Ua Mau ke Ea o ka Aina i ka Pono
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"Ua mau ke ea o ka ʻāina i ka pono" is a Hawaiian phrase meaning: "The life (sovereignty) of the land is perpetuated in (by) righteousness," and is the state motto of Hawaiʻi.
The motto was adopted by the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi in 1843, and was used in an address by King Kamehameha III at ceremonies following the return of his kingdom from the British. Hawaiʻi had been ceded to England by the British captain George Paulet, after he claimed large debts were owed by Hawaiian nobility. After Kamehameha III notified London of the captain's actions, Admiral Richard Thomas returned sovereignty back to the King.
The motto is also retained from the Hawaiian Royal Coat of Arms.
