This week’s Sunday Stills color challenge theme is ‘Red, White, & Blue.’ See more responses here.

Yesterday marked the 250th anniversary of Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, establishing the United States of America. This photo encompasses some of how Hawaii came to be part of this nation.

The statue is of King Kamehameha 1. He was born in Kohala and was the Aliʻi (chief) who, in 1795, united all the Hawaiian islands under one ruler. This rule, under him and his successors, lasted until 1893. It was overthrown in a coup by the ‘Committee of Safety,’ who were mostly of U.S. descent, and supported by the U.S. military. The Committee declared a Republic of Hawaii with the intent of having the U.S. taking over, which it duly did in 1898. It remained a territory of the U.S. until August 21, 1959 when it became the 50th state.

The flag on the left is the USA’s stars and stripes. On the right is Hawaii’s state flag, featuring the British Union Jack in the top corner. That’s there because of the British influence with the Hawaiian royalty. This dates back to Captain James Cook, who was the first European to make contact with the Hawaiians. Subsequently, British advisors and support helped the Hawaiian Kingdom come about and survive. There’s a story that in 1812, when the U.S. and Britain were at war, King Kamehameha designed this flag with elements of both nations’ flags, so as not to offend either. Alas, there’s no evidence for this assertion!

So how do Hawaiians feel about celebrating July 4th? Well, I’m not Hawaiian, but any day that’s a public holiday is welcomed, and any excuse to set off fireworks is popular too, though it was surprisingly quiet here last night! I know some Hawaiians who served in the U.S. military who are proud of being part of the U.S.. I also know there are others who want to see Hawaii restored as an independent nation. No doubt, there are many in between. However, I don’t expect to see the return of the Hawaiian Kingdom any time soon.