HPS is thrilled to be the recipients of a Preservation Assistance Grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). NEH announced awards on August 28, 2024 that support humanities projects across the country amounting to $37.5 million in grants for 240 humanities projects. The Endowment received 139 eligible applications for the Preservation Assistance Grant (PAG) with HPS as 1 of 57 recipients. HPS’s grant project Ka Pā Ho‛okani! Caring for Hawaiian Music Resources is an effort to organize, preserve, and house 45 rpm and 78 rpm audio records of Hawaiian music from the 1930s-1960s.
Wai Ola, ʻAukele and the Waters of Life
Saturday, July 20th, 2024 at 7PM
Sunday, July 21st, 2024 at 2PM
Tenney Theatre, Honolulu Theater for Youth
229 Queen Emma Square in Honolulu
In partnership with the Māhea Uchiyama Center for International Dance / Hālau Ka Ua Tuahine based in Berkeley, California, HPS invites you to a celebration of Hula Kiʻi in this story adaptation of ʻAukele, a legendary Hawaiian folk hero who faces many challenges including a perilous sea voyage and his jealous brothers.
Hula kiʻi features the use of carved or crafted images in the story telling and movements of hula. Due to Western influences in the 19th Century, the hula kiʻi and other indigenous traditions were suppressed almost out of existence.
Kumu Hula Māhealani Uchiyama of Hālau Ka Ua Tuahine, in association with Kumu Hula Kiʻi Mauli Ola Cook (holder of the lineal tradition of Kumu Nona Beamer and Kauaʻi alakaʻi of Kumu Hula Victoria Holt Takamine), Kumu Hula Maile Loo-Ching who leads the non-profit Hula Preservation Society, and Kumu Hula Auliʻi Mitchell of Hālau ʻo Kahiwahiwa who is an expert in carved forms and kiʻi innovation, will present this unique art form in Honolulu through a project sponsored by a 2021 Choreography Award and 2024 Touring Grant from the Gerbode Foundation.
The project that led to this production encompassed the research of classical themes, the construction of hula puppets, and the development of a dedicated practice from the kiʻi traditions of Nona Beamer within Hālau Ka Ua Tuahine.
Ticketing
General Admission $20
Senior (65+) and Youth (18 and under) $10
Hālau Rate (10 or more from hālau & ʻohana) $15 per person
Tickets on sale now at Wai Ola on Eventbrite
Check out this news coverage on Wai Ola!
June 14, 2024
The revival & practice of Hula Kii to be showcased
KHON2
Featuring Mauli Ola Cook, Mahealani Uchiyama, & Maile Loo-Ching with Kamaka Pili
June, 16, 2024
The Hula Preservation Society has helped to digitally document 100’s of hours of talk story sessions
Sunrise on Hawaii News Now
Featuring Maile Loo-Ching with Billy V
June 26, 2024
Rare form of hula to be performed on Oʻahu next month
Hawaii Public Radio
Featuring Mahealani Uchiyama
Welcome Rich Pedrina & Hālau Hula ʻO Nāpunaheleonāpua
We are thrilled to close our week at Capitol Modern with Kumu Rich Pedrina and haumāna (students) of Hālau Hula ʻO Nāpunaheleonāpua at 11:00am on the lawn!
Kumu Hula Rich Pedrina leads Hālau Hula ʻO Nāpunaheleonāpua, a school he established on July 7, 1993. 2024 marks 31 years since the hālau was founded! The hālauʻs goal is to perpetuate and share their hula lineage through mele and oli.
Joining Kumu Rich is Alakaʻi Blaine Nohara who is training to one day be given the ʻūniki rights as Kumu Hula himself.
Nā Punahele o Nā Pua – means the many expressions of a favorite one. When they leave the stage or a performance, they hope to leave people with an everlasting impression, whether it be through the hula, costumes, adornments, or just expressions themselves.
The hālau operates in numerous locations. On Oʻahu – in Kāneʻohe and Papakōlea; On Hawaiʻi Island – in Hawaiian Paradise Park (Keaʻau); as well as other places across the U.S. Continent, Europe, Asia and Canada. All the teachers associated with Kumu Rich are expected to travel regularly to Hawaiʻi – the birthplace of hula – to train personally with Kumu, and he also “hits the road” throughout the year to be with his haumāna (students) in their many destinations around the world.
The hālau’s style and lineage honors three master teachers – nā Kumu Chinky Māhoe, Kimo Alama Keaulana, and George Holokai. Kumu Rich appreciates what he has learned from each of his kumu, but his primary influence and style remains with his original hula lineage of Chinky Māhoe and Kawailiʻulā.
Welcome Kumu Tatiana Fox & Nā Lei O Ka ʻIwa Haʻa I Ka Lani!
Come join us at 11:00am as we welcome “Kumu Tati” and her haumāna (students) from the ʻEwa side of Oʻahu to share their hula traditions at Capitol Modern for #festpachawaii2024. Mahalo Kumu for spending your birthday representing our Hawaiʻi and hula heritage so very well! Hauʻoli lā hānau e Kumu Tati!
Tatiana Tseu Fox’s upbringing in a hula family perfectly exemplifies the ʻōlelo noʻeau, “Ka ʻike a ka makua, he hei na ke keiki” (The knowledge of the parent is absorbed by the child). Her first and primary kumu was her mother, Kumu Hula ʻIwalani Tseu, and the many cultural principles associated with hula were ingrained in their daily family life. Reflecting on her rearing, Tatiana realizes how fortunate she and her sisters were to have had many cultural icons frequent their home, share their moʻolelo and ʻike with them, and embrace them as one of their own. As a young child, she had the privilege of learning from her mother’s own kumu, Uncle George Naope, as well as dear family friends Auntie Manu Palama and O’Brian Eselu. As a student at Kamehameha Schools – Kapālama, she learned from and was influenced by Wayne Keahi Chang, Randie Kamuela Fong, and Holoua Stender. After high school, she continued as a student of Holoua’s student, Kaleo Trinidad. In 2013, through familial rites, her mother entrusted her with the kuleana (responsibility) of continuing their family legacy as poʻe hula (hula practitioners) and kūlana (title) of Kumu Hula. In 2015, Tatiana opened Nā Lei O Ka ʻIwa Haʻa I Ka Lani on their family property – an old plantation compound – in Honouliuli, ʻEwa, Oʻahu. Kumu Tati, as she is affectionately called, is humbled by the teachings of all that have openly shared themselves with her and her ʻohana. As such, she has embraced both the kuleana and kūlana of Kumu Hula and aims to perpetuate and build upon the teachings of all those that she has learned from so that their legacies live on for many generations to come.
Hoku Zuttermeister, of Kāne’ohe, comes from a Hawaiian family dynasty that encompasses both the hula and music communities. His great-grandmother, Kau‘i Zuttermeister penned the beloved song, “Nā Pua Lei ‘Ilima,” and his great-aunt is Kumu Hula Noe Zuttermeister. In 2008, Hōkū’s album, “‘Āina Kūpuna”, won six Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards including Hawaiian Album of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, Entertainer of the Year, Hawaiian Language Performance, Most Promising New Artist and Liner Notes. Hōkū’s voice is deep and resonating, yet when he switches to the crystal-clear highs of falsetto, to the delight of his listeners, he shows the enormous vocal range that he has worked so hard at perfecting. Behind his amazing voice comes the versatility of his instrumentation. Hōkū credits his musical style to all those that have influenced him over the years. It is a style that he describes as being “Hawaiian, but with a more contemporary flair!”
Welcome Kumu Nawahine Kuraoka & Hālau Hula ʻO Nāwahine!
We’re thrilled to welcome Kumu Nawahine Haili Kuraoka at 11:00am to represent Hawaiʻi in the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts & Culture at Capitol Modern!
Marlene Nāwahine Haili Kuraoka started Hālau Hula ‘O Nāwahine in 1996. Her beloved Kumu Hula (master teacher) was Aunty Bella Richards, a legend in Kailua on the island of Oʻahu. Bella Richard’s mother, Rose Kuamoʻo, was a well-known Kumu in Hilo, Hawaiʻi, in the 1930s. Kumu Nāwahine teaches students from Hawaiʻi and around the world. For many years, she has called Hale Pulelehua (HPS Studio) her hālau home in Kāneʻohe.
Welcome Kumu ʻĀina Asing & Kamehameha Middle – Papa Oli Me Hula for Kamehameha Day!
On this long-standing Hawaiian holiday honoring King Kamehameha, we are blessed to feature haumāna (students) from the Kamehameha Schools, an educational institution that was founded through the will of the great-granddaughter of the King, Bernice Pauahi Bishop. Welcome to Papa Oli me Hula o Kamehameha Middle School Kapālama and their Kumu ʻĀina Asing!
Mahalo Kumu ʻĀina, nā haumāna o Kamehameha, and ʻUheʻuhene for representing Hawaiʻi and sharing our cultural heritage at Capitol Modern on Kamehameha Day at 11:00am for the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts & Culture!
As their Kumu ʻĀina Asing shares, “Papa Oli me Hula o Kamehameha consists of 7th, 8th, and 9th grade students of Kamehameha Schools Kapālama Campus who are either current or alumni of Papa Oli me Hula, the Hawaiian Chant and Dance class of Kamehameha Middle School.
This class focuses on strengthening the students’ identity as Kānaka, through mele, hula, and moʻolelo. Many of these kids begin their hula journey in this class and have grown exponentially due to their hard work and dedication.
We would like to honor Hula Master Nona Beamer today, for without her efforts, we would not be here standing before you all today. Thanks to Tūtū Nona, we have been able to connect to our language and culture because of this class. Mahalo a nui loa!”
Kumu ʻĀina Asing was born into a family of Hawaiian musicians, Hula teachers, and dancers. At the age of 11, ʻĀina began learning how to sing and play Hawaiian music through learning the ʻukulele and the upright bass. His first mentors were his father Kaipo Asing, and brothers Adam and Puka Asing. Through the years, he has played with some of Hawaiʻi’s beloved musicians and learned many things by simply listening and watching them. At the age of 13, he began learning Hula from his brother Kumu Hula Puka Asing and later under Hula Master Kimo Alama Keaulana in 2009. He also completed his ʻūniki training in the hula ʻōlapa and hula pahu in 2012. ʻĀina is a full-time educator and has been teaching Hawaiian language, culture, history, and Hula for 11 years. He graduated with his Bachelor’s degree in Hawaiian language in 2013 and his Masters in Educational Leadership in 2021. He is a member of traditional Hawaiian music trio, ‘Uhe’uhene along with Lina Robins and Kapua Kalua.
ʻUheʻuhene (translated in English as “tra-la-la”) is a Hawaiian music group from Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi, consisting of cousins: Heather “Kapua” Kalua from Waimānalo, Jordan “ʻĀina” Asing from Kalāwahine & Papakōlea, and Lina Robins from Waiʻanae. Each member hails from a long lineage of Oli, Mele, and Hula. They are all freelance entertainers and can be found performing throughout the islands with other musical groups, but have created a wonderful chemistry together as ʻUheʻuhene for over 10 years now. Their old school meets new school cha-lang-a-lang style and blend of traditional and contemporary Hawaiian Music, local island reggae, oldies, and contemporary music just to name a few, will have you singing along and dancing in your seats. Their debut album is in the works hopefully to be released in the near future!