Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 17, Number 8, 1 ʻAukake 2000 — Kanahele honor [ARTICLE]

Kanahele honor

Pualani Kanaka'ole Kanahele, renown kumu hula and community leader, was among nine citizens from across the country the National Govemors Association (NGA) honored for outstanding service to state government. Nominated by Gov. Ben Cayetano this spring, Kanahele

"^585- f .... _.lc received the NGA's award for distinguished service in the arts. Because neither could attend the awards event at the NGA's annual meeting in Philadelphia, a ceremony was held in the governor's chambers in Honolulu July 18. Cayetano cited Kanahele's efforts that have heightened the interest in, visibility and stature of hula traditions in Hawai'i and abroad. "We don't do our work to win awards," said Kanahele of this most recent honor. "If we don't continue what was taught to us and shared with us, then very important aspects of who we are culturally and spiritually will be lost forever." At the presentation, Kanahele's mo'opuna (grandson), Lopaka Kanahele, chanted "Noho i Hilo," a composition by the late Edith Kanaka'ole whose works continue today through their family. Along with her sister Nālani Kanaka'ole and dancers firom their traditional hula school Hālau O Kekuhi, Kanahele was, at that time, at the filming of their criti-cally-acclaimed hula drama, " Holo Mai Pele" selected for PBS's Great Performances series. The work, whieh originally premiered in 1995, is scheduled to be televised nationally in 2001.