HANAMA‘ULU — It’s as simple as this: On Monday, April 25, entering the Jasmine Ballroom of the Kaua‘i Beach Resort could be life-changing.
As one steps through doors, it’s as if you’ve stepped into a different world, where hula is queen (and king), and you just may find yourself dancing it to live music.
This is an invitation to participate in Hawaiian culture in a deep way for kama‘aina and malihini, thanks to the Malie Foundation that has helped make this evening possible and unforgettable for E Kanikapila Kakou fans for many years.
Visitors set their arrival calendars for the annual Hawaiian music gatherings, and the community hula night is the culmination.
EKK is the heritage Hawaiian music program of the Garden Island Arts Council now in its 39th season. Translated from the Hawaiian, it means, literally, “Let’s play a musical instrument together.”
E Kanikapila Kakou is a backyard jam, under a roof. There’s talk story, chanting and more. Each EKK night is a precious cameo, a celebration of sharing culture that takes it to the limit and leaves attendees in high spirits.
Presenters love an invitation to come to EKK. Musically and artistically, they’ve paid their dues over the years, and delight in passing along the culture through this grassroots program.
Co-founder of the Malie Foundation, the late kumu hula Nathan Kalama, echoes other kumu hula who have also said that EKK is the mole, or taproot, of Hawaiian music. Kalama left the foundation in the hands of family, so to speak, designating his nephew, kumu hula Maka Herrod, in charge.
This May, Herrod will have been practicing hula for 50 years, 30 of them as a kumu. What does this kumu think new participants may be feeling, being in the midst of hula galore, some of them for the first time?
“There’s various feelings that we speak about, and one is called ‘aloha aku aloha mai,’” he says. “It means ‘you give love, you receive love, you give help, you receive help.’ When you have all of these feelings come together, love doesn’t only mean romance or when you say hello or good-bye. You can get the essence of what you’re feeling and the other person as well.”
Herrod continues, “I’m going to teach the song ‘Poleho‘onalani,’ written for mama Ana Kanahele from Ni‘ihau. Her hanai son, Kuana Torres, wrote it to honor his mama. It’s a rare shell to make a lei.”
Herrod, who will be teaching a hula alongside kumu hula Wailana Dasalia-Duarte and kumu hula Troy Allen Hinana Lazaro doing their own gigs, says of attendees, “I hope they enjoy themselves. Everybody comes to watch and some just come to watch what you have to share.”
“I also feel that there’s a sense of, if you want to be good at something, you must practice really hard until it becomes a part of you, and even if not part of Hawaiian hula, you can be part of many aspects of life. You don’t have to be a part of everything, but each will have its own meaning.”
Musicians will include Waipualani Flores and Anuhea Herrod, Garrett Santos, Chanel Flores, Lady Ipo Kahaunaele-Ferreira and others.
Audience members arrive from as far away as Turkey, Italy, Germany, Canada and other places.
The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, Hawai‘i Visitors &Convention Bureau and Kaua‘i Visitors Bureau supports this program.
Children under 12 years of age enter free in this session.
All attendees at the Makana-hosted concert on Monday, May 30, must have tickets.
Tickets for both the community hula night and Makana concert are available at https://www.eventbrite.com/o/garden-island-arts-council-42722074693.
Anyone experiencing difficulty purchasing tickets may call Shannon Hiramoto at 808-489-2947.
w Info: Garden Island Arts Council website, gardenislandarts.org; EKK Facebook page, facebook.com/ekanikapilakakou.kauaistyle; 808-245-2733; giac05@icloud.com
