 Huraiti Mana is returning for another year at the Seattle Aquarium Hawai'i Weekend! We are so excited to be a part of this local focus on Hawai'i's waters and life. The weekend begins early with a 21+ After-Hours Beach Party for Aquarium members and goes into the long Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King JR weekend. All throughout Huraiti Mana will be sharing in performance, story telling, and hula workshop to bring to the forefront the histories and legacy of the Pacific.
"We should not be defined by the smallness of our islands, but by the greatness of our oceans.We are the sea; we are the ocean. Oceania is us." -Epeli Hau’ofa Mahalo to Tongan and Fijian anthropologist and writer Epeli Hau'ofa for his words of wisdom about who is defined by and who defines Oceania. The Pacific Ocean is the largest in the world, and our peoples navigated it in its entirety, populating all the many islands our peoples call home. Join us and the Seattle Aquarium as they discuss the sea life of Hawai'i's waters and invite Huraiti Mana to share our people's intrinsic relationship to ka moana. After-Hours Beach Party Thursday, January 16 | 6:30PM - 10PM Performances 7:40PM & 8:45PM 21+ only Hawai'i Weekend Saturday, January 18 - Monday, January 20 Performances: -Story Telling every day 11AM - 12PM -Hula Workshop every day 1:45PM - 2:45PM 
 I was so happy and blessed to be connected again with my 'ori sisters, bonded forever by our time together in Ma'ohi Nui of O'ahu and now each a Ra'atira of our own groups across the continental U.S.: Angie Jackman of Teva Oriata in Oregon, Agnes Manuma of Ali'itasi Productions in Utah, and myself Kalei'okalani Matsui of Huraiti Mana in Seattle. I was last reunited with my past leader and Ra'atira Agnes competing together at Ori Fest back in March. Now, over the long November Veteran's Day weekend, Teva Oriata hosted Agnes Manumā and her husband Matt Manumā (my 'ori brother!) as they lead private one-on-one classes and group classes in drumming, Siva Samoa, and 'Ori Tahiti.
Each Ra'atira, my 'ori sisters, also shared wisdom & advice regarding their struggles and successes in each leading her own group. With us each step of the way, our loving ipo, our sweethearts, and our most dedicated dancers. We are here, growing our communities, giving everything we can to a lifelong journey of cultural learning and sharing. The mana was strong with us all together in Teva Oriata's beautiful studio. Huraiti Mana is excited for opportunities to host Teva Oriata and Ali'itasi Productions coming in 2020 - stay tuned to hear more! A sincerest māuruuru to Agnes Manumā for her amazing skill and knowledge -- I owe my dance style and strength to her. Māuruuru to my 'ori sister Angie for inviting Huraiti Mana to Oregon, opening up her home and studio to us, giving her wisdom and growing our community immensely. We will all see each other again, soon! E haere mua!  Our Huraiti joined an 'Ori Tahiti workshop with Leloani of Te Aho Nui. Based in California, Leolani visits Seattle annually to share in an 'Ori Tahiti workshop with the many Pupu 'Ori across Washington. We were so happy and fortunate to be able to participate this year and can't wait for more opportunities in 2020! Also, keep watch as Huraiti Mana will for the first time be hosting 'Ori Tahiti workshops throughout 2020. More posts to come, soon!
 Huraiti Mana shares an 'Ori Tahiti (Tahitian dance) and Hula performance at the Burke Museum's Grand Opening in Seattle on October 12, 2019 Huraiti Mana dressed and ready for their show on Saturday, October 12, 2019 as a part of the New Burke Museum Grand Opening. We are so thankful to the amazing staff who put together a weekend-long event filled with incredible communities from across the Pacific Northwest. The New Burke Museum is now 66% times larger than its previous build and is currently showcasing exhibits of culture, geology & paleontology, biology, and so much more! View the world from the inside out and learn about the many who call this area, home.
Mahalo nui loa to Wing Luke Museum and all the folks in Community Programs and Exhibits who made this partnership possible! Kalei'okalani, Ra'atira of Huraiti Mana is one of the four featured artists in the Wing Luke Museum's Shining Through, Reflections of an Oceanic Future, the Pacific Islander exhibit currently open until November 10, 2019. In connection with the exhibit, Kalei'okalani hosted a second fresh lei-making workshop with The Wing in the Native Hawaiian tradition of lei wili papa, wrapping lau and pua (flowers and leaves) to a base. The event was sold-out to a room of amazingly kind-hearted, invested, hard-working, and sweet first-time lei weavers! Lisa made the incredible lei wili pictured above - her first lei! I am so incredibly proud of everyone who joined us - the stories, the questions, the mana, and the aloha. The mana and aloha was palpable, the lau and pua fragrant. We hope to continue offering lei-making classes with different techniques, materials, and styles in the future. To learn more about lei-making, please let us know at huraitimana@gmail.com. We'll be sure to contact you for any future opportunities. To view more lei by Kalei'okalani, visit our Fresh Flower Lei-Making page.
 Kalei'okalani hosted a lei wili workshop with the Live Aloha Festival as a part of their largest pre-festival programming yet! A full day of workshops with masters in many types of crafts including 'ukulele with Joe Souza, 'ukulele with Willie K, Mauna protocol with Kumu Hula Iwalani Christian, Lei Hulu with Kumu Pattie Hanna, and a memories of family and Hawai'i writing workshop with published author Loreen Lilyn Lee. Mahalo nui loa to Aunty Cyndi and all who prepare year-round for this annual event in Seattle. Live Aloha has a special place in my heart, bringing home to me when I needed it most in my move from O'ahu to Seattle more than 10 years ago! Mahalo nui loa a me ke aloha nui! We hope to continue offering lei-making classes with different techniques, materials, and styles in the future. To learn more about lei-making, please let us know at huraitimana@gmail.com. We'll be sure to contact you for any future opportunities. To view more lei by Kalei'okalani, visit our Fresh Flower Lei-Making page.
LEI-MAKING WORKSHOP SEATTLE Saturday, September 7, 2019 | 9AM-11:30AM & 1PM-3:30PM Seattle Center Armory Lofts 305 Harrison St Seattle, WA 98109 LEI-MAKING WORKSHOP SEATTLE Sunday, September 15, 2019 | 11AM - 1:30PM Wing Luke Museum 719 S King St Seattle, WA 98104 Fresh flowers, fragrant greens, and endless results. Join us! Participants will learn about the significance of lei-making and how this Polynesian tradition is integral in the perpetuation of cultural values. This is a challenging exercise and is recommended for 12+. No experience necessary. Lei are not simply decorative pieces; they share a spiritual connection with and are representative of the land they come from, the people who create them, and the people for whom they are made. Lei is a cultural, personal, and spiritual exchange of aloha (love), mana (spiritual power), and mana'o (knowledge). Learn about how lei-making strengthens our connections to the land and to each other. Share in company, stories, and laughter in this labor of love.
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