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Hawaiʻi’s Motto

  

Ua Mau ke Ea o ka ʻĀina i ka Pono

First spoken by King Kamehameha III in 1843, these words became the motto of the kingdom of Hawaiʻi. They were later adopted as the Hawaiʻi State motto and translate into: “The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness”. Another interpretation of this motto can be seen in Honolulu at the corner of South King and Pāwaʻa Street. A colorful mural catches the eye of wandering pedestrians and bikers. At first sight, Kanaloa the God of Water also called the Octopus God by the fishermen, the sunset-colored sky, the blue ocean, a turtle and an octopus dominate the scene. But at second glance, the artwork warns us about the land and the ocean we live from being in distress. Can you spot the sunken shopping cart, the old tires and the plastic bags? An interpretation of the Hawaiian motto by the singer Iz reads: “Tears would come from each others eyes as they would stop to realize that our land is in great, great danger now.”

From king’s speeches to street art, the Hawaiian traditions and values are transmitted through the years and the centuries, and are still very alive.