Aloha kākou!
This Saturday we celebrate King Kamehameha Day here in Hawaiʻi, and to commemorate the day fit for our king, we created a brand new snapback entitled Eō, which translates to “Yes, I’m here” (in response to a name chant in one’s honor) in Hawaiian.
The design of the Eō snapback centers around the patch on the front panels, known to all as the Coat of Arms representing the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi. This seal is an important piece of Hawaiian history, with each part carrying a deeper meaning beyond the visual surface.
In the center of the seal is a shield split into quadrants. The upper left and lower right quadrants feature the eight white, red, and blue stripes representing the main islands. The upper right and lower left quadrants feature Puloʻuloʻu (kapu sticks) which would be placed outside the King’s doorway for protection. The center is home to the ancient triangular Puela flag which was raised at sea by Hawaiian chiefs, along with two spears in a crossed position which is called Alia.
The two men standing on the left and right sides of the central shield are depictions of high chiefs Kamanawa (holding the spear) and his twin brother Kameʻeiamoku (holding the kahili). These two men were incredibly important to Kamehameha’s ascension to the throne, as they were among the first to support him in his rebellion against Kīwalaʻō, the ruler of the island of Hawaiʻi. They were also part of the fabled “Five Kona Chiefs” which became Kamehameha’s core council.
The statement running across the bottom of the Coat of Arms, “Ua Mau ke Ea o ka ʻĀina i ka Pono,” was first expressed by Kamehameha III after the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi was returned to the Hawaiian people by the British in 1843. For five long months, the islands were wrongfully occupied through the force of Captain George Paulet. The act became known as the Paulet Affair. When the British government finally found out, Admiral Richard Thomas was sent to end the occupation and restore the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi, thus spawning those famous words that became our state motto, translated to mean "The Life of the Land is Perpetuated in Righteousness."
The Coat of Arms patch on the Eō snapback is perfectly complimented by the red corduroy on the front panels and visor, along with red mesh around the back, resulting in a very classic look. The sides feature tonal red embroidery while the back features a yellow and red crest. A yellow rope stands out along the top of the visor, and the yellow sweatband also pops through the mesh panels. Our newest tag is seen next to the white snap enclosure, featuring the Hawaiian flag facing out and our motto “Aloha Served Daily” when flipped over.
Releasing alongside the Eō snapback is a clean new design on two tops. They both feature small embroidered crests on the front left chest, with small embroidered crowns on the back, with the white EMB tee featuring red embroidery and the black EMB tank top featuring yellow embroidery.
