HAWAII

State of Hawaii

ORIGIN OF STATE NAME: Unknown. The name may stem from Hawaii Loa, traditional discoverer of the islands, or from Hawaiki, the traditional Polynesian homeland. NICKNAME: The Aloha State. CAPITAL: Honolulu. ENTERED UNION: 21 August 1959 (50th). SONG: "Hawaii Ponoi." MOTTO: Ua mau ke ea o ka aina i ka pono (The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness). COAT OF ARMS: The heraldic shield of the Hawaiian kingdom is flanked by the figures of Kamehameha I, who united the islands, and Liberty, holding the Hawaiian flag. Below the shield is a phoenix surrounded by taro leaves, banana foliage, and sprays of maidenhair fern. FLAG: Eight horizontal stripes, alternately white, red, and blue, represent the major islands, with the British Union Jack (reflecting the years that the islands were under British protection) in the upper left-hand corner. OFFICIAL SEAL: Same as coat of arms, with the words "State of Hawaii 1959" above and the state motto below. BIRD: Nene (Hawaiian goose). FLOWER: Pua aloalo (yellow hibiscus). TREE: Kukue tree (candlenut). ISLAND EMBLEMS: Each of the eight major islands has its own color and emblem. HAWAII: red; lehua (ohia blossom). KALHOOLAWE: gray; hinahina (beach heliotrope). KAUAI: purple; mokihana (fruit capsule of the Pelea anisata). LANAI: orange; kaunaoa (Cuscuta sandwichiana). MAUI: pink; lokelani (pink cottage rose). MOLOKAI: green; kukui (candlenut) blossom. NIIHAU: white; white pupu shell. OAHU: yellow; ilima (Sida fallax). LEGAL HOLIDAYS: New Year's Day, 1 January; Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Presidents' Day, 3rd Monday in February; Kuhio Day, 26 March; Good Friday, March or April; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Kamehameha Day, 11 June; Independence Day, 4 July; Admission Day, 3rd Friday in August; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Discoverers Day, 2nd Monday in October; Election Day, 1st Tuesday after 1st Monday in November; Veterans Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Christmas Day, 25 December. TIME: 2 AM Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time = noon GMT.