Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 9, Number 1, 1 January 1992 — Palani Kahala [ARTICLE]

Palani Kahala

Frank Kimona "Palani" Kahala, 34, an award-winning kumu hula died of AIDS on Nov. 1, at Tripler Army Medical Center, Honolulu. Kahala had retired in January 1991 and established the Kahala Foundation to collect his various chants and dances. He was known as an innovator during his 10-year career of chanting, choreography and eomposing. His innovations include marching band formations, and themes such as the ope'ape'a, the Hawaiian bat, and the snow goddess Poliahu. His two halau were Ladies of Kahanakealoha and Gentlemen of Maluikeao. Both halau placed in the top five at the Merrie Monarch Festival for seven consecutive years.