Lā Hoʻihoʻi ʻEa commemorates the return of Hawaiian sovereignty from Britain in 1843 after a brief occupation known as the Paulet Affair. When the occupation ended, Kauikeaouli (Kamehameha III) raised the Hawaiian flag and made a speech at the site that is now known as Thomas Square in Honolulu. This speech included the phrase “Ua mau ke ʻea o ka ʻāīna i ka pono,” translated as “the sovereignty of the land is perpetuated in righteousness.” A celebratory feast was held at Kaniakapūpū, the summer palace of Kauikeaouli and Queen Kalama. The remains of Kaniakapūpū remain in Nuʻuanu Valley on a restricted watershed forest parcel managed by DLNR Forestry and Wildlife.

The site is closed to public visits, but a stewardship group manages the site and can bring people as volunteers. You can learn more on our Kaniakapūpū page, and you can visit the site virtually through our Kaniakapūpū virtual field trip (below, or fullscreen at this link) to learn the story of this place.