These royal Hawaiian banners are 137 years old. They’re being restored to full glory

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - An effort is underway to restore treasured birthday banners dating back to Hawaii’s monarchy.

The Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement has teamed up with the Hawaii State Archives to restore and preserve two banners that were marched in King Kalakaua’s 50th Birthday Jubilee in 1886.

Special banners were crafted for the celebration, and carried ahead of the esteemed guests to announce their arrival.

The two 137-year-old banners being restored are tied to the banner of Queen Lili’uokalani’s respected women’s educational society, and Queen Kapi’olani’s hula hālau. They will be hand-carried to an archivist overseas who will make the repairs by hand.

“This is an incredible piece of Hawaiian history that we would like to have on display more frequently. Because of its condition, the process of taking it out and bringing it in has potential to create more damage. We need help stabilizing and conserving it to bring it back to its full fidelity,” State Archivist Adam Jansen said.

This comes on the heels of another momentous moment for Hawaiian royal artifacts returning to the islands.

“As we recently witnessed the long-awaited return of Queen Lili’uokalani’s royal standard to our shores after being overseas for 129 years, we are reminded of the enduring spirit of our ali’i and the importance of preserving our royal history,” said Kūhiō Lewis, chief executive officer of CNHA. “These banners are tied to the legacy of several of our ali’i. Through restoration, we pay homage to their visionary leadership on behalf of the Hawaiian people, and will be able to preserve these treasures for generations to come.”

To support the restoration of the banners, CNA has launched a fundraising campaign to raise $10,000. That money will pay for the full restoration of the artifacts. To contribute to the cause, click here and learn more.

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