WAILUA — Hawaiian and Cherokee cultures bonded recently at Lydgate Park over their connections between nature and people. “We were invited two years ago to attend a gathering of Indigenous Nations in North Carolina,” said Kehaulani Kekua, kumu of Halau
WAILUA — Hawaiian and Cherokee cultures bonded recently at Lydgate Park over their connections between nature and people.
“We were invited two years ago to attend a gathering of Indigenous Nations in North Carolina,” said Kehaulani Kekua, kumu of Halau Palaihiwa O Kaipuwai. “At that first invitation, we discovered we were the only group from Hawai‘i.”
Kekua said that at the end of that gathering the Hawaiian halau was invited for a second appearance. It was during that trip that they invited the Cherokee of North Carolina for a visit to Kaua‘i, the halau’s home.
The Ani Kituwah Dancers of the Eastern Band of Cherokee, from North Carolina made the cross-continent trip this week, landing in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, more precisely on the Garden Island.
“They have an interest in the Hawaiian immersion programs because Becky Walker has her daughter in an immersion program in North Carolina,” Kekua said.
On Monday, the students of Kanuikapono Charter School joined students from Kilauea Elementary School during a community school outreach program, when the students were exposed to the Hawaiian and Cherokee cultures.
“We’ve let them have a day to recover from the long flight,” Kekua said. “They had a community lu‘au Sunday at the Taro Patch in Anahola. We have the community outreach today. Tuesday we go out to Na Pali. Wednesday is going to be at the Kawaikini Charter School, Thursday go to the Westside, and then they go home.”
The connection between the people and nature was apparent in presentations by both cultures. The Cherokee dances mimic different animals. They were presented by the Ani Kituwah Dancers, garbed in attire Cherokee wore during the 17th and 18th centuries — re-created using contemporary materials, Walker said.
Dance discipline between the hula and the Cherokee dance were also put forth as Walker said Cherokee dance is making medicine and if done well, produces good medicine as an offering to the people.
Men do the singing in Cherokee dance. The women don’t dance, but they utilize shells from turtles filled with pebbles, and through different body motions and stamping they create the sound that accompanies the dance.
Dr. Ka‘ani Blackwell, a Cherokee from Kentucky and one of the coordinators for the Community Outreach Program, had students leaving with assignments on locating and learning about both North Carolina and Kentucky.
Blackwell said the Kaua‘i Pow Wow will take place Sept. 23 at the Kapa‘a Beach Park. Everyone is invited to learn more about the many different Native American groups who come to participate.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
