Hula hula hula!!

Last night we had a hula show, and I was so excited because my good friend Lauren and her dear husband Jim could come! It was a great show! We all had so much fun!

Here are some pictures (small pictures taken on my cell, large ones by Lauren- thanks!)

Hana, the 6-year-old star of the show

Kana and Hana - representing Samoa!
Talofa!

A white girl who loves to hula!

E Huli!

I'm getting closer to smiling!

Lauren learning how to use the i'i's

Here are some videos (sorry they're hard to see- it was dark!):

Hula

In case you wondered, here are some pictures of me dancing hula - taken at a birthday party that we went to - photos by dh. Yes, I can smile... apparently not in any of these though... I'm concentrating too hard!

Ulupalakua
"Kaulana mai nei..."

Putting on a lei

Poi is not my forté.

Me and Diane

Wordless Wednesday : Kumu Hula Emery Li'ili'iokalani Aceret at Halema'uma'u Crater

I got this idea from An Island Life - but for more WW participants, visit the official WW Hub or 5 Minutes for Mom.

HWotD - hālau

Today's word is something very dear to my heart - hālau

Hālau - originally meaning "long house", now used to describe a school, academy, or group, often referring to an official hula school.
"Haa-lau" (second syllable sounds like loud without the 'd')

`A`ohe i pau ka `ike i ka halau ho`okahis. - All knowledge is not contained only one school. While I know this familiar saying is true, I definitely know which hālau I love - Hālau Na Pua O Uluhaimalama in Hilo! The kumu (teacher) is wonderful - I love you Kumu Em! And the ladies there can't be beat! Aloha Debbie, Diane, Shirley and whoever else reads this :) Mahalo and aloha!

Hula!

Well, I missed one of my most favorite days in Hawaii - the Queen Lili'uokalani Festival. It's really cool because the whole town of Hilo gathers in the Queen Lili'uokalani Park (right on Hilo Bay) and the various hula halau all dance two songs together - and they drop orchids from a helicopter. Plus, add in shave ice and spam musubi... it's basically my version of heaven. It is what inspired me to join a halau back a year ago. My kumu hula posted a video of this year's event on his website... check it out! (Plus that's him chanting - he really needs to record a cd!!)

In my hula school here, we used both 'uli'uli (feathered gourds) and pu'ili (split bamboo sticks). I'm starting to get used to the 'uli'uli (go figure I'd pick that one up first :) ) but the pu'ili is coming a bit slower! Kumu Em can testify that sometimes I can take a little bit longer to teach ;) Someday, I hope to be like the dancers I saw at Kumu Em's uniki...





But I still think I love this song from the uniki more :)

Homesick

Yup, I think it'd be fair to say that DH and I are both homesick for Hawai'i. I know we didn't live there long (but then again , we don't live anywhere for too long), but it certainly had a hold on our hearts that I'm not sure we'll ever let go of.

There's so much to miss - Elevate, my halau (and hula sisters), friends, the scenery, the weather (I miss the rain a lot now), the ocean, the food (Spam musubi and fruit especially!)... I could go on.

I have the cd from hula in our car and I almost can't listen to it sometimes because it makes me want to cry. We were so blessed by people there. I can't wait to go back.

Excitement in the Music City

I've been really excited three times this week.

1. When I found the silverware in the box marked "book's." Clearly, I should have known that "book's" also meant "general kitchen stuff" like cookbooks, tea, and all of the silverware you own. I found it on Wednesday. That's not too bad...

2. When we finally got internet in the house and I can finally stream KAPA radio on my computer. I love KAPA. Its wonderful Hawaiian music and horrible jawaiian music make me feel I'm back on "my island."

3. Today, when I realized I get to go to hula. Yes, it is far from being the Halau I so dearly love, Halau Na Pua O Uluhaimalama, but still. For some reason, hula makes me feel like I'm home, even in a room of complete strangers. Yes, the steps they do are just slightly different from how Em taught us. Yes, I know Debbie, Shirley, Diane, and Shelly aren't going to be there. Or Mrs. Woo, or anyone familiar. But just practicing hula makes me happy. I get to connect once again with the Hawaiian culture.

Less than an hour 'til hula :)