 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 [email protected]. 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.
 Huraiti Mana held practice on Wednesday night and from practice, took a 3-hour road trip to Vancouver, Washington! Arriving in Vancouver around midnight, we settled in for some rest before our early-morning check-in at 4 Days of Aloha 2019! What an incredible experience, our first time at this amazing Hawai'i craft & workshop, dance competition, kanikapila, and festival all-in-one event. We were able to stay only for the first two days of the festival, during which we three - myself, my huraiti mama, and my huraiti - each took various workshop classes. The morning of the first day, we gathered together in a college campus cafeteria and opened ceremonies with an Oli Pule (chant). The mana in the room was palpable, the 'āina coming up through my feet and spine and out into the world. I was so honored, humbled, (and quietly starstruck) to meet Kumu Hula Keali'i Reichel, Kumu Hula Snowbird Bento, and master lei weaver Aunty Rae Pacheco, as they each so willingly, so kindly, so beautifully shared their 'ike & mana'o, their no'eau & aloha with each of the many hula 'olapa, kumu hula, and interested, invested cultural learners in each of their workshops. Our huraiti Andrea partook in classes with Ra'atira Tunui Tully whose intensely creative ori Tahiti style inspired her solo competition drive; as well as with Kumu Hula Vicky Holt Takamine, whose beloved and late sister, Aunty Diva, first began 4 Days of Aloha 13 years ago. My Huraiti Mama participated in lei wili with myself and, on her own, the lau niu pāpale (coconut leaf hat) weaving course! Now we're trying to figure out how to get coconut leaves in the Pacific Northwest to continue her hat weaving (she's so excited of her newfound creative joy!).
This is a Native Hawaiian event by the people, for the people, with an overwhelming grace and openness and welcome to everyone and anyone deeply interested in expanding their cultural knowledge of our Pacific peoples. It first began as a means to bring together the large diaspora of Native Hawaiian peoples to continue practicing their heritage and traditions in their newfound homes in the Pacific Northwest. Each year the event has grown (last year it was 3 Days of Aloha!). Our first day I reconnected with Ra'atira I haven't seen in so long, with classmates from High School and from college and with my Native Hawaiian roots, realizing how small the world is, how powerfuly magnificent the strength is of Native Hawaiian people, and how interconnected we all are. That night ended with a special pāʻina or party, kanikapila style with live singing and hula dancers coming to the stage should they know the song being sung. All night we watched as hula ʻōlapa from Hālau Hula (now from all over the country!) rushed to the stage and performed various choreographed styles of the same song, all simultaneously becoming the same story but in different ways. The audience cheered each dancer, mele after mele, song after song. Nights like this are so beautifully Hawaiian. Near the end of the night, nephew of Kumu Vicky, and son of Aunty Diva began strumming chords familiar to my heart. My body became warm as he described the meaning of He Hawai'i Au, a mele about the difficult journey that many Hawaiians face; realizing where home lies, where our place is in this world. What does it mean to be Hawaiian? I began walking slowly to the stage and realized that I was the only dancer approaching. As I stood by the stage, Kumu Kaloku Holt continued his story. This song was the last song his mother performed in this life. And I knew I had to dance this with all my mana and aloha, for her. I thought about what this song meant for me and for us all as Native Hawaiians in the Pacific Northwest. We continuously search for our place, for our meaning away from our indigenous lands. We find each other. We seek out each other. But then, we realize, we will never have to go through this life wandering. We are never far and adrift. Rather, the knowledge that we need lives within us, the home that we seek is within our hearts. No matter where we are, we are, and always will be Hawaiian. I kēia pō eia au me ʻoe Kēia pō ua hoʻi mai au He loa ka helena ma ke ala hele E huli i wahi ma kēia ao Maopopo a ua ʻike hoʻi Ka home i loko o kuʻu puʻuwai Ua hoʻi mai au, ke ʻike nei au ʻAʻole au e ʻauana hou Ke maopopo he Hawaiʻi au Tonight I am here with you Tonight, I have returned Long was my journey on the path To seek a place in this world I now clearly see and understand The home within my heart I returned when I realized this I will not wander again For I understand, I am Hawaiian Mahalo nui loa to the Kukui Foundation for creating and perpetuating and growing this amazing Polynesian community in the Pacific Northwest. Home has never felt so very near. A reminder, that Hawaiians will thrive wherever we are, as we are. Mahalo nui loa. We had the fortunate opportunity to work again with Northwest Folklife for their annual festival at the Seattle Center, which took place May 24-27, 2019. Huraiti Mana hosted an 80-minute Ori Tahiti dance workshop that brought together dancers from Huraiti Mana, Hālau Hula Ke Liko A'e O Lei Lehua, and many other dance troupes, as well as belly dancers and others who had never before experienced Tahitian dance. It was a tough and fun workshop going over many Ori Tahiti basics. We were also able to finish our entire ahuroa (or mehura) number, E Te Nuna'a, shown in the video above of a previous performance.
We don't have video or photos from the Tahitian dance workshop itself - immediately following the workshop, I broke my phone! So alas, I lost the media there, but media is not necessary when you understand the ite or knowledge of what was passed down to you. When you remember the stories that were shared with you. When you carry the kuleana or responsibility to continue sharing these stories through teaching. I absolutely enjoy meeting folks and teaching dance and craft workshops across Seattle. Although workshops are a quick snapshot, just a short moment in a journey of lifetime-learning, with a shared focused energy, we can dive deeply, learn immensely, and retain absolutely the knowledge and mana we share. Mauruuru roa to all those who create Northwest Folklife and keep many traditions alive, for many peoples.  Huraiti Mana will be joining for another consecutive year, the Annual Northwest Folklife Festival with an Ori Tahiti Ahuroa dance workshop on Sunday, May 26, 2019 from 3:00PM - 4:20PM. Please join Kalei'okalani Onzuka Matsui as she shares with you basic steps of Ori Tahiti, original choreography of an ahuroa or mehura, and a look toward reo Tahiti, Tahitian language.
Date: Sunday, May 26, 2019 Time: 3PM - 4:20PM Place: Seattle Center Armory Theater 4 (upstairs) Event: 48th Annual Northwest Folklife Festival A full itinerary of the weekend's events will be up on May 1, 2019!
 Seattle Children's Museum held their first-ever Patchwork Puget Sound event Saturday, Dec. 29 - Sunday, Dec. 30, 2018. Sunday, Huraiti Mana performed with an Ori Tahiti segment featuring our youngest huraiti! We followed our performance with a lei-making activity for the young and their accompanying young-at-heart. We had a fantastic time with our young audience and are so happy to have participated in this event dedicated to showcasing the communities of the Puget Sound area.
Mauruuru roa to Devin and the entire team at the Seattle Children's Museum. We appreciate the hospitality, the warmth, and the fun you all bring to our city's youth! Photos by: Jojo Gaon 
Nani kou lei!
Huraiti Mana hosted it's first-ever 2.5-hour lei intensive workshop in partnership with the Wing Luke Museum! In honor of Visions of Pasifika which exhibited from December 2017 - November 2018, Kalei'okalani of Huraiti Mana hosted a workshop focusing on the history and significance of lei-making through the Native Hawaiian wili or wrap style. Mahalo nui loa to all the 'ohana and hoaaloha, family and friends who help spread the word to make this first-ever offering a sold out success! Special mahalo to International Examiner, Arden Fujiwara, Sunshine of Polynesia, Tamali'i Polynesian Dance, Colors of Hawai'i, and more. The room was full of community members spanning across Washington including haumāna from Hālau across Seattle, leaders from the annual Seattle Live Aloha Festival, mamas from Huraiti Mana, staffers from Wing Luke Museum and Arts Corps, and much more 'ohana! We talked story about the type of lei you give and receive, the meanings of using various flowers both in Hawai'i and in the PNW, and methods of creating lei. Almost all were first-ever lei-weavers, and all were very open, dedicated, and didn't want to leave their work. Each left with smiles, laughs, and stories. Huraiti Mana is so grateful for the opportunity to contribute to and heavily involve the ori and hula 'ohana community of the Pacific Northwest. We look forward to hosting future workshops to further our connection to our past and the future of this growing community.
Chief Seattle Club hosted Native Vote Now at the Impact Hub on October 25, 2018, an event promoting awareness and significance of civic engagement among its community members. Chief Seattle Club seeks to empower everyone from their youth to elders to participate in voting so that the voices of this community and its many members can be heard!
Chief Seattle Club’s mission is to provide a sacred space to nurture, affirm, and renew the spirit of urban Native people. Their leaders and organizers are genuine, kind, and passionate peoples energized by the desire to lift up their community members and fellow native communities. In this non-partisan event, they offered voter resources with voter registration booth and an opportunity to speak with political officials. They provided information in short stories and made a family-friendly party to celebrate the opportunity to vote and be heart! The good medicine of community gathering was made possible by the hardworking staff, volunteers, and families of Chief Seattle Club as well as sponsorship from partners and like-minded organizations: Off the Rez provided 'ono catering and Families of Color Seattle sponsored Huraiti Mana's lei-making workshop! Mahalo nui to Amy of FOCS for the opportunity to connect more with our fellow Natives. Mahalo nui to Colleen for her hospitality and warmth at the event - Natives for Natives!  Kalei'okalani of Huraiti Mana takes a break from hula dancing during her workshop at the Seattle Children's Festival to share the Story of Hula by Carla Golembe. Note: it's a surprising coincidence looking back that I match the teacher in this story! Every workshop is different. Every workshop spent in the Armory Court on behalf of Huraiti Mana is a different experience. They're each exciting and each a beautiful moment of community. Today, I returned to participate in the 5th Annual Seattle Children's Festival, Saturday, September 22, 2018. But no matter how many times we return to the Seattle Center with Northwest Folklife, I learn something new and amazing, whether it be the curiosities of children, the insight they have, the understanding they possess for their cultures and cultures not of their own in our storytelling workshops; or whether it be the cultural exchange shared among people of all walks of life in our kahiko and language workshops. I am so grateful to those who organize the many events Northwest Folklife creates year-round - all free, all jam-packed with cultural performances, and all the perfect family outing excursion. Mahalo nui loa for your community work and dedication to building our families in Seattle!
|
CATEGORIES
All
ARCHIVES
October 2024
Organizations we love |
RSS Feed