Queen Liliuokalani was the only queen regnant and the last sovereign monarch of the Hawaiian Kingdom, ruling from January 29, 1891, until the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom on January 17, 1893. For many years, the Royal Societies on the Big Island celebrate her birthday on September 5th. This event included over 300 hula dancers, live music, food and was in our favorite park where we walk every morning. We were one of the few non-Hawaiians at this event. It began by a ceremonial parade of the elders from the Royal Societies installing leis on a photo of the Queen, a few short speeches and then a mass hula. During the second dance, the Fire Department helicopter flew overhead and dropped thousands of flower petals on the crowd. It was a beautiful cultural event with people celebrating their heritage.
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