Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 19, Number 9, 1 September 2002 — Aloha Festivals' theme celebrates skill, creative spirit [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Aloha Festivals' theme celebrates skill, creative spirit

Bv Manu Boyd The idea behind Aloha Festivals 2002theme of "Ka 'Uhane O Ka Loea" (the spirit of the master), is all about art — and fashion, said Carol Pregill, whosarves as this year's festival president while maintaining her post as presidentof Retail VIerchants of Hawai'i, a non-prof-it organization promoting retail interests. Pregill has volunteered for Aloha Festivals fora decade, serving as director, member of the executive committee, and now as president. "When I was a kid, we moved to Honolulu from VIaui. I remember sitting on the corner with my family by the Advertiser building to watch the parade. I was deathly afraid of horses — and still am — but I just loved the pā'ū riders," she explained. Although the parade no longer travels that Kapi'olani Boulevard route, the pā'ū riders — elegantly draped equestrian women representing eaeh islands with representative colors and flora

— remain a huge draw. In keeping with the festivals' theme, this year's parade grand marshals have been selected for their outstanding contributions to Hawaiian art. Master feather worker VIary Lou Kaleonahenahe Kekuewa and daughter, Paulette Nohealani Kahalepuna, will lead the parade, no doubt decked in beautiful lei hulu (feather lei) they are noted for. As proprietors of Nā Lima Mili Hulu No'eau, the Kapahulu feather supply meeea, the mother and daughter team, whieh often includes two generations henee, happily promote the traditional art of feather work, fashioning beautiful creations onee reserved expressly for ali'i. The mother-daughtar team has intimate knowledge of ali'i, having both been selected as mō'i wahine (queen) for Aloha FestVals, formerly known as "Aloha Week." Kekuewa often chuckles that daughter Paulette actually served as queen See FESTIVAL on page 14

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This year's festivals logo depicting a master artist will be featured on T-shirts with pioceeds helping to maintain Hawai'i's longest-standing islandwide cultural festival established in 1946.

FESTIVAL from page 8 years before she, herself, was selected. This year's ali' i on eaeh island are as follows: Mō"i Barney Kapono Isaacs and Mō'iwahine Helen Nlealoha Kuoha-Torco, O'ahu; NIō'I Curtis Kaulana Nlaka'ala Kealoha and Nlo'iwahine Janai Ann Kealoha Schillace, VIaui; Mo'I Larrio Uraua and VIindy Auli'i Nāhuina, Hawai'i; VI 61 Wayne Kalaniopulani Pānui and VIo"iwahine Donna Kainanaiokalihiwai Kahaunaele, Kaua'i; VIo"i Edwin Mililani Woolsey and VIo"iwahine Leinani Apana Woolsey, Lāna'i; and VIo"i Lonnie Stewart Ka'ai and VIo"iwahine Johnette Lali Ka'ai, VIoloka'i. For information on Aloha Festivals events, eall 589-17 71, or log on towww.alohafestivals.com. ■