One person who truly embodied the spirit of a change catalyst was King Kamehameha the Great (1758–1819), the first monarch to unify the Hawaiian Islands. In 1810, he brought together the warring islands under one peaceful rule and led his kingdom with wisdom, strength, and compassion.

Kamehameha was beloved by his people and believed to possess mana—the sacred spiritual power of the gods. His leadership was marked by physical might, a visionary mind, and reverence for tradition blended with innovation.

He established a government influenced by British systems, promoted trade and agriculture, and planted pineapple and coffee to sustain the land. With deep determination, he guided Hawaiʻi into prosperity and unity.

“The good I have done will always remain,” he said on his deathbed. In Hawaiian: E nānā wale nō ʻoukou i kuʻu pono, ʻaʻole e pau.

Today, Hawaiʻi honors Kamehameha with a state holiday celebrated by colorful floral parades, Paʻu riders, music, hula, and the traditional draping of enormous 18-foot leis on his statue in Downtown Honolulu.

The iconic statue—cast in Italy by Thomas Gould in 1883—stands proudly outside Aliʻiōlani Hale. It depicts the king nine feet tall, cloaked in gold-leaf feathered regalia, guarding the path of justice before ʻIolani Palace.

After his passing, Kamehameha’s bones were hidden in secrecy, in accordance with custom. “Only the stars know his final resting place,” says Hawaiian legend. Under his leadership, Julie Stewart Williams wrote, “the people lived a peaceful and productive life.”

Kamehameha the Great wasn’t just a warrior or a unifier—he was a visionary. He had the wisdom to know when to fight and when to build, when to protect tradition and when to adapt for the future. His leadership was rooted in aloha, pono, and mana. He preserved the culture, brought peace, and elevated the nation. His legacy lives on in the people, the land, and the soul of Hawai‘i itself.