(BIVN) – The annual June 11th Kamehameha Day holiday was celebrated in Hawaiʻi on Tuesday.

Events were held across the State of Hawaiʻi.

On the Island of Hawaiʻi, the birthplace of Kamehameha in North Kohala celebrated with the traditional sunrise lei draping ceremony at the King Kamehameha Statue in Kapaʻau, followed by a floral parade and hoʻolauleʻa.

The traditional floral parade was also held in Kona on Saurday, followed by the Hoʻolauleʻa at Huliheʻe Palace.

A lei draping also took place at the King Kamehameha Statue by the Hilo Bayfront on Monday evening.

The King Kamehameha Statue in Hilo after the lei draping ceremony

According to the King Kamehameha Celebration Commission website:

On December 22, 1871, King Kamehameha V proclaimed a national holiday to honor and celebrate his grandfather and the father of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Originally, the people of Hawai‘i wanted to mark the legacy of Lot Kapūaiwa (Kamehameha V) on his birthday, December 11. Being the humble chief that he was, he opted to honor his grandfather instead and pushed the holiday as far away from his (Lot’s) birthday as possible, hence the arbitrary date of June 11. Thus, June 11, 1872, was the very first Kamehameha Day holiday ever celebrated.