You may have seen the Hawaiian flag and wondered why it features the state flag of a country other than United States. That’s because this official emblem represents the rich history Hawaii has witnessed over the course of centuries. Read on to learn some important details about the flag representing the Pacific islands.

History of the Hawaiian Flag

How It Originated

The history of Hawaii’s state emblem can be traced back to the early 19^th century, when King Kamehameha commissioned its production. The flag features the British Union Jack on its top left corner because the king was inspired by the designs used by the British colonies of the time.

Other historical accounts add the flag’s inclusion of red, white, and blue stripes came after the American invasion in 1812. Afterwards, the American army raised their flag on the king’s residence but agreed to take it down when the change of emblems was met with objections. As a compromise, the current Hawaiian flag was designed to represent both the British and American official colors.

Modifications

Originally, the flag comprised alternating order of red, white, and blue stripes in its design. However, historians recount on the day of its official inauguration in the 1840s, the sequence of colors was changed to white, red, and blue. Similarly, the current version also features a different number of stripes than its original counterpart. The first design was supposed to carry a total of seven or nine stripes, but their number was changed to eight in 1845.

Official Flag Day

Then-Governor of Hawaii, John Waihee, declared July 31 as the official Hawaiian Flag Day in 1990. Called the Ka Hae Hawaii Day by locals, the celebrates the centuries-old history of the islands and their success in regaining sovereignty from colonial armies.

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