[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 69 (Thursday, May 8, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E711-E712]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  AUTHORIZING USE OF EMANCIPATION HALL TO CELEBRATE BIRTHDAY OF KING 
                               KAMEHAMEHA

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. COLLEEN W. HANABUSA

                               of hawaii

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 7, 2014

  Ms. HANABUSA. Mr. Speaker, I would like to express my strong support 
of House Concurrent Resolution 83, authorizing the use of Emancipation 
Hall in the Capitol Visitor's Center for the lei draping ceremony on 
June 8, 2014 to celebrate the birthday of King Kamehameha the Great. 
For more than forty years, the Hawai`i Congressional delegation and the 
Hawai`i State Society have hosted a lei draping ceremony which 
coincides with the celebration of King Kamehameha Day in the State of 
Hawai`i on June 11th.
  King Kamehameha the Great, also known as King Kamehameha the first, 
was born in North Kohala on the island of Hawai`i and grew to become 
one of the most powerful figures in Hawaiian history. He was a superior 
warrior and was the only man in the history of the Hawaiian people to 
unite the Islands after nearly a decade of warfare.
  According to Hawaiian legend, on the day King Kamehameha was born, a 
new star appeared in the heavens, signaling the birth of a great chief. 
At the time of his birth, the Hawaiian Islands were in a state of 
chaos, with rival chiefs constantly at odds with each other. King 
Kamehameha utilized western advisors and technology, such as muskets 
and cannons, to aid him in combat during his quest to unify the 
Hawaiian Islands. In 1810, King Kamehameha fulfilled his goal of 
uniting the Kingdom with the surrender of the Chief from Kauai.
  With his forward thinking and vision for Hawai`i, Kamehameha ensured 
that the newly united Hawaiian Kingdom would not crumble after his 
death by establishing a uniform legal system and promoting a fruitful 
trade with Western powers. He is noted for Kanawai Mamalahoe, or the 
Law of the Splintered Paddle. It is said that when King Kamehameha led 
a raid, his foot got caught in between two rocks. A couple of local 
fishermen, who were fearful of the warrior, not realizing that it was

[[Page E712]]

the great king, hit Kamehameha with a paddle on the head, so hard that 
it splintered into thousand pieces. King Kamehameha survived the 
incident and those same fishermen were brought to him for punishment. 
However, to their surprise, the King did not seek revenge for the 
incident but rather blamed himself and declared that every innocent, 
unarmed man, woman and child would be protected during wartime. The Law 
of the Splintered Paddle has become the basis for a number of 
humanitarian laws of war and was the first written law in the Kingdom 
of Hawai`i. This reflects King Kamehameha's devotion to protecting the 
weak during times of war and his belief that every human life was 
precious beyond comprehension.
  King Kamehameha was also steadfast in preserving the traditional 
Hawaiian cultural beliefs and practices. He was a strong follower of 
the Hawaiian religion and deeply valued the long standing kapu system, 
the laws and regulations of ancient Hawai`i.
  Without King Kamehameha and the unification of the Hawaiian Islands, 
Hawai`i would have been torn apart by competing western interests. The 
Kingdom of Hawai`i, with a united front, was able to resist western 
colonialism until the overthrow in 1893. For the people of Hawai`i, the 
reign of King Kamehameha, celebrated on June 11th, represents a time of 
great prosperity and peace in Hawaiian history. It serves a reminder of 
the greatness in the Hawaiian people and the everlasting respect for 
the King who united Hawai`i while remaining true to the traditions and 
beliefs that have guided the people for hundreds of years and many more 
to come.

                          ____________________