Halau Ho'omau I ka Wai Ola O Hawai'i

Paying tribute to King Kamehameha in Washington D.C.

We are deeply honored and grateful to have participated in and performed at the Kanepo Ka Lua arrival ceremony at the National Museum of the American Indian Smithsonian, Washington DC, on Saturday, May 16, 2026, and to have been a part of this historic event. Our sincerest mahalo to Dr. Halena Kapuni-Reynolds, Associate Curator of Native Hawaiian History and Culture, for entrusting us with sharing the Aloha spirit that we embody, and to all attendees. We extend our deepest gratitude to the Halau Hoʻomau I ka Wai Ola O Hawaiʻi participants who diligently prepared for this event, and a special mahalo to Janet of NMAI for the invitation and Steve, the sound and engineering technician. We hope you enjoy the photographs taken and shared by Robert Knowles, Claire, and Suzanne. E walea ana~

Welcoming Sacred Artifact – Kānepō Ka Lua – to the Smithsonian With
Chants, Songs and The Art of the Hula
Join Hālau Hoʻomau I ka Wai Ola O Hawaiʻi to commemorate the arrival of a sacred Hawaiian artifact at the National Museum of the American Indian Smithsonian as part of Hoʻolauleʻa: Welcoming Kānepō Ka Lua on Saturday, May 16, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Alexandria, Vir.-based cultural school will perform on at 12 noon, 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. on May 16, to welcome the Western cardinal marker Kānepō Ka Lua to at the museum through a presentation of how Hawaiian implements play a part in both ancient and contemporary hula.
Led by Kumu Hula Manu Ikaika, the musicians and dancers of Hālau Hoʻomau I ka Wai Ola O Hawaiʻi will demonstrate a variety of Hawaiian instruments and implements including the ulili (Hawaiian gourd yoyo), handmade by the dancers. Other implements demonstrated in the performance will include the pahu (large standing drum used for chant and hula accompaniment), the ipu and ipu heke (hollowed gourds used as handheld drums), ‘ohe hano ihu (bamboo nose flutes), ‘uli’uli (feathered gourd rattles), ‘ili’ili (hand-held river rocks), pū’ili (slit-ended bamboo sticks), kālā’au (tapping sticks), ukulele and more!
The halau will also demonstrate the art of weaving Ti plants, teaching visitors to make ti leaf bracelets.
Dr. Halena Kapuni-Reynolds, the Associate Curator of Native Hawaiian History and Culture at the National Museum of the American, will offer tours and tell the story of Kānepō Ka Lua.
The announcement on the NMAI web site about the event can be found at
https://americanindian.si.edu/events/?trumbaEmbed=view%3Devent%26eventid%3D201001320

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Just a moment...

Join us on Saturday May 16, 2016 at 12noon. 2:00pm and 4:00pm at the National Museum of the American Indian Smithsonian, Washington D.C, as we take you on a journey of how Hawaiian implements play a part of hula and welcoming Kānepō Ka Lua. We hope to see you there. Mahalo a nui loa.
Ke aloha mau a mau~

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Just a moment...

https://youtu.be/aoSdg9qNgLo?si=IKkJkOwXlKH6pquX

It was 10 years ago on this day~

Honoring Queen Liliʻuokalani The music and poetry of Queen Liliʻuokalani are honored as part of Women’s History Month and the Smithsonian’s Year of Music. Amy Stillman (Native Hawaiian),...

E hoʻohauʻoli i kēia kau o ke aloha,
No na poe, no na mea, no na aina a pau loa.
Aloha Kalikimaka a me ka hauʻoli Makahiki Hou~
Celebrate this loving season, all the people, all things, all the earth.
Have a Merriest of Christmas and a Hāppy New Year.

October 18, 2025💚🤍 #hulanewyork #nameleainaohawaii #hawaii #hula #kahiko #kumuhula

Sharing a few photos with permission by our Halau photographer, Paul Ruden on October 18, 2025 of Luana Haraguchi’s Puka Uniki.

In Hawaiian tradition soon after our guests arrived, everyone participated in a cleansing ceremony with Alaea (red clay salt) from the island of Kauaʻi and Ka Wai Ola (living water) from Hale Iliʻahi (Sandal Wood home) mixed together for the purpose of purification. It is a deeply significant rite of passage. The ceremony purifies that all who attended, are spiritually and mentally prepared, rid of all bad thoughts and welcome only of good filled with full of aloha, the breath of life.

Soon after an introduction of Luana’s bio and a private hula performance from her Hālau Hula O Na Mele ‘Aina O Hawaiʻi, Luana was officially blessed as a Kumu hula, a well respected title given to pass on her knowledge and accept this Kuleana (responsibility) to fulfill that title given.

Hoʻomaikaʻi ʻana no ka ʻūniki ʻana Kumu Luana a me Hālau Hula O Na Mele ‘Aina O Hawaiʻi.
(Congratulations Kumu Luana and Hālau Hula O Na Mele ‘Aina O Hawaiʻi).

O wau iho no me ke aloha, Manu Ikaika kēia~

On October 18, 2025, a private traditional ceremony was held for Luana Haraguchi who Officially achieved the Title of Kumu Hula, a well deserved and most respected position to hold in the world of hula and culture.
Luana demonstrated her Kuleana (responsibility), in all aspects at her Puka Uniki (opening graduation) along with her na haumana (students).

On Sunday October 19, 2025, Kumu hula Luana Haraguchi and her wonderful students joined us in our public performance at the Washington Folk Festival in Glen Echo Maryland which was well received by standing room only attendance. It was a pleasure to be with our sister halau (hula school) from New York to demonstrate that hula continues to thrive throughout the world, and to share and express the meaning of “ALOHA”.
Hoʻomaikaʻi ʻana e Kumu Luana (congratulations) Kumu and Hālau Hula O Na Mele ‘Aina O Hawai’i.

Ke aloha mau a mau~

* A special Mahalo to our photographer Paul Ruden for the wonderful photos, Anita Pulelehua Hansen for a video, and anyone else who I may have missed, mahalo, mahalo, mahalo Plenty!

Manu ikaika keia a me Kukana (Suzanne