Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 6, Number 6, 1 June 1989 — Hawaiʻi Shares Rich Culture At Folklife Festival [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]
Hawaiʻi Shares Rich Culture At Folklife Festival
By Deborah Lee Ward Editor, Ka Wai Ola O OHA Take Hawaii's finest traditional folk artisans, add a pa'u parade, dancers and musicians representing our different ethnic groups, mix with the flavors of the islands' favorite international foods, and you'll get one of the most exciting national eultural events of this year. More than 100 performers and artisans representing Hawaiian, Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, Korean, Portuguese, Puerto Rican and Samoan communities will present the living foik traditions of Hawai'i this summer at the Smithsonian Institution's 23rd Annual Festival of Ameriean Folklife. From June 23-27 and June 30-July 4 they will transform the National Mall in Washington, D.C. into an exciting and memorable eelebration of the rich cultural heritage of Hawai'i. "This will give Hawai'i an outstanding opportunity to reveal its cultural wealth to the nation, to educate others in the knowledge, wisdom and arts of its people, and to help Americans everywhere think anew about the role of immigration to the United States from the Pacific basin," said Governor John Waihee. Festival visitors will be treated to performances by: • traditional hula ensembles, including — Hula Halau O Kehuhi of Hilo, directed by sisters Pualani Kanaka'ole Kanahele and Nalani Kanaka'ole. They are daughters of the respected and beloved kumu hula Edith Kanaka'ole, who passed away 10 years ago; Na Hula 'O La'i Kealoha, directed by Elaine Ka'opuiki, kumu hula Emily Kau'i Zuttermeister, her daughter Noenoelani Zuttermeister and Hauoli C. Lewis, dancer • Korean folk dance by the Halla Pai Huhm Dance Studio • Okinawan music and dance by Nakasone Seifu Kai of Honolulu • Japanese Obon musicians and dancers from Hanapepe, Kaua'i • singer/musicians Haunani Apoliona, Ledward Ka'apana, Elodia Kane, Raymond Kane, and Clyde "Kindy" Sproat • the Waimea Hawaiian Church Choir £onsisting of the Kanahele and Kaohelauli'i family members from Ni'ihau singing himeni choral music • falsetto singers Richard and Solomon Ho'opi'i of Maui • the family band of Ku'ulei and Merton Kekiwi, Melva and Francis Po'ouahi, from Ulupalakua and Kaupo, Maui • a Puerto Rican kaehi-kaehi band • Portuguese music by camoes players of Honolulu • the Filipino banduria band of the Camarillo family of Hilo • a Samoan music and dance ensemble There will also be demonstrations of: la'au lapa'au (Hawaiian medicinal herbs) by herbalist Henry Auwae of Hilo; Hawaiian stone wall building
by Thomas Emmsely of Hana; taro farming by James Keolaokalani Hu'eu of Haiku, Maui; Chinese herbal medicine by Eric Ono of Honolulu; Hawaiian throw net fishing by Chauncey Pa of Kilauea, Kaua'i; and storytelling by Pearl Garmon of Kamuela, Hawai'i. Fairgoers will see these traditional folk crafts of Hawai'i demonstrated: • shell lei making by Sherlin Beniamina of Makaweli, Kaua'i • koa eanoe making by Wright Bowman, Jr. of Honolulu • flower lei making by William Char of Honolulu • woodworking by Alapa'i Hanapi of Kea'au, Hawai'i • woodworking by Miehael Dunne of Honolulu • paper doll making by Lisa Hiroe of Honolulu • hula instrument making by Calvin Hoe of Kaneohe • feather lei making by Tsugi Kaiama of Kamuela
• Hawaiian quilting by Deborah Kakalia and Meali'i Kalama of Honolulu • ukulele and stringed instrument making by Samuel Kamaka of the Kamaka Ukulele Factory • textile weaving by Alfred Yama Kina of Honolulu • lauhala weaving by Esther Makua'ole of Waimea, Kaua'i • fine mat weaving by Emilia Maui'a of Honolulu • flower lei making by Imnalee Pomroy of Kapa'a, Kaua'i • saddle making by Robert Ruiz of Waimea, Kaua'i • Filipino coconut leaf weaving by Leodegario Reyno of Pepe'ekeo, Hawai'i • rawhide braiding by Henry Silva of Kula, Maui • Chinese calligraphy by Wah Chan Thom of Honolulu, and • Japanese bullrush sandalmaking by Keniehi Tasaka of Hanalei, Kaua'i and Thomas Yoshida of Honolulu.
Hula Halau O Kekuhi
Raymond Kane
Saddlemaker Henry Silva
Lei maker lrmalee Pomroy