Aloha kākou!
Tomorrow is the annual celebration of Kamehameha Day; a day of observance in honor of Kamehameha the Great; unequivocally the greatest King of Hawaiʻi nei. Although information about when he was born is very scarce due to the fact that he was birthed surreptitiously, we do have accounts through written and oral history passed down over centuries. We do know, according to stories and first hand accounts that he was born at Kokoiki in Kohala on the Big Island. Alapaʻinui, whom was "the aliʻi nui of the island of Hawaiʻi" at the time was in a way, threatened by the birth of Kamehameha after being warned by a kahuna that Kamehameha would eventually grow up a mighty ruler and in due course, conquer him and his throne. In fear of what would happen to her child, Kekuʻiapoiwa (Kamehameha's mother) was taken to her cousin, Kahaʻōpulani to a cave in Kohala by the chief, Naeʻole, and blanketed under olonā fibers. This protected Kamehameha from warriors who were ordered to find the child. As a child, he spent the remainder of the next five years in ʻĀwini with Kahaʻōpulani, his foster mother and given the name Paiʻea (hard-shelled crab). The rest, as they say, is HIStory. His Story which includes the lifting of the Naha stone, birthing the idea of the Splintered Paddle Law, the battle of Kepaniwai and of course, the unification of the islands of Hawaiʻi.
The Slaps Wind represents the idea Kamehameha brought forth for the Hawaiian flag, in-part influenced by the British flag presented to Kamehameha by Captain Vancouver, with the eight stripes representing the eight islands. If you're in town tomorrow morning and are out and about for the Kamehameha Day festivities, make sure to stop by the Ali'i Aimoku Kamehameha Statue where the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi Royal Guards will be posted donned in malo, kīhei and paʻu. "Mea'ai; moa ko'a, kalua pua'a, kalo, rice, rabbit salad, desert of tapioca cake, juice and ice water and coffee will provided."