King Kamehameha I Lei Draping Ceremony (Washington D.C., June 11, 2017)

Hundreds gathered at the U.S. Capitol in D.C. to celebrate Hawaii’s monarch, King Kamehameha on Sunday, June 11, 2017 at the U.S. Capitol Building Visitors Center Emancipation Hall. The 48th annual event was celebrated to coincide with King Kamehameha Day celebrations in Hawaii. It is meant to honor the King’s legacy of uniting the islands, establishing the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1810. This year’s theme was “I Mua! E Na Poki`i, a inu i ka wai ‘awa‘awa,” which means, “Forward my young brothers and sisters, and drink of the bitter waters of battle, there is no turning back until victory is secured.”

Participating in the event were members of the Hawaiian congressional delegation including Senator Mazie Hirono (D) and Congresswomen Colleen Hanabusa (D) & Tulsi Gabbard (D).

The event also included hula performed by halau from Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. (Halau Nohona Hawaiʻi)

The event was sponsored by the Hawai'i State Society of Washington D.C. (est. 1950.) The founding members were business and professional people from Hawaiʻi who had relocated to the Washington, D.C., area. They hoped to keep alive in their new home the Aloha spirit which was so much a part of their lives in Hawaiʻi.

Видео King Kamehameha I Lei Draping Ceremony (Washington D.C., June 11, 2017) канала Jeff Malet Photography