Celebrating 175th anniversary of Washington Place
Posted on Mar 29, 2022 in Capitol Connection, Featured, Main
Governor and Mrs. Ige celebrate with the keiki who performed at the 175th event.
It was a celebration Queen Lili‘uokalani would have loved – filled with music, singing and keiki dancing hula. But the March 31 event marking the 175th anniversary of Washington Place was also a chance to step back in time, to bear witness to the residence’s place in history as a National Historic Landmark and home to many of Hawai‘i’s leaders. Other 175th events included a new Washington Place exhibit about the Queen’s life, an open house, and a concert by the Royal Hawaiian Band.
The guests and participants at the March 31 gathering reflected their own part in Hawai‘i’s history. They included former governors, representatives from the Royal Order and Hawaiian Civic Clubs, the Washington Place Foundation, cabinet members, legislators, and kūpuna from the DOE’s Office of Hawaiian Education. Hula students from three schools – Nuʻuanu Elementary, Keolu Elementary and Ke Kula Kaiapuni ʻo Ānuenue – performed “Liliʻu Ē” live at the event. In a 21st century twist, they were joined by 2,300 fourth graders from 38 schools in a livestreamed statewide hula.
Governor Ige signs the proclamation.
“Washington Place is best known as the home of Hawai‘i’s beloved Queen Lili‘uokalani,” said Governor Ige in his proclamation. “This is where she composed music, cultivated gardens, supported Hawaiian causes and fought for her people’s well-being until her passing in 1917.” First Lady Dawn Amano-Ige, as chair of the 175th anniversary committee, continued, “Governor Ige and I will always hold Washington Place in our hearts. It represents the foundation we continue to build upon, in memory of the queen, in honor of the people of Hawai‘i, and on behalf of Hawai‘i’s keiki, who will inherit Hawai‘i’s history and its lessons into the future.”
Link to video can be found here.
