Cultural field trips are planned throughout the year. These trips allow the students to be immersed culturally in nature and special places in legend and song. The field trips will be arranged, discussed and posted weeks in advance to allow attendance of students and families. The lessons and cultural connections gained from these field trips are invaluable.
In the past, we have cleaned the forest and gathered palapalai fern in Kalopa, visited Kilauea, Waipi’o, Hoʻokena, Diamond Head Lighthouse, Kōhala and Mahukona for research of our mele and hike to He’eia Bay to gather ‘ili’ili. We also visited Honokōhau and were taught of fishing traditions associated with Kona, cleaned ipu and gathered kupe’e at Maka’eo and pa’iniu in Ka’umāna. We were also hosted at Ka Lae Manō with traditional ‘opelu fishing of Kona and played the game “ The Great Waimea and Kōhala Amazing Race “ in preparation of Keiki Hula and Motherʻs Day Concert.
Our highlight of the years include our feather lei making classes with the ʻohana of the late Aunty Paulette Kahalepuna and Aunty Mary Lou Kekuewa, our Motherʻs Day and May Day concerts, community performances and Christmas parade floats. We also encourage hālau bonding outside of hālau practices and host an annual Tea Party and Bowling with the Braddahs, beach days with pizza at the Pier, hula sisters sleepovers at hālau and a Night Time Scavenger Hunt.
Hula in our hālau has never been only about choreography. It includes breathing the fresh air that surrounds us, touching the leaves of a tree, feeling the wind upon our face and running in the rain. It is the essence of a story. More than just words of a song. It is the depth of inspiration that comes from these stories that forces our bodies to move…..our hands tell a story….and the better understanding of what we are sharing determines the quality of our dance.