By Vicky Holt Takamine, Executive Director, PAʻI Foundation
Every year, hālau hula from across the islands perform at the Merrie Monarch Festival, captivating audiences with a vibrant celebration of Hawaiian dance and culture. To preserve this culture, Kamehameha Schools and PAʻI Foundation partnered for the first time on O‘ahu to repurpose an unused space in Kapālama Kai into a rehearsal area aimed at nurturing Hawaiian culture for future generations.
As Kumu Hula of Pua Aliʻi ʻIlima and PAʻI Foundation’s Executive Director, I’ve seen the profound impact of this initiative. At Dillingham Plaza, a vacant space was transformed into a replica of the Edith Kanaka‘ole Stadium’s Merrie Monarch stage. This setup allowed dancers to accurately rehearse their routines, replicating size and spacing conditions, including entrances and exits. Our attention to detail recreated the iconic Merrie Monarch Festival stage in Honolulu. The 56-foot-wide by 46-foot-long replica stage gave several Oʻahu hālau a chance to practice under almost identical festival conditions.
For my own hālau, the impact of this experience was transformative. Returning to compete after a 39-year hiatus marked a pivotal moment. My dancers, none of whom had previously performed at the Merrie Monarch Festival, gained confidence and familiarity with the stage setting. This experience was especially meaningful as my granddaughter competed for Miss Aloha Hula, and my son took on the roles of choreographer and costume designer for our performances.
This project allowed for unity and cultural enrichment for the wider hula community on Oʻahu, transforming the space into a cherished communal treasure. We nurtured a profound kinship and mutual support deeply rooted in our cultural heritage by sharing this space with other Oʻahu based hālau. This collective effort prepared our dancers for their festival performances and honored the spirit and traditions that are the heartbeat of our community.
Now, sometime after the festival, Kamehameha Schools has kindly allowed us to continue using the space in Kapālama Kai. This enables me and other kumu to prepare for important cultural events like Hula ‘Oni Ē, Queen Lili’uokalani Keiki Hula Competition, and the Prince Lot Hula Festival, bringing us together in celebration and tradition.
This article originally appeared in the June 5, 2024 edition of MidWeek.