7/26/2008 Preserving the Past, Sharing the Future

Aloha kakou! Welcome to your hula home in cyberspace. Please sit back and enjoy as three beautiful hula aunties greet you. The first is Auntie Emma Kauhi, followed by Auntie Pulu'elo Park, and finally our beloved Auntie Nona Beamer. Each share their own Oli Aloha with you. For those of you who joined us at the Celebration of Life Lu`au on June 14th, 2008, for Auntie Nona, mahalo for coming and being a part of honoring our loving Inspirational Founder and Leader. It was wonderful seeing so many friends of Auntie’s as well as supporters of HPS. Big mahalo to Kaho`onei Panoke for chairing the event and the Kamehameha Schools for their great kokua and `ono loa food. Formal presentations were made by Dr. Michael Chun, Headmaster of Kamehameha’s Kapalama Campus, and Chairwoman Haunani Apoliona of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Emcees for the day were Brickwood Galuteria and Kimo Kahoano. Musical and hula presentations were given by (in order of appearance) Moana Chang, Ainsley Halemanu and the Kalani Islanders, Hakipu`u Learning Center, son Kapono Beamer, Pianist Ron Miyashiro and singer Auntie Lei Gould, hanai daughter Maile Loo and her halau, son Keola & daughter-in-law Moana Beamer, Pali Ahue and the historic KS ’66 Hawaiian Ensemble, Paul and daughter Akala Neves from Hilo, and na hoaaloha Mauliola Cook, Malia Locey, and Po`ai Galindo from Kaua`i. The day ended with words of thanks from Auntie Nona’s one and only mo`opuna whom she loved with all her heart - Kamanamaikalani Desha Beamer. You can read more about this accomplished young man and up-and-coming leader in our community by going to OHA’s website, clicking on “Ka Wai Ola Newspaper” and downloading their May 2008 issue in which he is featured on page 3. You will also find personal tributes to Auntie by Kamana and “#3 Son” Neil Hannahs on page 17. We were so pleased that HPS Kupuna Momi Kepilino, Joan Lindsey, Edith McKinzie, Kahauanu Lake, and Betsy Hinau and their respective haumana and families could join us for the Celebration. Continued thanks to go! airlines for helping our HPS Team get to our beloved hula elders on the neighbor islands, and to Jason Toth & NetEnterprise for graciously hosting our website. Mahalo nui loa! The aunties have probably finished greeting you by now, so we hope you continue to enjoy your online hula home, filled with the Voices of Our Kupuna.

Stay tuned for HPS' new updated website debuting soon!
(Mahalo to the Entrepreneur’s Foundation of Hawai`i for their website grant.)

Aloha mai e ka po`e hula! Welcome to Hula Preservation Society!

HPS is the piko that connects us together as hula people from around the world. Thank you for visiting, and we ask you to please join this wonderful organization. To find out how, click here.

HPS is a non-profit dedicated to documenting and sharing the amazing life stories of our eldest living Hula Masters and their efforts to perpetuate hula, so their legacies live on to inspire and educate generations to come in the authentic culture of Hawai`i.

Much of hula kahiko, ancient hula, and its accompanying practices were lost during the 1800's, a time of unprecedented change. Elders now in their 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s are the last direct link to their grandparents who lived during the time of the Hawaiian Kingdom and were first-hand witnesses to the traditional hula of our ancestors.

HPS conducts one-on-one oral histories and presents public panel discussions with beloved hula elders. As of 2008, we have worked with more than 40 elders and held a dozen public programs on three islands, resulting in over 1,000 hours of irreplaceable documentation. Sessions are recorded on digital video, capturing nuanced voices and gestures as these experts share cultural gems, distinctive insights, and words of wisdom through hula. We also digitize and catalogue historic materials given to HPS by the elders themselves.

Combined, these resources represent a significant digital cultural library to be shared through traditional media avenues, and innovative means such as this website, which receives 200,000 hits from around the world each month. As the only 501(c)3 dedicated to this work, such online activity is validation that today’s hula community is truly global and that HPS’ work builds and maintains connections to Hawai`i, the hula piko, or source of hula.

Note: We currently have a prototype of how these kupuna hula resources could be shared online in the future. This prototype has two sections: “Hula Library” and “Meet Our Kupuna”. This prototype was completed in 2002 and both sample sections have not been updated since then. As our time with these elders is limited, we must focus our limited grant monies on them while they are here. In the years ahead, HPS will expand and build out our online and “traditional” resources from the oral histories we are currently collecting.

This crucial preserving of the past will help us share in a bright future together as hula lovers.