Flag of Hawaii

U.S. state flag

Hawaii

Ka Hae Hawaiʻi
Use| Civil and state flag
Proportion| 1:2
Adopted| December 29, 1845; 178 years ago (1845-12-29)
Design| Eight alternating horizontal stripes of white, red, and blue, with the United Kingdom's Union Flag (ratio 4:7) in the canton
Designed by| Alexander Adams

The flag of Hawaii (Hawaiian: Ka Hae Hawaiʻi) was first adopted in the early 19th century by the Hawaiian Kingdom and continued to be used after its overthrow in 1893. It is the only U.S. state flag to feature a foreign country's national flag—that of the UK's Union Jack—which commemorates the British Royal Navy's historical relations with the Kingdom of Hawaii, and in particular the pro-British sentiment of its first ruler, King Kamehameha I.[1][2]

The Hawaiian flag is among the most iconic and recognizable in the U.S., being noted by vexillologists for its design and aesthetics.[3] Its eight stripes represent the main islands of the Hawaiian archipelago; while the colors do not have any official symbolism, it is speculated that they reflected the symbols of other Polynesian kingdoms as well as the flags of the foreign powers that first visited Hawaii: the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, and France.[4]

## History

[edit]

### Current flag (1816–present)

[edit]

Flag of the East India Company (after 1801)

In 1793, Captain George Vancouver, of the British Royal Navy, having previously visited the islands in 1778–1779 with Captain James Cook, returned in command of HMS Discovery.[5] During the visit, Vancouver met with Kamehameha I and presented him with a Red Ensign,[6] used by the Royal Navy at the time. The Kingdom of Ireland was not a formal part of the United Kingdom before 1801, which meant that, at this time, the British flag did not contain the Saint Patrick's Cross of Ireland. This version of the Red Ensign, as well as the current version which added the cross in 1801, served as the unofficial flag of the Kingdom of Hawaii until 1816.[7]

Flag of Hawaii, 1816–1845 (1:2 canton, 9 stripes) Flag of Hawaii used by the protectorate and republic

Scottish Captain Alexander Adams' journals mention the British East India Company flag when Kamehameha had originally purchased Adams' brig named the Forester and renamed Kaahumanu.[8][9] As part of the ship's transfer, the ensign of the East India Company, which consisted of the Union Jack on a field of red-and-white stripes, was taken by Adams during a ceremony with an 11-gun salute.[8] Many older Native Hawaiians prior to 1921 believed that the current flag of Hawaii was created by Adams during his trip to China in 1817.[8] At that time Adams was Commander of the Hawaiian Kingdom Navy,[10] captaining the Kaahumanu under King Kamehameha I.[9] While there is no indication that the flag was either made or flown during that period, Adams did note that on his way to China, while stopping at Waimea, Kauai for supplies, he did give Kaumualiʻi his own ensign to raise at the port, as the king only had a Russian flag left from the Russian colony in Hawaii.[8][11]

> March 12, 1817. Gave the King (Kaumualii) our ensign to hoist in lieu of the Russian, who said that it was on account of his having no other.[12]

There may have been different versions of the flag with different numbers of stripes and colors.[13] The number of stripes also changed: originally, the flag was designed with either seven or nine horizontal stripes, and in 1845 it was officially changed to eight stripes. The latter arrangement is used today.[14]

State flag (1845–present)

### Kānaka Maoli flag

[edit]

Gene Simeona's Kanaka Maoli flag, introduced in 2001

The Kānaka Maoli ('true people' in the Hawaiian language) design is purported by some to be the original flag of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi, though this claim is unverified and widely disputed.[15][16] It was introduced to the public by Gene Simeona in 2001.[17] It has nine alternating stripes of green, red, and yellow defaced with a green shield with a puela (strip of kapa bark cloth insignia flown atop the double hulled canoe of the chief) crossed by two paddles.

Gene Simeona claims to have unearthed the Kānaka Maoli flag in 1999. Simeona said he encountered a descendant[who?] of Lord George Paulet who told him about an earlier flag. Simeona claims to have found evidence of the Kanaka Maoli flag in the state archives, though any sources he may have used have not been identified.[18] Subsequent efforts to verify Simeona's claim have been unsuccessful.[18] Critics of the claim have pointed to evidence of the widely accepted Hawaiian flag being in existence before the Kanaka Maoli flag.[19][18][original research?]

Flag designed by Louis Agard in 1993, eight years before the Kanaka Maoli flag appeared on public record.

Louis "Buzzy" Agard had proposed a Hawaiian flag design in 1993 which featured nine alternating stripes and the same charge as on the Kanaka Maoli flag,[20] leading many to believe it is where Simeona drew his inspiration.[19]

Despite the lack of verification about its historic use, the design is popular among those who prefer its lack of apparent colonial imagery.[15]

## Design

[edit]

The flag of Hawaii flying in Haleakalā National Park

The canton of the flag of Hawaii contains the Union Flag of the United Kingdom, prominent over the top quarter closest to the flag mast. The field of the flag is composed of eight horizontal stripes, symbolizing the eight major islands (Hawaiʻi, Maui, Kahoʻolawe, Lānaʻi, Molokaʻi, Oʻahu, Kauaʻi, and Niʻihau). Other versions of the flag have only seven stripes, probably representing the islands with the exception of Kahoʻolawe or Niʻihau. The color of the stripes, from the top down, follows the sequence: white, red, blue, white, red, blue, white, red. The colors were standardized in 1843, although other combinations have been seen and are occasionally still used.[21][22]

In 2001, a survey conducted by the North American Vexillological Association (NAVA) placed Hawaii's flag 11th in design quality, out of the 72 U.S. and Canadian provincial, state, and territorial flags ranked.[23]

Despite superficially resembling the flags of British Overseas Territories, the Hawaiian flag is proportioned differently – the Union Jack in the canton is in a 4:7 ratio,[24] and a differing standard is used to define the colors.[citation needed]

* Official version of the Hawaiian Flag

* Unofficial variant using a 1:2 canton and the U.K. standard colors, similarly to the official flags of British Overseas Territories

## Lā Hae Hawaiʻi

[edit]

In 1990, Governor of Hawaii John Waihee proclaimed July 31 to be Lā Hae Hawaiʻi, the Hawaiian Flag Day. It has been celebrated each year since then.[25] It is the same date as Lā Hoʻihoʻi Ea, Sovereignty Restoration Day, a holiday of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi that is celebrated by proponents of the Hawaiian sovereignty movement.

## Flag of the Governor

[edit]

See also: Flags of governors of the U.S. states

The flag used by the governor of Hawaii is a red and blue bi-color. In the middle of the eight white stars appears the name of the state in all capital letters. During the time Hawaii was a United States territory, the letters in the middle of the flag were "TH", which stood for "Territory of Hawaii".[26]

* Standard of the governor before statehood in 1959

* Standard of the governor of Hawaiʻi

## Chronology

[edit]

Date  | Flag  | Image

|
|

1793–1800  | British Red Ensign[27] |
1801–1816  | British Red Ensign following the Acts of Union with Ireland |
1816–1845  | Early version of the present flag (1:2 canton)  |
February 1843 – July 1843  | Union Flag (during the Paulet Affair)  |
1845–1898  | The current Hawaiian flag introduced in 1845 (4:7 canton)  |
February 1893 – April 1893  | US flag (after the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii)  |
1898–present  | Hawaiian flag used by the US territory and state of Hawaii  |

## Gallery

[edit]

* Personal Standard of King Kalakaua

* Personal Standard of Princess Kaiulani

* Naval Ensign of the Kingdom of Hawaii, with the only known use of this flag being on the Kaimiloa

* Naval Jack of the Kingdom of Hawaii, flown on the bowsprit of the Kaimiloa

* Flag of the Kuhina Nui in the Hawaiian Kingdom

* The inverted Hawaiian flag represents the Hawaiian Kingdom in distress and has served as the main symbol of the Hawaiian sovereignty movement

* Flag of Hawaiian people used in Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization

* Flag of Nation of Hawaiʻi

* 1868 flag chart

* Hawaiian quilt from Waimea, before 1918

## See also

[edit]

* Hawaii portal
* Heraldry portal

* List of flags by design
* List of Hawaii state symbols
* List of U.S. state, district, and territorial insignia

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Marshall, Tim (2017). A Flag Worth Dying For: The Power and Politics of National Symbols. Simon and Schuster. pp. 52–53. ISBN 9781501168338.
2. ^ Bloss, Janet Adele (1983). State Flags. Willowisp Press. p. 66\. ISBN 9780874061833.
3. ^ Edward B. Kaye (10 June 2001). "2001 State/Provincial Flag Survey" (PDF). nava.org. North American Vexillological Association
4. ^ "Flag of Hawaii | United States state flag". Britannica. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
5. ^ Nelson, Mark "Kailaa" (March 4, 2011). Learn to Play Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar. Mel Bay Publications. p. 9\. ISBN 978-1-61065-596-5.
6. ^ All about Hawaii: The Recognized Book of Authentic Information on Hawaii, Combined with Thrum's Hawaiian Annual and Standard Guide. Honolulu Star-Bulletin. 1974.
7. ^ Healy, Donald T.; Orenski, Peter J. (January 12, 2016). Native American Flags. University of Oklahoma Press. p. 279\. ISBN 978-0-8061-5575-3 - via Google Books.
8. ^ a b c d The Friend. February 1921. p. 43 - via Google Books.
9. ^ a b Native Hawaiians Study Commission: Hearings Before the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, Ninety-eighth Congress, Second Session, on the Report of the Native Hawaiians Study Commission. Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, US Senate; US Government Printing Office. 1985. p. 427.
10. ^ Fry, Michael (2001). The Scottish Empire. Tuckwell. p. 235\. ISBN 978-1-86232-185-4 - via Google Books.
11. ^ Pierce, Richard A. (1965). Russia's Hawaiian Adventure, 1815–1817. University of California Press. p. 13\. GGKEY:D93WWZ14DB5 - via Google Books.
12. ^ Annual Report of the Hawaiian Historical Society. Hawaiian Historical Society. 1898. p. 8 - via Google Books.
13. ^ Ballou, Howard M. (1906). The Reversal of the Hawaiian Flag. pp. 5–11. ISBN 0-8028-5088-X.
14. ^ Quaife, Milo; Weig, M. J.; Appleman, R. E. (1961). The History of the United States Flag. New York: Harper. p. 154.
15. ^ a b "What's the Story Behind Hawaii's Flag?". Hawaii Magazine. October 21, 2008. Retrieved September 21, 2022.
16. ^ Pulse, Big Island (August 20, 2019). "Kanaka Maoli Flag – Hawaii's Original Flag or Clever Marketing?". Big Island Pulse. Retrieved September 21, 2022.
17. ^ "What's the Story Behind Hawaii's Flag?". Hawaii Magazine. October 21, 2008. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
18. ^ a b c Anwar, Yasmin (February 12, 2001). "'Original' flag raises debate". Honolulu Advertiser. Archived from the original on June 4, 2007. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
19. ^ a b Kingdom, Hawaiian (December 13, 2014). "Origin of the Hawaiian Kingdom Flag". Hawaiian Kingdom Blog. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
20. ^ Agard, Louis "Buzz" (1993). He Alo a He Alo – Hawaiian Voices on Sovereignty. Honolulu: American Friends Service Committee. pp. 108–110. ISBN 9780910082259.
21. ^ "Name and Insignia of Hawaii – State Flag". Hawaii State Library. March 1, 2006. Archived from the original on May 11, 2007. Retrieved October 25, 2007.
22. ^ BBC History, Jan 2008
23. ^ "2001 State/Provincial Flag Survey" (PDF). nava.org.
24. ^ "[§5–19] Description of the Hawaiian flag". Hawaii State Legislature. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
25. ^ "Ka Hae Hawai'i – The Hawaiian Flag". Hawaii Public Radio. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
26. ^ "Name and Insignia of Hawaii – Governor's Flag". Hawaii State Library. March 1, 2006. Archived from the original on May 11, 2007. Retrieved October 25, 2007.
27. ^ All about Hawaii: The Recognized Book of Authentic Information on Hawaii, Combined with Thrum's Hawaiian Annual and Standard Guide. Honolulu Star-Bulletin. 1974.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Flags of Hawaii.

* Constitutional Provisions for the Display of Ka Hae Hawaii
* Hawaii at Flags of the World

* v
* t
* e

State of Hawaii

Honolulu (capital)

Topics|

* Outline
* Constitution
* Delegations
* Discovery and settlement
* Earthquakes
* Geography
* Seamount
* Government
* Hawaiianization
* History
* Hurricanes
* Islands
* Kūʻē Petitions
* Music
* Native Hawaiians
* ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian Language)
* Parks
* Pearl Harbor National Memorial
* USS Arizona
* People
* State symbols
* Tourism
* Transportation
* Unification

Society|

* Hawaiian architecture
* Abortion
* Climate change
* Crime
* Cuisine
* Culture
* Demographics
* Economy
* Education
* Colleges and universities
* Energy
* Gun laws
* Homelessness
* LGBT rights
* Folklore
* Media
* Politics
* Sports

Main islands|

* Hawaiʻi
* Kahoʻolawe
* Kauaʻi
* Lānaʻi
* Maui
* Molokaʻi
* Niʻihau
* Oʻahu

Northwestern
Islands|

* French Frigate Shoals
* Gardner
* Kure
* Laysan
* Lisianski
* Maro Reef
* Necker
* Nihoa
* Pearl and Hermes

Notable communities|

* Hilo
* Honolulu
* Kahului
* Kailua-Kona
* Kāneʻohe
* Kapolei
* Kihei
* Līhuʻe
* Pearl City
* Waipahu

Counties|

* Hawaiʻi
* Honolulu
* Kalawao
* Kauaʻi
* Maui

Pre-statehood history|

* Bayonet Constitution
* Hawaiian Kingdom
* Hawaiian Renaissance
* Hawaiian sovereignty movement
* Overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom
* Territory of Hawaii

Hawaii portal

* v
* t
* e

Flags of the U.S. states and territories, federal district, other political divisions

* Flags of cities of the United States
* Flags of counties of the United States
* Timeline of U.S. state flags

States|

* Alabama
* Alaska
* Arizona
* Arkansas
* California
* Colorado
* Connecticut
* Delaware
* Florida
* Georgia
* Hawaii
* Idaho
* Illinois
* Indiana
* Iowa
* Kansas
* Kentucky
* Louisiana
* Maine
* Maryland
* Massachusetts
* Michigan
* Minnesota
* Mississippi
* Missouri
* Montana
* Nebraska
* Nevada
* New Hampshire
* New Jersey
* New Mexico
* New York
* North Carolina
* North Dakota
* Ohio
* Oklahoma
* Oregon
* Pennsylvania
* Rhode Island
* South Carolina
* South Dakota
* Tennessee
* Texas
* Utah
* Vermont
* Virginia
* Washington
* West Virginia
* Wisconsin
* Wyoming

Federal district|

Washington, D.C.

Territories|

* American Samoa
* Guam
* Northern Mariana Islands
* Puerto Rico
* U.S. Virgin Islands

Other|

* Associated states
* Federated States of Micronesia
* Marshall Islands
* Palau
* Tribal nations
* Cherokee Nation
* Hopi Nation
* Iroquois Confederacy
* Navajo Nation
* Unofficial flags of the USMOI

Historic|

* Confederate States
* Cuba
* Philippines (Commonwealth)
* California (Republic)
* Maine (1901–1909)
* Panama Canal Zone
* Texas (Republic)
* Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
* Ryukyu Islands (1950–1972)
* Vermont (Republic)
* West Florida (Republic)

* Category
* Portal

* v
* t
* e

National, regional and city flags incorporating the Union Jack

Sovereign states|

* Australia
* Fiji
* New Zealand
* Tuvalu
* United Kingdom

Dependent territories|

| United Kingdom|

* Anguilla
* Ascension Island
* Bermuda
* British Antarctic Territory
* British Indian Ocean Territory
* British Virgin Islands
* Cayman Islands
* Falkland Islands
* Montserrat
* Pitcairn Islands
* Saint Helena
* South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
* Tristan da Cunha
* Turks and Caicos Islands

|

New Zealand|

* Cook Islands
* Niue

States, provinces
and other
administrative divisions|

| Australian states|

* New South Wales
* Queensland
* South Australia
* Tasmania
* Victoria
* Western Australia

|

Canadian provinces|

* British Columbia
* Manitoba
* Ontario

US states|

* Hawaii

US counties|

* Somerset County, Maryland
* Westmoreland County

Cities|

| Chile|

* Coquimbo

|

United States|

* Baton Rouge, Louisiana
* Mobile, Alabama
* New Castle, Delaware
* Taunton, Massachusetts

Miscellaneous|

* List of Australian flags
* List of British flags
* List of New Zealand flags
* British Empire
* George Rex Flag
* Flags inspired by the Union Jack
* Basque Country
* Newfoundland & Labrador
* St. Pierre & Miquelon

Historical|

| Dominions
and independent states|

* Canada (1868–1965)
* Newfoundland (1907–1931)
* Rhodesia (1964–1968)
* South Africa (1910–1928)
* South Africa (1928–1994)
* United States (1776–1777)

|

Australian
external territories|

* New Guinea (1921–1971)
* Papua (1884–1971)

New Zealand mandate
and trust territory|

* Western Samoa (1925–1948)

Anglo-French
condominium|

* New Hebrides (1906–1980)

Other flags|

* Aden (1937–1963)
* British Cameroon (1922–1961)
* British Leeward Islands (1871–1958)
* British Somaliland (1903–1960)
* British South Africa Company (1892–1965)
* British Windward Islands (1886–1958)
* Burma (1939–1948)
* Cyprus (1881–1960)
* East India Company (1600–1858)
* Gibraltar (1875–1982)
* Gilbert and Ellice Islands (1937–1976)
* Gilbert Islands (1976–1979)
* Hong Kong (1871–1997)
* India (1880–1947)
* Ionian Islands (1815–1864)
* Malacca (1951–1957)
* Malta (1875–1964)
* Mosquito Coast (1824–1860)
* North Borneo (1882–1963)
* Palestine (1927–1948)
* Penang (1949–1957)
* Rhodesia and Nyasaland (1953–1963)
* Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla (1958–1967)
* Sarawak (1947–1963)
* Singapore (1946–1959)
* Solomon Islands (1906–1977)
* Southern Rhodesia (1924–1964)
* Straits Settlements (1874–1946)
* Tanganyika (1923–1961)
* United Colonies (1775–1776)
* Weihaiwei (1898–1930)

* v
* t
* e

Flag of Oceania

Sovereign states|

* Australia
* Federated States of Micronesia
* Fiji
* Kiribati
* Marshall Islands
* Nauru
* New Zealand
* Palau
* Papua New Guinea
* Samoa
* Solomon Islands
* Tonga
* Tuvalu
* Vanuatu

Associated states
of New Zealand|

* Cook Islands
* Niue

Dependencies
and other territories|

* American Samoa
* Christmas Island
* Clipperton Island
* Cocos (Keeling) Islands
* Easter Island
* French Polynesia
* Guam
* Hawaii
* New Caledonia
* Norfolk Island
* Northern Mariana Islands
* Pitcairn Islands
* Tokelau
* Wallis and Futuna

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template