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.
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.