The State of Hawaii seal is the official emblem used to authenticate executive orders, commissions, proclamations, and other formal state documents. Its design carries forward imagery from the Hawaiian Kingdom and the Republic of Hawaii, and it was formally adopted in its current form when Hawaii became the 50th state on August 21, 1959.1Office of the Lieutenant Governor. History of the State Seal and Embosser Hawaii Revised Statutes Section 5-5 fixes the official description, and Section 5-6 makes unauthorized commercial use a criminal offense.
What the Seal Shows and What It Means
At the center of the seal sits a heraldic shield divided into four quarters. The first and fourth quarters display the alternating stripes of the Hawaiian flag, whose eight stripes represent the state’s eight major islands. The second and third quarters show, on a yellow field, a white ball pierced on a black staff. These represent the traditional puloulou, or tabu sticks, which signified chiefly authority and sacred protection in ancient Hawaiian society.2Justia. Hawaii Code 5-5 – State Seal, Description
Two figures flank the shield. On the viewer’s left stands King Kamehameha I, shown in the same pose as his bronze statue in front of Aliʻiōlani Hale in Honolulu, wearing a yellow feathered cloak and helmet. On the viewer’s right stands the Goddess of Liberty, wearing a Phrygian cap and laurel wreath and holding a partly unfurled Hawaiian flag. Behind the shield, a rising sun marks the dawn of the new state.2Justia. Hawaii Code 5-5 – State Seal, Description
Below the shield, a phoenix rises from flames with outstretched wings, its body black and wings half yellow and half dark red. The phoenix is one of the most symbolically loaded elements on the seal, representing democratic government rising from the former monarchy. Surrounding the lower portion are eight taro leaves flanked by banana foliage and sprays of maidenhair fern, all plants closely tied to the Hawaiian landscape.2Justia. Hawaii Code 5-5 – State Seal, Description
The State Motto
A gold-lettered scroll along the bottom carries the state motto: “Ua Mau ke Ea o ka ʻĀina i ka Pono,” which translates to “The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness.”2Justia. Hawaii Code 5-5 – State Seal, Description The phrase is attributed to King Kamehameha III, who reportedly spoke it on July 31, 1843, when the Hawaiian flag was raised again after a brief unauthorized seizure of the islands by a British naval officer.3Wikipedia. Seal of Hawaii
How the Design Came to Be
The seal grew out of the royal coat of arms used during the Hawaiian Kingdom, which featured the same quartered shield and puloulou. When the Republic of Hawaii replaced the monarchy in 1894, the government redesigned the supporters and crest. King Kamehameha I and the Goddess of Liberty replaced the earlier twin warriors, a rising sun took the place of the royal crown, and a phoenix was added beneath the shield to mark the shift from monarchy to democratic government. The quartered shield, the puloulou, and the motto all carried over unchanged.
At statehood in 1959, the legislature kept the existing design and simply updated the legend to “State of Hawaii” and the date to “1959.”1Office of the Lieutenant Governor. History of the State Seal and Embosser The core imagery visible today is essentially the same design the Republic adopted over 130 years ago.
Who Keeps the Seal
The Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii serves as the official custodian of the Great Seal and is responsible for safeguarding the physical seal and the mechanical embossing press used to stamp official paper. In practice, the Lieutenant Governor’s staff affixes the seal to proclamations, commissions, name changes, apostilles, and other documents that require state certification.1Office of the Lieutenant Governor. History of the State Seal and Embosser
When You Can’t Use the Seal
Hawaii Revised Statutes Section 5-6 makes it a misdemeanor to use any representation of the Great Seal or the state coat of arms in advertising, for any commercial purpose, or in any way that suggests official state approval.4Justia. Hawaii Code 5-6 – Seal, Commercial Use The language is broad enough to reach product packaging, business signage, political campaign materials, and other private uses that could mislead the public into thinking the state endorsed the product or message. The statute does not carve out exceptions for educational or nonprofit use.
Because the offense is a misdemeanor, general sentencing rules apply. A court can impose up to one year in jail,5Justia. Hawaii Code 706-663 – Sentence of Imprisonment for Misdemeanor and Petty Misdemeanor and the maximum fine is $2,000.6Justia. Hawaii Code 706-640 – Authorized Fines Anyone considering reproducing the seal outside of official state business should treat the restriction seriously.