September 2024 ushers in Hawaiian History Month, a vibrant celebration honoring the legacy of Hawaiʻi’s last reigning monarch, Queen Liliʻuokalani, and the rich cultural heritage of the Hawaiian people.
Organized by the Hawaiʻi Ponoʻī Coalition in collaboration with the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s Hawaiʻinuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge, this month-long event will feature activities both in-person and online beginning Sunday, September 1.
“It’s especially important because when you don’t know the community in which you live you’re really an outsider to that community,” said Jon Kamakawiwoʻole Osorio, dean of Hawaiʻinuiākea. “Hawaiian Studies is a center [at UH Mānoa] that was born out of a deep desire by our own people to actually know more about the history that places us in conflict with America. We don’t study these things just as grievance; we study these things as an understanding of how we should see the future.”
First week events
The celebrations will kick off on September 1 with the Eō e Liliʻu concert at Kawaiahaʻo Church, a musical tribute to Queen Liliʻuokalani. The event will showcase her compositions, performed by hālau hula (hula schools) and some of Hawaiʻi’s leading choirs. Both live and online audiences are encouraged to sing along to the mele (songs) in a collective celebration of the Queen’s life and contributions.
On September 2, Queen Liliʻuokalani’s 186th birthday will be commemorated with a memory walk from St. Andrews to ʻIolani Palace. The public is invited to enjoy free tours of the palace, along with theatrical performances and a short film showcase that delve into the Queen’s lasting impact on Hawaiian culture and history.
On September 4 and 6, Hawaiʻinuiākea faculty will lead panel discussions at the King Kamehameha V Judiciary History Center. These panels will explore the U.S.’s imperial legacy in Oceania, focusing on events in 1898 and their enduring effects on the lands and people of Hawaiʻi. Discussions will also address the challenges faced by these communities today and look toward the future.
More Hawaiian History Month events
- September 11, 13: Hoʻōla: History of Hawaiian Health
- September 19, 20: Panel discussions with UH Mānoa director, playwright, and cast of the new hana keaka (Hawaiian theatre play) Puana
- September 27, 28: World premiere of Puana at Kennedy Theatre
“Hawaiian History Month is a time to reflect on the enduring legacy of Queen Liliʻuokalani, a leader whose commitment to peace, justice, and the well-being of her people continues to inspire us today,” said Malia Nobrega, director of strategic partnerships at Hawaiʻinuiākea who helped organize events.
For more information on the schedule of events go to the Hawaiian History Month website.
