Royal Hawaiian Arms surrounded by a border formed from stylized Hawaiian Flags.
In the late 18th century British and American ships brought to Hawaii the first national flags seen there. In 1816 the first Hawaiian ship to sail abroad hoisted the country's new civil ensign. It consisted of horizontal stripes of red, white, and blue with the Union Jack in the canton; a combination of American and British symbols. Hawaiians became very attached to that flag and mourned its loss when British troops occupied Hawaii in 1843 and again when American settlers overthrew their monarchy in 1893. This quilt top was probably made in Hawaii after Liliuokalani, deposed as queen, continued to serve as the spiritual leader of Hawaiians (1893-1917). The four modified Hawaiian flags forming the border of the quilt top are referred to by the motto on the red ribbon: Kuu Hae Aloha or 'Our Beloved Flag.'
Also in the center is the royal coat of arms, showing a crown and mantling at the top above a quartered shield. The first and fourth quarters bear the flag stripes while the golden second and third quarters feature a puloulou, a staff bearing a white ball which had been placed at the door of the king's house as a symbol of sanctuary. Note the error in the bottom Union Jack. Quilt makers commonly inserted errors in their work to assert that only God is perfect.
Publication History:
Madaus, Howard M., Dr, Whitney Smith, The American Flag: Two Centuries of Concord and Conflict. Santa Cruz: VZ Publications, 2006, p. 110.
Provenance: Acquired by the Louise Veninga Flag Collection in 1999. LV84 ZFC2134
ZFC Significant Flag
Sources:
Madaus, Howard M.- Whitney Smith, The American Flag: Two Centuries of Concord and Conflict, VZ Publications, Santa Cruz, 2006.
"Hawaiian Flag Quilts: Legacy of Patriotism" exhibit, Hawaiian Kingdom Independence Blog, 20 November 2011, from:
http://www.hawaiiankingdom.info/?p=82
Image Credits:
Zaricor Flag Collection
