continues to exist as a US state into the 21st century, those in favor of eventual sovereignty continue to cite this historic phrase as a cry for independence.
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