Page 4 - 150th King Kamehameha Day Celebration - Hilo

4 150TH KING KAMEHAMEHA DAY
AC elebration Commission continues rich tradition
s the chair of the Warrior King of Hawai‘i” by parade honoring ali‘i and pan- King Kamehameha Susan Keyes Morris; “Kame- iolo heritage. Or, you can vol- Celebration Com- hameha: Destiny Fulfilled” by unteer. Every event on each is-
mission, Kainoa Daines has Allan Seidan; “Kamehameha land needs help. These events
the tremendous kuleana (re- sponsibility) of carrying on a rich legacy and tradition, while also representing the prestigious Royal Order of Kamehameha I.
He and his fellow com- mission members continually dedicate their time and ex- perience in helping to honor King Kamehameha I on June 11 annually throughout Ha- wai‘i Nei via a series of cel- ebrations that was first started in 1872.
“I was first appointed by the Royal Order in late 2007 and have been involved in some capacity since then,” says Daines, who became the Honolulu Parade Chair in 2011 and currently serves as co-chair with Clint Ka- laola. “My great-grandfather, Samuel Alo, Sr.,
of Wailuku, Maui, represented
the Royal Order on the Com- mission back in the 1950s and 60s and ran the parade on Maui for several years. It’s a familial kuleana.”
The King Kamehameha Celebration Commission was created in 1939 by the Territo- ry of Hawai‘i, 20 years prior to statehood. The organiza- tion falls under the state’s De- partment of Accounting and
General Services and includes 15 mem- bers appointed by
the governor representing 10 community groups, includ- ing at least one member from Kaua‘i, Lāna‘i, Maui, Molo- ka‘i and Hawai‘i Island.
For those interested in learning more about King Kamehameha I and
his indelible legacy
in Native Hawai- ian history, Daines encourages doing research by reading some or all of the fol- lowing books includ-
ing “Kamehameha: The Rise of a King” by David Eyre; “King Kamehameha The Great: Warrior King of the Hawaiian Islands” by Leilani Makua; “Kamehameha: The
the Great” by Julie Stewart Williams; “Kamehameha: The Boy Who Became a War- rior King” by Ellie Crowe and Don Robinson; and “Kohala Kuamoʻo: Naeʻoleʻs Race to Save a King” by Kekaule- leanaeʻole Kawaiʻaeʻa and Aaron Kawaiʻaeʻa.
“It’s important to keep the life and legacy of King Kame- hameha I relevant for future generations,” says Daines in anticipation of the 150th an- niversary of the Kamehameha Day holiday and accompany- ing celebration. “The art of pā‘ū is a great place to ride in a
don’t produce themselves. Tireless, often thankless vol- unteers pull these events to- gether every year. It’s a part of our traditions and we need everyone involved. Everyone has something to offer!”
KKCC recognizes and honors the late Ali‘i Sir William Souza of the Roy- al Order of Kamehameha I, former Chair of the King Kamehameha Celebration Commission.
To learn more about and participate in an array of events happening across the state, visit KamehamehaDay.Hawaii.Gov.