Putting Their Marks On Things

Thanks to Moana Eisele, I learned how to make kapa (Hawaiian fabric made from the inner bark of certain trees, such as paper mulberry, which we call wauke.) And, I learned to print the kapa Hawaiian style

When I help folks learn about this printing, style, I bring samples of Tongan and Samoan styles. I have pictures of Fijian and Tahitian style. None of these resemble Hawaiian. In fact, I tell people, "If it looks like tire tread, it's probably Hawaiian."

Unlike other Polynesians, the Hawaiians felted their kapa; others felted and plied. Various Polynesian peoples developed distinctive ways to print their fabric. Hawaiians used long strips of bamboo as stamps, carving designs into a portion of the strip about the size of a popsicle stick. By "inking" the stamps different ways, even a single stamp could produce a variety of designs.

A local Hawaiian club asked me to do a workshop on stamping. So, Saturday afternoon, I rolled in a bag of my kapa making and printing supplies, plus some sources of natural dyes, samples of bark cloth from non-Polynesian sources, and a couple of pieces of 100-year old tapa from Samoa and Tonga.

After a brief talk about how Hawaiian kapa is made, I launched the hui into stamping their items. Most brought tee shirts; one chose to stamp her club shirt; one child started with a hoodie and had so much fun, she stamped other clothes as well.


Here's the hui, showing off their new works of art. That's me on the ground in front, with my kapa-making tools. I call these workshops "summer camp for grown-ups," because everyone got to use paints to ink the stamps in any color they liked, and they could mark their shirts or towels any way they pleased. As they worked on their shirts, I told them more about kapa, as well as kapa-related stories of old Hawai`i.

I always stress a couple of points at such workshops. First, anytime you learn about a craft, you begin to appreciate the work it takes to do it well, and when you see those items for sale, you finally understand why some of them carry hefty price tags - suddenly, they don't look so hefty!

The second thing is that sometime in our lives, we got shy about learning new things in front of others. Back when we were kids, we knew our first attempt wouldn't be perfect, but that's okay. If we didn't try, we'd never get better. Then we got into middle school or junior high or high school, and suddenly realized if we didn't do something perfectly, our friends might make fun of us. So, I always ask participants to pretend they're still little kids, happy to try something new, and never fretting if the first attempt isn't museum quality.

I'd rather they have fun while they learn appreciation for an ancient art and craft that came too close to being lost to us forever, and I am glad when, at the end, they're happy to hold up their newly-stamped items!

Celebrating birthdays

Manu Ku and I were the entertainment at a special lu`au in the Concord area. Salena, a Bay Area Middle Eastern dancer, asked us to perform at her mother's 90th birthday party!


After our traditional opening with an oli, we performed a chant honoring the physical beauty of Queen Lili`uokalani. We dedicated this chant to Salena's mother.

We brought Hawaiian percussive implements, too. In a segue from the chants to more modern songs, I use a gourd drum, called an ipu, to dance to a song about the steamship "Pueo-kahi," which made inter-island journeys. This song introduces the theme to our show, a musical trip to Hawai`i's four main islands.

In her solo, Manu Ku dances the lovely "Hanalei Moon," which was inspired when the composer saw his beautiful wife illuminated by the moon while they spent time near Hanalei Bay on Kaua`i.

We love to share our hula, and our audience was happy to step up to the "pa" and learn to dance!

As a surprise, Salena bought an ukulele for her mother, a gift she's always wanted. She asked me to play it, and I serenaded her with "Lei Nani" at the conclusion of the show. It was an honor for us to be asked to this celebration, and a joy to perform at the behest of another dancer. Mahalo, Salena!

Hui Lokahi

Besides my own halau, Hui Hula Ka Hale o Ku`u Hoaloha Hula ("Ka Hale Hula"), I also teach classes at Pleasant Hill Community Center and Concord Senior Center. Some of the women at Concord had been dancing as long as three years before I was asked to succeed their teacher, Aunty June, so she could undertake other tasks at the center.

Shortly after I started teaching the Concord class, we were asked to perform at one of the center's community events. Since some of the women already had pretty red and yellow hula skirts (pa`u), we decided to build up their costumes based on the skirts they already had made, rather than require everyone to get something new. Besides, red and yellow are Hawai`i's royal colors, and would be appropriate for any dance.

These women are very dedicated dancers, and they work hard to master the hula. They are enjoying everything I've asked them to learn. Of course, I've made a few changes in the class - every teacher does. First, when I learned they had not learned any kahiko (chanted-song) numbers, I launched them into "E Lili`u E," which is a tribute to the physical beauty of Queen Lili`uokalani. It is our opening number at our shows, based on the old custom of opening hula shows with tributes to deities and their earthly representatives, the royals. Lili`uokalani was Hawai`i's last monarch, and she was admired greatly by my mother.

I also decided that a group that has been meeting this long should have a name, one that would reflect something of their heritage. These dancers meet at Concord Senior Center, and so I suggested the name "Hui Lokahi." Hui means organization or group, a less formal name than "halau" for a hula group, but a good word. "Lokahi" means accord - and concord. A pun? Perhaps, but it's also an appropriate name for this hula group.

These women are so dedicated, we've started a pre-hula-class study of the Hawaiian language! It's not the easiest endeavor, but those attending certainly are enjoying a new adventure!

The women are expanding their hula repertoire, and as they continue to appear in Concord, the audience will see their hula evolve. I'm lucky that I get to be their teacher!

Ka Hale Hula

"Hui Ka Hale o Ku`u Hoaloha Hula"

Aloha and welcome to "KaHaleHula," my new blog. You also can find out more on Yahoo 360's "Little Red Hen Construction Company," where I've been blogging for years.

"Ka Hale Hula" - The Hula House

This new blog will feature Hui Hula Ka Hale o Ku`u Hoaloha Hula, my hula school, or halau, of which I am the alaka`i, or guide. We dance under the auspices of Kumu Kau`ihealani Mahikoa Brandt, the 2007 recipient of the Ho`okahiko Award for her life's work in sharing aspects of the Hawaiian culture so that it can be better appreciated throughout the world.

"Aunty Kau`i receives the Ho`okahiko Award"

Our halau is focused on hula, but we incorporate Hawaiian language, culture and arts and crafts into our classes.

"The halau in performance"

We also perform shows as our way to share the Hawaiian culture and, in keeping with Aunty Kau`i's life work, to encourage appreciation of this beautiful culture.

"Aunty Kau`i making a lei"

Born in Honolulu, I was surrounded by Hawaiian music as a child, but did not start hula until I was an adult. Our family was transferred to the continental U.S. while I was still young, and quality hula instruction was hard to find. I was fortunate to meet Karina D'Errico, who provided my initial foundation and then sent me to Aunty Kau`i. Aunty Kau`i taught me hula, introduced me to teaching, and encouraged me to expand my studies into language and cultural arts.

"Making kapa during the show 'Aumakua'"

When I moved to California, I continued my training with Harriet Spalding, who was of the Kanaka`ole lineage. When she could no longer teach, I studied with Mikioi Iwamoto, whose halau, Ka Ua Lililehua, continues to produce excellent programs and beautiful dancers.

"Halau o Ka Ua Lililehua - Mikioi Iwamoto's halau"


I spent four years in Texas, where I both studied and taught, then returned to California, where I was asked by prospective students to start my own halau. The result is Ka Hale o Ku`u Hoaloha Hula.

"Our halau before a show"

"Ka Hale Hula" means "The Hula House," and that's where we meet. Our dance floor looks like polished coconut shell, and the house's exterior is a calm seafoam green with ivory trim.

"Class time at Ka Hale Hula"


We have at least two classes a week at this house, where dancers are greeted by our two cats, India, or matriarch, and Kamalani MonkeyCat, our youngster.

"Waiting for hula class - India and Kamalani MonkeyCat"

This halau has been a blessing to me, and I hope it will continue to be a blessing for those who decide to join.

"Pau Hana Kitty" - India snoozes after a class