Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 24, Number 12, 1 December 2007 — Royal treatment [ARTICLE]

Royal treatment

More than two dozen youth from a Wai'anae homeless shelter - the onfy shelter beheved to have its own hula hālau - were invited to 'Iolani Palaee recentfy for a tour, buffet and to perform hula for members of the Royal Order of Kamehameha I. The Nov. 16 visit by the youth and their families from Pai'olu Kaiāulu Transitional Homeless Shelter honored the 171st anniversary of the birth of King Kalākaua, who built the palaee in 1882. Friends of 'Iolani Palaee executive director Kippen de Alba Chu said the majority of the families were of Hawaiian ancestry and most had never been inside the palaee before. "Educating our children about Hawai'i's monarchy is central to the mission of The Friends of 'Iolani Palaee and this kind of outreach is in keeping with making the palaee more accessible," he said. "We cannot think of a more appropriate way to celebrate King Kalākaua's 171st birthday than by sharing his noble vision with his own people." The afternoon started with a ho'okupu ceremony fronting the palaee and included a buffet reception at 'Iolani Barracks provided by the Royal Order of Kamehameha I. Roundtrip transportation for the Wai'anae group was funded by The Friends of Iolani Palaee and a donation from Abigail Kawānanakoa, great-grandniece to Kalākaua.