Today there is reason to recall one of the states of the United States, which is almost four thousand kilometers away from the mainland. Every year, on June 11 in Hawaii, as well as in some areas of the United States, one of the oldest public holidays — King Kameamea Day ( King Kamehameha Day ) is widely and noisily celebrated.
King Kameamea's Day was proclaimed in 1871 by King Kameamea V in honor of his great grandfather — King Kameamea I or, as he is often called, Kameamea the Great. According to the royal decree, for the first time King Kameamea Day was celebrated on June 11, 1872. Interestingly, this Day was one of the first holidays that was proclaimed after Hawaii received the status of the 50th state of the United States in 1959.
Kameamea the Great was the ruling monarch of the Hawaiian Islands from 1782 until the very last day of his life, on May 8, 1819. He is very well known and respected by the people for their contribution to the unification of the islands and the foundation of the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1810.
Also during his reign, laws were passed that defended human rights during hostilities. Kameamea the Great went down in history as an honest and stable politician. Interestingly, the king’s name translates as « lone » or « loneliness », and sometimes the ruler is called « Napoleon of the Pacific Ocean ».
Traditionally, royal day celebrations include fairs, carnivals, sports competitions, and horse races. One of the favorite spectacles of both local residents and tourists is the Honolulu flower parade, during which the statue of the Great Monarch is luxuriously decorated with traditional Hawaiian garlands of flowers.
Many government agencies and schools are closed that day, and public transport is operating on an abbreviated schedule. Some stores may also be closed.