June, 11, 2012  we was celebrating our State Holiday, which pays tribute to King Kemahameha I.

Last week and this weekend State of Hawaii paid tribute with its magnificient celebrations state wide to King Kamehameha I. who unified the Hawaiian Islands and established the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1810 and he was its very first monarch. King Kamehameha I was born at Kokoiki in the Kohala district of the Island of Hawai'i about 1758. The first King Kamehameha Day, proclaimed by King Kamehameha V. to honor his grandfather, King Kamehameha I, was held on June 11, 1872. It’s now a state holiday, this is one of the first holidays ever proclaimed when Hawaii became a state in 1959. The official State holiday will be observed this year on Monday, June 11.

Thomas R. Gould, an American sculptor who was living in Florence, Italy in the 19th century was commissioned to create the sculpture of King Kamehameha I. John Baker, a part Hawaiian and friend of Kalākaua was chosen as the model of the artist. Gould was paid $10,000 and his sculpture was sent to Paris for bronzing. But the ship which carried the statue bound for Hawaii, sank off the Falkland Islands. It was thought that the statue was lost forever. But with the money which was collected from he insurance a new statue was commissioned and that statue arrived in Honolulu in 1883. It stands in front of Aliʻiolani Hale, the Hawaii Supreme Court Building on King Street. Twice a year, on May Day and for Kamehameha Day on June 11, it is rapped with beautiful leis made from Hawaiian tropical flowers. They are six statues of King Kamehameha I. They are located: in Honolulu, in Kohala, and in Hilo of Big Island of Hawaii, Island of Maui, in Washington DC. (Thank to President Obama today this statue is placed in the Emancipation Hall in the Capitol's new visitor center.), the sixth statue resides in Las Vegas NV.

Thank you :PuakeaJutka

Video and photos by Jutka T. Emoke Barabas

Please visit also the report "Sight and Sounds of our Hawaiian Aloha" It is about one of the highlights of the celebrations, the breathtaking floral parade in Honolulu, Hawaii, June 9, 2012
http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-801245