What a beautiful and noble statue this is! It stands triumphantly along Hilo’s historic downtown. Wikipedia says the Great Statue«stands at the north end of the Wailoa River State Recreation Area, where it enjoys a king’s view of Hilo Bay. The 14-foot statue was sculpted by R. Sandrin at the Fracaro Foundry in Vicenza, Italy in 1963 but was not erected on this site and dedicated until June 1997.» This King Kamehameha statue is one of four statues of the Hawaiian island leader. The other three are located in Kohala on the Big Island of Hawaii, in downtown Honolulu on the island of Oahu, and in Statuary Hall in Washington, D.C. According to , King Kamehameha«was one of the most beloved of Hawaii’s heroes. Kamehameha was the one who conquered the Hawaiian Islands, unified them and established the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1810. Even during times of intense Western influence, his government managed to maintain peace and the traditional values.» This great leader was the architect of the political unification of Hawaii. This is significant because it was not just an incredible feat, but also because under separate rule, the Hawaiian Islands might have been torn apart by competing western interests. Hilo, Hawaii was Kamehameha’s first seat of government and is still the Big Island’s capital city today. Every June 11th, on Kamehameha Day, each of the statues is ceremoniously draped with flower lei’s to celebrate Hawaii’s greatest king. The Kamehameha statue is truly a 5STAR UnilocalEXPERIENCE. When I came through the area in March 2015, the weather was pretty dismal but this golden statue stood out like a beacon with it’s gleaming gold color & magnificent noble demeanor. I also feel that the Great Statue is placed along the waterfront area as a reassurance to Hilo residents, who have suffered so much from several tsunamis that have devastated the area, that the spirit of Kamehameha will protect them always.
