September is a month of pride and celebration in Hawaiʻi.
With the signing of Act 167 in 2025, Hawaiʻi officially designated September as Hawaiian History Month, honoring Queen Liliʻuokalani and recognizing the contributions of the Native Hawaiian community. It promotes awareness of Hawaiʻi’s rich and complex history.
However, Hawaiian History Month has been celebrated for years. The Hawaiʻi Ponoʻī Coalition, which was established in 2007, has organized Hawaiian History Month events since 2020.
At its heart, Hawaiian History Month is a tribute to Queen Liliʻuokalani and her enduring legacy that continues to be felt throughout the Islands today.
Born on Sept. 2, 1838, Queen Liliʻuokalani was Hawaiʻi’s last reigning monarch and a staunch defender of her people and their sovereignty. She is also remembered as a gifted composer, advocate for education and an unwavering symbol of aloha and resilience. Her birthday anchors Hawaiian History Month each September.
Throughout September, special events and programs include mele, walking tours, cultural presentations and more to deepen awareness of Hawaiʻi’s history and foster meaningful discussions about Hawaiʻi’s past, present and future.
Along with organizations and communities across the Islands, the Hawaiʻi Ponoʻī Coalition is organizing and holding numerous in-person and virtual events.
Programs throughout September include:
- Free tours and a Memory Walk at ʻIolani Palace
- Mai Poina: The Overthrow walking tours at ʻIolani Palace — a dramatic history tour created by playwright Victoria Nalani Kneubuhl that recreates pivotal events surrounding the 1893 overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom.
- Native Hawaiians Abroad: Aliʻi Diplomatic Missions, a panel discussion exploring Hawaiian Kingdom diplomacy in Washington, D.C.
- A student film showcase at the King Kamehameha V Judiciary History Center
- Hoʻōla: History of Hawaiian Health
- Hoʻōla and Holoholo programs exploring the history of health in Hawaiʻi
- A program examining the history and legacy of Kahoʻolawe
- The Beginning of a Garden, a living history performance at Foster Botanical Garden
- Living history experiences on Hawaiʻi Island in Hilo and Waimea
For the full schedule and registration information, visit hawaiiponoi.info.
