Seal of Hawaii facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Great Seal of the State of Hawaii |
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Seal of the Territory of Hawaii
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Seal of the Republic of Hawaii
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| Armiger | State of Hawaii |
| Adopted | 1959 |
| Motto | Ua Mau ke Ea o ka ʻĀina i ka Pono "The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness" |
The Great Seal of the State of Hawaii is an important symbol for the state. It was officially chosen in 1959. This seal is based on an older design, the territorial seal. When Hawaii became the 50th state of the United States on August 21, 1959, the seal was updated. The words "State of Hawaii" were added at the top, and "1959" was placed inside the circle.
Before it became a state, Hawaii was a territory. The seal for the Territory of Hawaii was very similar to the seal of the republic that came before it. It had "Territory of Hawaii" at the top and "1900" inside. This year marked when the territorial government officially started.
The seal of the Republic of Hawaii had "Republic of Hawaii" at the top and "MDCCCXCIV" (which means 1894) inside. This year was when the republic was formed. A person named Viggo Jacobsen from Honolulu designed this seal. His design came from the Royal Arms of the Kingdom of Hawaii. These Royal Arms were used by kings like Kamehameha III, Kalākaua, and Queen Liliʻuokalani. The College of Arms in London first designed them in 1842.
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Royal Arms of the Kingdom of Hawaii as designed by the College of Arms
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Version of the Royal Arms later adopted by the Kingdom around 1850
Contents
What the Hawaii State Seal Looks Like
The Great Seal of the State of Hawaii is round. It is about two and three-quarters inches wide. The design shows important parts of Hawaii's history and culture.
The Shield at the Center
In the middle of the seal, there is a special shield. This shield is divided into four sections.
- Two sections have eight stripes in red, white, and blue.
- The other two sections show a golden Pūloʻuloʻu, which is a sacred staff.
- In the very center of the shield, there is a green smaller shield with a golden star.
Figures Supporting the Shield
On the left side of the shield, you see King Kamehameha I. He stands like the bronze statue you can see in front of Aliʻiōlani Hale in Honolulu. He wears a yellow cloak and helmet. King Kamehameha I was important because he united all the Hawaiian Islands into one kingdom.
On the right side, there is a goddess named Liberty. She wears a special cap called a Phrygian cap and a wreath of leaves. She holds the Hawaiian flag, which is partly unrolled.
The Top of the Seal: The Crest
At the very top of the seal, there is a golden rising sun. Around the sun, a scroll says "State of Hawaii, 1959" in black letters.
The Motto at the Bottom
At the bottom of the seal, there is a scroll with the state motto: Ua Mau ke Ea o ka ʻĀina i ka Pono. This means "The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness." This motto is very old. The Kingdom of Hawaiʻi adopted it in 1843.
King Kamehameha III said this motto after his kingdom was returned to him by the British. A British captain had taken control of Hawaii for a short time. But after the King told London what happened, a British Admiral returned Hawaii's power to the King. This motto is also in the famous song "Hawaii '78" by Israel Kamakawiwoʻole. You can also see it on the Hawaii state quarter.
The Base of the Seal: The Compartment
Below the shield, you can see a phoenix bird. It has its wings spread out and looks like it is rising from flames. The phoenix is black with yellow and dark red wings. Below the phoenix, there are eight taro leaves. On each side of the taro leaves, there are banana leaves and maidenhair ferns.
What the Symbols Mean
- 1959 shows the year Hawaii became a state.
- The rising sun at the top replaced a royal crown. It means a new state is being born.
- King Kamehameha the Great and the Goddess of Liberty holding the Hawaiian flag represent the old and new leaders of Hawaii.
- The quartered shield design comes from the old Royal Arms.
- The eight stripes on the shield stand for the eight main Hawaiian islands.
- The Pūloʻuloʻu (sacred staff) on the shield was a symbol of the king's power. Now, it means the government's authority.
- The star in the middle of the shield shows that Hawaii was the 50th state added to the United States flag.
- The phoenix bird is a symbol of new beginnings. It shows Hawaii changing from a kingdom to a free, democratic government.
- The eight taro leaves, along with banana leaves and maidenhair fern, are plants found in Hawaii. They also represent the eight main islands. Taro is a very important traditional food in Hawaii.
- The state motto, "Ua Mau ke Ea o ka ʻĀina i ka Pono", means "The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness." It reminds everyone that Hawaii's well-being depends on doing what is right.
Government Seals of Hawaii
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Seal of the Hawaii Department of Transportation
See also
In Spanish: Gran sello del estado de Hawái para niños
