Report Title:

Official State Tartan; Adoption

RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, the State of Hawaii has adopted many symbols of government including a state flag, a state coat of arms, a state anthem, and a state motto; and

WHEREAS, the traditional tartan has a similar place in the cultural history and legacy of states and nations; and

WHEREAS, the tartan symbolizes the unique qualities of specific communities and provides for a recognition of the strengths of those communities; and

WHEREAS, the tartan has become an accepted symbol by states of the United States representing their respective populations including the states of Washington, Texas, Florida, Maine, Idaho, Georgia, and North and South Carolina; and the United States, itself; and

WHEREAS, Hawaii has a unique heritage and history which reflects its strong ties to the United Kingdom including its state flag with the Union Jack embodied in it; its state anthem modeled on 'God Save the Queen'; its state motto which is reflective of the British intervention in restoring the Hawaiian Kingdom; and

WHEREAS, in 1997, the Hawai'i Handweavers Hui, in association with the Caledonian Society and the Scottish Association, conducted a public plebiscite and selected a tartan representing Hawaii; and

WHEREAS, that tartan reflects Hawaii in its colors; blue for its oceans and skies, green for its forests and landscapes, brown for the life-giving 'aina, and red and yellow for Hawaii's royal legacy and fiery origins; and

WHEREAS, tartans are defined by their thread count and this tartan's thread count is: B/8 (blue), R/4 (red), Y/4 (yellow), B/48 (blue), T/16 (brown/tan), G/40 (green), Y/4 (yellow), and R/6 (red); and

WHEREAS, the designer of the selected tartan, Douglas Herring, has given his ownership of the tartan to the State for its use and adoption; and

WHEREAS, Hawaii institutions such as the Caledonian Society, the Celtic Pipes and Drums of Hawaii, the Hawaii Handweavers Hui, the Scottish Country Dancers Association, Hawaii Thistle Pipe Band, the St. Andrews Society, the Scottish Association, the Scottish Rite Cathedral, the Celtic Catholic Church, the Khanate of the Golden Horde, the Society for Creative Anachronisms, the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, Clan Na Gael, and others have expressed great support for the adoption of an official tartan; now, therefore

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-first Legislature of the State of Hawai'i, Regular Session of 2001, the House of Representatives concurring, that the State officially recognize the tartan designed by Douglas Herring as an official tartan of the State of Hawaii; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts may assist on behalf of the State of Hawaii, the Caledonian Society with any applications to register this tartan within ninety days of the passage of this Concurrent Resolution with the Register of All Publicly Known Tartans maintained by the Scottish Tartans Society in the Hall of Records of the Highland Heritage Museum Trust at Pitlochry, Perthshire, Scotland; and the Scottish Tartan Authority in Perthshire, Scotland; provided that no public funds shall be expended for this purpose; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Caledonian Society, the Celtic Pipes and Drums of Hawaii, the Hawaii Handweavers Hui, the Scottish Country Dancers Association, Hawaii Thistle Pipe Band, the St. Andrews Society, the Scottish Association, the Scottish Rite Cathedral, the Celtic Catholic Church, the Khanate of the Golden Horde, the Society for Creative Anachronisms, the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, Clan Na Gael, the Register of All Publicly Known Tartans maintained by the Scottish Tartans Society in the Hall of Records of the Highland Heritage Museum Trust at Pitlochry, Perthshire, Scotland, the Scottish Tartan Authority in Perthshire, Scotland, and to Hawaii's congressional delegation.