Hālāwai kicked off its Master Artist Workshop Series on March 27th with the impressive master chanter and kumu hula (hula teacher), T. Kamuela Chun from the Big Island of Hawaiʻi. Kamuela was the first to ʻuniki (graduate) from Hālau o Kekuhi, the hula school founded by legendary kumu hula Edith Kanakaʻole and continued by daughters, Pualani Kanakaʻole Kanahele and Nālani Kanakaʻole. Kumu Kamuela has taught hula and provided protocol for many years both in Hawaiʻi and Japan and is best known as a chanter. He is regularly invited to chant for the Royal Court at the Merrie Monarch hula festival.

Kumu Kamuela presented the workshops on ʻoli (chant) and hula (Hawaiian dance) to a record number of participants, many of whom were first-time attendees at a Hālāwai-sponsored event.

The workshops were open to students of all levels and no previous experience in ʻoli, hula or language was necessary. As such, the audience was a diverse group of practitioners with representation from every local area hui (group) and halau hula as well as lay cultural enthusiasts.

Kumu Kamuela gave a very comprehensive talk about mele (poetry), ʻano (style) and leo (voice) in chanting. His engaging descriptions and demonstrations of the various styles and techniques laid the groundwork for the audience to learn and chant four traditional ʻoli (chants) by the end of the first workshop.

After a brief intermission, the hula workshop began with the audience doing basic hula steps in the ʻai haʻa style, a very traditional form known for its low levels and flat heels. Kumu Kamuela proceeded to teach a hula Pele, an ancient dance or hula kahiko honoring the demi-goddess of fire. Kumu Kamuela said that the choreography for the hula, Kuololoa Keaʻau i ka Nāhelehele was not very well known outside of the halau so the attendees were privileged to have the rare opportunity to learn this powerful hula.

This was the first event in the Master Artists series of Hawaiian and Pacific Island cultural workshops and lectures Hālāwai hopes to bring to New York. Kumu Kamuela successfully provided important chant and hula technique and cultural background to a broad New York audience, ranging from those with decades of hula and chant experience to those with no experience at all. Not only did long time practitioners of Hawaiian dance and music benefit but also those with only cultural curiosity found the knowledge Kumu Kamuela Chun shared very fulfilling.