Kamehameha Day

Aloha! It’s Kamehameha Day! In Hawaii, today is a public holiday that celebrates Kamehameha the Great—the monarch who established the unified Kingdom of Hawaii in 1810. During this time period, Hawaii was the only nation that remained independent while the rest of the Polynesian islands were taken over by colonial powers. Kamehameha was nicknamed “the Napoleon of the Pacific” for this achievement.

To celebrate Kamehameha Day, Hawaiians traditionally attend carnivals, floral parades, and horse races. There is also a large hula competition that attracts hula companies from all over the world. Take this opportunity to break out your Hawaiian shirt or learn more about the history of this interesting state!