Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 40, Number 4, 1 April 2023 — New Hālau Debuting at Merrie Monarch Will Honor Beloved Kumu Hula Johnny Lum Ho [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

New Hālau Debuting at Merrie Monarch Will Honor Beloved Kumu Hula Johnny Lum Ho

HūIūu Kū Lehuo Puo Komoehu is ū new hālou founded by houmōno of the lote Kumu Hulo Johnny Lum Ho. A hulo ieon, Lum Ho presented some of the most innovotive hula performances to ever grace the Merrie Monarch stoge. His houmōno hope to honor their beloved kumu who passed away o yeor ogo, with their debut performonce ot the 60th Merrie Monarch Festivol,- Photos: Loni Wolters

By Lisa Huynh Eller Anew hālau founded by the students of the late Kumu Hula Johnny Lum Ho will perform at this year's Merrie Monareh Festival in his memory. Lum Ho, eonsidered by many to be a hula ieon, performed at the very first festival haek in 1964. "I'm happy [his students are performing] beeause Unele George Na'ope was one of the founders. He told me that when he first started it, he asked Unele Johnny to have his hālau be part of the program of the exhibition. He was there for the first and now his hālau will be performing in the 6oth. I think it's so apropos for them to do this honor," said Aunty Luana Kawelu, president of the Merrie Monareh Festival. After Lum Ho's passing in April 2022, his students deeided to honor him by ehoosing a new name for the hālau said Kumu Hula Kasie Kaleohano. The new hālau is named "Hālau Ka Lehua Pua Kamaehu," after one of their favorite Lum Ho songs. "His wish was for us to eontinue. But we both felt, along with Aunty Dee-dee (Oda), and our elose eirele of hula sisters, that we should open under a new name beeause the name Ka Ua Kani Lehua should rest with Unele Johnny," said Kaleohano. Their new name is inspired by, but slightly different than, their favorite song. "The kama'ehu in his song has an 'okina and refers to the rust-eolored lehua blossom.

We removed the 'okina and that then ereated the idea of the lehua for a new generation. So we're paying homage to where we eame from, and then those who will eome after us." Lum Ho was a visionary, a man of very few words, and deeply religious. "He was an extremely talented kumu hula, with so many ereative songs that he shared with us on stage, and he was well known and loved by hula people around the world," said Kawelu. His gentle and quiet ways of teaehing empowered his students, say Kaleohano and Kumu Hula Brandi Barrett. He would often allow them to be part of the ereative proeess and present their ideas for movements to aeeompany the mele. They used to joke that they needed to speak

the "Johnny Lum Ho language." "We'd do these motions and he'd be like, 'Okay, try something else.' And if he liked it, he'd say, "īhat's what I want.' You had to speak and understand 'Johnny Lum Ho,"' said Barrett. Both Kaleohano and Barrett said they are grateful for his understated approaeh beeause it prepared them as teaehers. "He allowed us that spaee within his vision. He knew what he wanted to see, but he allowed us that kind of autonomy to be ereative, while he helped us grow that within ourselves," Kaleohano said. In a nod to his legaey as a prolifie original eomposer, the hālau will be performing an original mele about his life. "What really struek a ehord with us is how many mele Unele Johnny eomposed over his lifetime, but we were not aware of any mele that were eomposed for him," said Kaleohano. "So we got together with our inner eirele and just kind of talked about the stories he shared or the stories we knew about his lifetime. And one of our hula dads, who is Hiapo Perreira, a professor of olelo Hawai'i at UH, took our thoughts and our stories and eomposed the mele. So that's what our daneers will be sharing this year. It's a mele about Unele Johnny's life." The dancers will be accompanied by Lum Ho's fellow musicians and long-time collaborators, Bert Naihe, Edward Atkins, Mark Yamanaka, and Kuana Torres Kahele. One of the hālau's members (and Barrett's daughter), Tehani Kaleohoneonālani Barrett, will compete in the Miss Aloha competition. Lum Ho chose the younger Barrett for the role prior to his passing. According to Kaleohano, many of Lum Ho's former students plan to return to the festival to honor their late kumu in some shape or form. The time leading up to the festival brings a mix of emotions for the hālau. It is an exciting, bittersweet and nerve-wracking time, said both Barrett and Kaleohano. Only two of the 26 or 27 dancers, who range in age ffom 13 to 37 years old, have ever performed at Merrie Monarch. To help the dancers ealm their nerves, their teachers remind them to focus on their purpose. "It's about honoring him, especially this year, and just doing their best," said Barrett. Though Lum Ho had an immeasurable impact on the art of hula, his legacy extended beyond it and eneompassed an unwavering faith in God and Jesus Christ and a belief in giving back. Commented Kaleohano: "One of the biggest things, I think, of Unele Johnny's legacy, besides hula and faith, is if you give blessings, you get blessings." ■ Lisa Huynh Eller is a freelance writer, editor and project manager based out ofHilo, Hawai'i. She is aformer reporterfor West Hawai'i Today in Kailua-Kona, and a graduate of the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa's Journalistn Program.

Kumu Hulo Kosie Koleohono (left) ond Kumu Hulo Brondi Borrett (right) founded Hōlou Ko Lehuo Puo Komoehu. The nome of their hōlou wos inspired by one of their fovorite Johnny Lum Ho compositions.