The Royal Guard of the Hawaii National Guard is an

Air National Guard The Air National Guard (ANG), also known as the Air Guard, is a federal military reserve force of the United States Air Force, as well as the air militia of each U.S. state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the ter ...

ceremonial unit which is uniformed in a manner similar to the royal bodyguard of the

Kingdom of Hawaii The Hawaiian Kingdom, or Kingdom of Hawaiʻi ( Hawaiian: ''Ko Hawaiʻi Pae ʻĀina''), was a sovereign state located in the Hawaiian Islands. The country was formed in 1795, when the warrior chief Kamehameha the Great, of the independent island ...

of the late 19th century. The original 50-man unit had been disbanded by King

Lunalilo Lunalilo (William Charles Lunalilo; January 31, 1835 – February 3, 1874) was the sixth monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaii from his election on January 8, 1873, until his death a year later. Born to Kekāuluohi and High Chief Charles Kanaʻina, ...

after the barrack mutiny of 1873, reestablished by King Kalakaua, and finally abolished after the monarchy fell during the

overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom The overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom was a ''coup d'état'' against Queen Liliʻuokalani, which took place on January 17, 1893, on the island of Oahu and led by the Committee of Safety, composed of seven foreign residents and six non-aborig ...

at the end of the 19th century. The current Royal Guards were raised in 1962 as a purely ceremonial unit. Each guardsman is a

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...

an resident, a member of the

Hawaii Air National Guard The Hawaii Air National Guard (HI ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of Hawaii, United States of America. It is, along with the Hawaii Army National Guard, an element of the Hawaii National Guard. As state militia units, the units in the ...

, of full or partial

an descent. The unit appears in support of the Governor at official State and other public functions; less frequently, the unit appears at ceremonies involving descendants of former Hawaiian royalty. In 1963, the Royal Guards consisted of 14 men. It has grown to a strength of 42.

Weapons

* Springfield 45-70

rifle A rifle is a long-barreled firearm designed for accurate shooting, with a barrel that has a helical pattern of grooves ( rifling) cut into the bore wall. In keeping with their focus on accuracy, rifles are typically designed to be held with ...

Ranks

* Kapena Moku (Captain) * Luna Koa (1st Lieutenant) * Lutanela (2nd Lieutenant) * He Kakiana (First Sergeant) * Kakiana Ekahi (Sergeant 1st Squad) * Kakiana Elua (Sergeant 2nd Squad) * Kakiana Ekolu (Sergeant 3rd Squad) * Kakiana Eha (Sergeant 4th Squad) * Kaiana Pu (Ordnance Sergeant) * Kapala Ekahi (Corporal 1st Squad) * Kopala Elua (Corporal 2nd Squad) * Kopala Ekolu (Corporal 3rd Squad) * Kopala Eha (Corporal 4th Squad) * Kopala Hae (Color Guard Corporal) * 1 Hookani Pahu (Drummer) * 27 Koa (Soldiers)

Uniform

* Navy Blue Jacket * White pants * White

Pith Helmet The pith helmet, also known as the safari helmet, salacot, sola topee, sun helmet, topee, and topi) is a lightweight cloth-covered helmet made of sholapith. The pith helmet originates from the Spanish Empire, Spanish military adaptation of the na ...

* Black Shoes

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Royal Guards Of Hawaii Guards of honour Ceremonial units of the United States military

Military units and formations in Hawaii Military units and formations established in the 1800s Military units and formations disestablished in the 1890s Military units and formations established in 1962 Guards regiments Bodyguards Hawaiian Kingdom people Military of the Hawaiian Kingdom Governor of Hawaii