Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 34, Number 7, 1 July 2017 — Hula festival hits 40 [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Hula festival hits 40

By Lynn Cook The Prince Lot Hula Festival is moving to 'Iolani Palaee for its 40th anniversary. The non-competitive festival honors Prince Lot Kapuaiwa, who reigned as Kamehameha V from 1 863 to 1 872 and helped reprise hula after it had been banned. "We are pleased to weleome this signature cultural event to the Palaee," says 'Iolani Palaee Executive Director Kippen de Alba Chu. "Hula has always been an integral part of the Palaee and the festival will celebrate this time-honored legacy." Moanalua Gardens Foundation will eonhnue to run the festival that it hosted for the past 39 years. "It is the perfect time to bring the festival into town - making it easier to attend for the entire community," says MGF Executive Director Alike Jamile. Kumu Vicky Holt īakamine, an honoree of the 40th event, and fellow kumu Miehael Pili Pang and Māpuana De Silva expressed enthu-

siasm for the new venue. The three have been with the festival from its infancy, before Moanalua Gardens had a hula mound. During the festival's early years, hula was performed on a decorated llat-bed truck. "Now we are excited to bring the celebration to a new home, a plaee that was the home of royals and later the official palaee of the royals," says Pauline Warsham, the festival's executive director. Hula presentations fromhālau on O'ahu, Kaua'i, Hawai'i Island and Japan will follow opening ceremonies that include the Royal Order of Kamehameha and an awards ceremony. Hawaiian chanter Cy Bridges

will receive the inaugural Namakahelo Oli Award and Sen. Daniel K. Akaka and Charles M. Cook and īakamine will eaeh receive the Kukui o Lota Award, the Festival's highest honor. Exhibitors, crafters, designers and artisans will fill one side of the

Palaee lawn throughout the festival. Between performances, the audience ean shop, watch cultural demonstrations, buy food from loeal vendors and enjoy concerts by the Kamehameha Alumni Glee Club and Royal Hawaiian Band. More information, including

participating hālau and the performanee schedule will be available at www.moanaluagardensfoundation. org or by calling 839-5334. ■ Lynn Cook is a loeal freeīance joumaīist sharing the arts and cu!ture ofHawai 'i. with a global aiulienee.

40th Annual Prince Lot Hula Festival "Laukanaka Ka Hula: Throngs of Hula People Gather" July 15, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 16, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 'lolani Palaee Lawn Free

MO'OMEHEU CULTURE

Hūlau Hula Ka No'eau, Kumu Hula Miehael Pili Pang, in front of lolani Palaee. - Photo: Robyn Yim Pang