King David Kalakaua ascended to the throne of Hawaii in 1874 and reigned until 1891 when he passed away...Kalakaua was the 7th and final King of Hawaii, he is known as the Merrie Monarch due to his love of and commitment to the Hawaiian cuture, specifically Hula and chant...hence Hilos' own Merrie Monarch festival named in his honor. He also was responsible for writing the current Hawaii state anthem, Hawai'i Pono'i .
This bronze statue of King Kalakaua resides in the Kalakaua Park in downtown Hilo, the Taro plant (poi is most commonly made from taro "corns" (roots), beside him shows His bond to the Aina (land) and the Ipu gourd on his knee is symbolic of his love and devotion to all of the ancient cultural forms but specifically to Hula and chant, both of which implement the Ipu. This wonderful statue is sheltered under one of the largest Banyan trees I have ever seen and the park itself is regularly used for a multitude of festivals and activities.
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