Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 29, Number 7, 1 July 2012 — What is Hawaiʻi without our culture? [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

What is Hawaiʻi without our culture?

nur Hawaiian culture is what sets our islands apart from

% M the rest of the world. Our culture is filled with beautiful customs, music, dance, legends, traditions and values. I remember growing up in Waimea, Hawai'i Island. My grandma was a lei maker and my Papa a cowboy. We would awaken at 5 in the mornings and piek 'ākulikuli flowers

before the sun eame up so that eaeh bloom was still closed as the lei was sewn. My grandma made lei that looked as beautiful as a rainbow - the eonunon pink, Maui pink, maroon, orange, purple and even yellow 'ākulikuli. I read somewhere that a child is called a lei, because the child is the weaving together of the love of his or parents and ancestors. In modern times, a lei is often given with a kiss, but in ancient times, a lei was never placed over a person's head and given with a kiss. To nā po'e kahiko, the people of olden times, the head was sacred. People did not put their hands or arms above another's head. A lei was carefully wrapped in a special container, often made of fresh ti leaves, and handed to the recipient. If the lei was for a very high-ranking ali'i, then the lei would be handed to a retainer to give the ali'i. It is considered mde to remove a lei onee it's accepted in view of anyone, but especially in view of the person that gave it to you. When my family moved to Keaukaha from Waimea, I met the most beautiful kumu hula, Mary Keahilihau, nieee of Aunty Edith Kanaka'ole. She was such an inspired and creative kumu hula. I still remember her ehoreographies of special hula like "Pili Aloha," "Hilo My Hometown" and "Kawohikūkapulani." The beautiful

dancers in the hālau included Pualani Kanaka'ole, Nalani Kanaka'ole and Lynette Ka'aumoana, just to name a few. During the 19th century, the hula ahnost vanished because the missionaries considered it

vile and heathen. Thanks to King David Kalākaua, who is generally regarded as saving hula during the late 1800s when he formed his own troupe and encouraged the dancers to learn the old hula. When kumu Keahilihau moved to Los Angeles, I had the honor of eontinuing my training with kumu George Nā'ope.

I ean remember the slippers flying through the air if we didn't get his teaching on the third try. What a talented and disciplined kumu. Unele George had a close relationship with 'Iolani Luahine, a hula master, and gave us the opportunity of seeing her perform in person. I was mesmerized by this master hula dancer. Hula continues to play a major role in the Hawaiian cultural revival begun in the early 1970s. Hula is the opera, theater and lecture hall of the islands, all rolled into one. Hula is history portrayed in the performing arts. Music is an important part of our Hawaiian culture. From the beginning of drumbeats with ipu and pahu drums and chants, music today is filled with a multitude of artists and genres that include traditional, hapa haole, chalangalang, lawaiian and more. Beautiful mele are being composed by young, talented artists today such as Keali'i Reichel, Puakea Nogehneier, Kihei Nahale'a, Nāpua Makua, Kuana Torres, Manaiakalani Kalua, Pueo Pata and many, many more. Mele such as "Kawaipunahele," "Lei Mokihana," "Lawakua," "Ka'iliwai" and "Miliopua" will be part of history - mele all so well written. Our Hawaiian culture is rich, living, mysterious and unique. It's what truly makes Hawai'i special. ■

Carmen "Hulu" Lindsey TrustEE, Maui