Every kid in the islands grows up singing Hawaii's state song:
Hawai'i pono'i,
nana'i ko mo'i,
ka lani ali'i,
ke ali'i.
Makua lani e,
Kamehameha e,
na kaua e pale,
me ka ihe.
Isn't it beautiful? It literally says:
Hawaii's righteous ones,
look to your king,
the heavenly chief,
the chief.
You are the father of heaven,
Kamehameha,
protection in battle,
with the spear.
Here's my attempt at a perhaps more poetic rendering:
Ye righteous souls of Hawaii's land,
Turn your gaze to your sovereign king,
The chief who rules by heaven's command,
Whose name the distant islands sing.
Great Kamehameha, father from above,
Be thou our defense when the foe draws near,
Stand by our side with thy endless love,
And protect thy people with thy righteous spear.
I first learned to sing this song in 1959 when I was in second grade at Kainalu Elementary School in Kailua. It has stuck with me every since. I get goosebumps every time I think about it.
Yes, people from Hawaii are proud of where we're from.