Why Are We, "The Vikings"

The term “Viking” first appeared in 1926, but none of Hilo High School’s yearbooks clearly state who came up with it, why it was chosen, or how it became associated with the school. A careful review of all annuals from the first edition in 1912 through 1960 shows that, until 1926, Hilo High School athletes and teams were consistently called “The Blue and Gold” Team. Then, in the 1927 annual, the words “Viking” and “Vikings” suddenly appeared throughout the sports section, used to describe athletes and game results. There is no explanation in that publication about how the name was introduced, possibly because no one expected it to become such a lasting part of the school's identity.

Interestingly, the graduating class of 1909 selected “Song of the Vikings” as their commencement song. However, the word “Viking” did not show up in any printed publication for over a decade. In 1924, Hilo High hired its first coach, Lionel DeSilva, who quickly formed the school’s first interscholastic football, basketball, and baseball teams. Under his leadership, Hilo High gained attention in the sports world, and he later became the school’s first Athletic Director. It is widely believed that Coach DeSilva played a key role in introducing the name “Viking,” which made its first known appearance in the 1927 yearbook during his time at the school.

In 1928, the school newspaper was renamed from “Hilo High Times” to “The Viking,” further embedding the name into the school’s culture and expanding its use to include the entire student body. By 1931, the annual was fully dedicated to the Viking theme, securing the name as a central part of Hilo High's identity.

Fun fact: for many years, female athletes were known as “Vikingnettes.”

The origin of the school’s blue and gold colors is still unclear. Some early documents and photographs mention green and gold uniforms, but the first yearbook in 1912 had a blue and gold cover and was titled “The Blue and Gold,” confirming that those colors were in use from the beginning.

Special thanks to Mrs. Amy Okuyama, our retired librarian, for researching and compiling this history back in 2017.