'Ilima, yellow - genus Sida, a relative of the hibiscus the flowers only last a day, which makes preparing genuine 'Ilima leis for parades, or anything, very challenging. Kukui, green - white flowers of the Kukui or candlenut tree the Kukui is also the State Tree, and durable leis are commonly made out of its very hard nuts note that the traditional color here seems to be for the leaves rather than the flowers. Kauna'oa, orange - native orange dodder I once lived on Kauna'oa Street in Honolulu. Hinahina, gray - Florida moss, or the beach heliotrope. Lokelane, pink - a small rose, pink or red the pink variety is now rare. 'Ôhi'a-lehua, or Lehua, red - flowers of the 'Ôhi'a tree, genus Metrosideros. There are also contingents symbolic of each Island, wearing leis made of a flower for each Island, as follows - many details are from the entries in Mary Kawena Pukui & Samuel H. These are the Tûtûs, grandmothers and they wear black, of course, in mourning for the fallen Kingdom. There may be contingents of old women wearing black. Parades in Hawai'i usually contain many symbolic statements. The Kingdom, consequently, actually was left vulnerable to American inteference, which eventually resulted in the overthrow of the Monarchy and annexation - though the refusal of Grover Cleveland to sanction annexation delayed that by seven years, giving Hawai'i, like Texas, a period as an independent Republic under the rule of American settlers. As it happened, contrary to the impression that many may have of 19th century imperialism, Britain was often not interested in taking on additional defense burdens, and was never particularly interested, except for Captain Paulet, in Hawai'i as a possession. At one time, briefly, that was actually a goal of Hawaiian diplomacy, with the idea in mind that British protection would preserve Hawai'i from the interference of other nations. The Union Jack canton was introduced and retained, evidently, with the idea that Hawai'i might, or should be, a British possession. Officially adopted in 1845, the flag dates from 1816 and was perhaps based on a Union Jack presented to Kamehameha I by the British explorer George Vancouver. Rear Admiral Richard Thomas, King Kamehameha III is supposed to have made a thanksgiving speech in Kawaiahao Church, where he said, Ua mau ke ea o ka 'âina i ka pono, "The life of the land is preserved by righteousness ," which became the motto of the Kingdom, Territory, and State. When Hawaiian sovereinty was restored five months later by the commander of the British Pacific Squadron,
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Hawai'i The Kings of Hawai'i Ua mau ke ea o ka 'âina i ka pono.Īlthough the flag of Hawai'i contains the British Union Jack, Hawai'i was never an official British possession - though in February 1843 Lord George Paulet, captain of the frigate Carysfort, imposed British authority.