Hula Voices featuring Kumu Kini Kaʻawa
Wednesday, April 3 | 5:30-7pm
The Volcano Art Center’s 2019 Hula Voices series continues on Wednesday, April 3rd. The program features Kumu Kini Kaʻawa, with moderator Desiree Moana Cruz. Hula Voices is an oral history project, presenting an engaging, intimate “talk story” session with Hawai‘i Island’s hula practitioners, as they share their hula genealogy, traditions, protocols and experiences. These free, educational offerings occur regularly on the first Wednesday of each month, from 5:30– 7:00pm at the Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Park entrance fees may apply.
Kini K. Ka‘awa, eldest daughter of Michael Ka‘awa and Makalapua Alencastre, was born and raised on the sands of Kailua, Oʻahu. Kini is hula and has danced hula her entire life. She is one of 11 students in the first graduating class of the Hawaiian Immersion Program and is a graduate of Ka Haka ʻUla o Keʻelikōlani with multiple degrees including a B.A. in Hawaiian Studies, a certificate in Kahuawaiola Indigenous Teacher Education Graduate Program, and a Masters Degree in Indigenous Language and Culture Education. Kumu Hula Hoakalei Kamauʻu was her mother’s Kumu hula and thus where her hula heart beat originated. She danced under Chinky Mahoe from age four to her young adult life yet since many Kumu hula were involved with the Hawaiian language revitalization program, Kini has had the unique opportunity to train under various Kumu hula.
As an adult, Kiniʻs hula journey lead her to learn and connect with numerous hula lineages, all of which contributes to her hula maturity. She has been an Hawaiian educator in public and private schools for 20 years. This is her third year as the Kumu ʻŌlelo (language), ʻIke (cultural) and Hula (dance) Hawaiʻi at Kua O Ka Lā, NCPCS, working with students from grades K to 12th, as well as teacher professional development and ʻohana engagement projects. She continues to instruct traditional hula, create contemporary hula, and evolve hula into the classroom as a means to instruct school standards of various subjects. Ola au i ka hula, ola ka hula iaʻu – Hula grants me life and I give life in hula. Mahalo a aloha ke Akua.
Please join VAC in celebrating the Hula Arts at Kīlaueawith Hula Voices. These programs are supported in part by a grant from the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority, the County of Hawaiʻi Department of Research and Development and individual funding from members of the Volcano Art Center’s ʻohana.