Media release | Imiloa Astronomy Center

‘Imiloa Astronomy Center offers Cultural, Education programming in support of Merrie Monarch Festival

Hilo, Hawai‘i – ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai‘i is partnering with the Merrie Monarch Festival to offer four days of hula-related workshops and demonstrations during the upcoming annual festival and competition in Hilo. ‘Imiloa’s cultural enrichment programs will take place from April 26 to April 29, 2011, and provides visitors as well as Hawai‘i residents with an opportunity to learn more about the history and cultural significance of hula and its practitioners.

‘Imiloa will provide morning and afternoon hula-related workshops during these days. For a complete schedule of the times visit us online at imiloahawai.org.

In order to continue to offer more educational enrichment programs, a donation of $3 per session is suggested. Seating is limited and will be offered on a first-come first-served basis. Daily admission rates apply for the Center’s exhibits and the planetarium shows.

“Every year the visitors who come to Hawai‘i for the Merrie Monarch Festival are fascinated about hula,” said Ka‘iu Kimura, executive director of ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center. “We hope they will come away from their experiences at ‘Imiloa with a deeper appreciation and knowledge about hula’s history, its cultural and traditional significance, and an increased knowledge about hula-related activities.”

A highlight this year will be ‘A‘a i ka Hula, a Hawaiian language contemporary hula drama that will be presented by the 9th-11th graders of Ke Kula ‘O Nāwahīokalani‘ōpu‘u. A historical journey through the ancient and modern nuances of the art of hula, ‘A‘a i ka Hula will take the audience on a huaka‘i through life lessons revealed by timeless stories of a kupuna as they pertain to a mo‘opuna’s modern existence. Through dramatic representation of Hawaiian song, chant, and hula, ‘A‘a i ka Hula will be an experience of learning from our past and present, with practical implications for cultural sustainability. The program has been researched and developed by students of the Nawahiokalani‘opu‘u Hawaiian Language Immersion School with the help of the rich cultural resources within the Hawai‘i Island community. An English translation will be provided for non-Hawaiian speakers.

The Center thanks the County of Hawai‘i Department of Research and Development and the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority for its support of this program.

‘Imiloa provides accommodations for accessibility for persons with disabilities. For accommodations contact Jeff Harman, at 969-9705 or email jharman@imiloahawaii.org 10 business days prior to event.

Schedule for the 2011 Enrichment Workshops

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

10:00 – 11:00 am Mōhalu

Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award winner for “Best Female Vocalist” (2008), Nāpua Makua will perform mele from her newest album, Mōhalu. Daughter of famed vocalist Hulu Lindsey, former student of kumu hula Johnny Lum Ho, and kumu of Maui’s Hālau Nā Lei Kaumaka O Uka alongside her sister kumu hula Kahulu Maluo-Huber, Makua showcases her talents with original compositions and favorite hula melodies.

2:30 – 3:30 pm ‘A‘a i ka Hula: A Contemporary Drama of the Historical Perspectives of Hula Nā Haumana o ke Kula ‘O Nāwahīokalani‘ōpu‘u

‘A‘a i ka Hula is a Hawaiian language contemporary hula drama that will be presented by the 9th-11th graders of Ke Kula ‘O Nāwahīokalani‘ōpu‘u. A historical journey through the ancient and modern nuances of the art of hula, ‘A‘a i ka Hula will take the audience on a huaka‘i through life lessons revealed by timeless stories of a kupuna as they pertain to a mo‘opuna’s modern existence. Through dramatic representation of Hawaiian song, chant, and hula, ‘A‘a i ka Hula will be an experience of learning from our past and present, with practical implications for cultural sustainability. E komo pū mai a ‘a‘a like ‘ia ka hula i ‘oi mau ka ‘ike o ko kākou mau kūpuna!

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

11am – 12:30 pm What is ‘Ūniki?

The kumu hula for Pā‘ū O Hi‘iaka on Maui for 35 years now, Hōkūlani Holt has devoted her life to Hawaiian culture. Holt was trained in hula by her grandmother Ida Pakulani Ka‘aihue Kai‘anui Long, aunt Kahili Long Cummings, mother Leiana Long Woodside and Kumu Hula Hoakalei Kamau‘u, and received formal chant instruction from Kumu Hula Pualani Kanahele. Kumu Hula Hōkūlani Holt has been instrumental in various organizations dedicated to cultural practitioners and Hawaiian performing arts.

1:00 – 2:30 pm From Pā‘ū o Hi‘iaka

A panel of kumu hula, Hōkūlani Holt, Lono Padilla, Robert Ka‘upu and Ulalia Woodside will discuss their experiences in ‘ūniki, the traditional form of passage by which a dancer becomes a master of hula. Moderated by kumu hula Hōkūlani Holt.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

10:00 – 11:30 am Ka Lei Puakenikeni

In his music, Hilo-raised Mark Yamanaka soulfully bridges country ballads and Hawaiian falsetto. He will perform songs from his debut solo album, Lei Pua Kenikeni, a varied collection of mele: some written by his mentor Johnny Lum Ho, others reaching back to the hymn-singing roots of his great-grandmother, and even a country favorite written for his daughter.

1:00 – 2:30 pm Performance by UNUKUPUKUPU

UNUKUPUKUPU is the name of the rigorous didactic and experiential hula curricula of Dr. Taupōri Tangarō and kumu Mānaiakalani Kalua. Associated with Hawai‘i Community College and involving students in West Hawai‘i, Kōhala, Hilo, California and three Hawai‘i Island charter schools, Unukupukupu engages in the reclamation of hula as a sacred aesthetic vehicle for spiritual transcendence.

Friday, April 29, 2011

10:00 – 11:30 am An Artistic Collaboration: Hula and Kapa

He Hui Hana Kapa An artistic collaboration between a hui of contemporary kapa makers and Hālau O Kekuhi has resulted in a showcase of Hawaiian kapa in its functional, cultural and traditional use and form. Meet kapa makers from Hawaii and California, as they demonstrate the different stages of preparing, producing and printing kapa.

1:00 – 2:30 pm Papa Hula Workshop

Kumu hula Nani Lim Yap will lead a workshop on the basic movements of a simple hula. Nani Lim Yap is a gifted singer, hula dancer, ‘ukulele player, and one of the kumu hula for the award winning hālau, Nā Lei O Kaholokū. She hails from Kōhala, Hawai‘i and is one of the “sweet-angelic” voices of the popular musical ‘ohana, the Lim Family, along with her mom, brother and sister.

‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai‘i opened in February 2006. The world-class destination intertwines the Hawaiian cultural and navigational understanding of the stars with real-time information direct from Maunakea’s world-famous astronomy observatories. It is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday (closed Mondays). For more information, visit the Web site at www.imiloahawaii.org or call (808) 969-9700 (for recorded information) or 808-969-9703 if you have further questions.