School: Nānāikapono Elementary School
Grade Level: Grades 3-6
Teacher: Shaina Solomon, Alana Rivers, and Carlee Kawai
Driving Question: How does Hula serve as a cultural expression and storytelling medium in Hawaiian traditions?
What did the students DO?
This hula group, Hālau Hula o Nānāikapono, overcame early recruitment challenges to form a committed ʻohana of haumāna. Through discipline, joy, and aloha, they have learned and mastered multiple mele and hula that serve as living expressions of Hawaiian history and storytelling. Their journey has included cultural huakaʻi, community performances, and deep engagement with the meaning behind each song and movement.
- Overcame Early Recruitment Challenges: The group began with difficulty finding enough students but persevered, spreading the word and forming a committed group of haumāna eager to learn hula.
- Mastered Multiple Mele: The haumāna have learned and mastered seven mele, including Mele Pana, Ka Uluwehi o Ke Kai, Ipo Lei Momi, He Mele No Lilo, Pua Kiele, Queen’s Jubilee, and Laupāhoehoe. Each mele was accompanied by lessons on its history, meaning, and cultural significance.
- Cultural Engagement Through Hula: They explored the cultural meaning of Ka Uluwehi o Ke Kai and other mele, strengthening their understanding of hula as a medium for storytelling and cultural preservation.
- Community and Cultural Experiences: The group participated in the Makeke Market alongside other PALS programs, performed as the opening entertainment for Keiki On The Run – Fun Run, and attended the Free Family Day at ʻIolani Palace, where most students experienced the palace for the first time.
- Preparation for Hōʻike: With seven mele in their repertoire, the group is ready to share their hula at hōʻike, demonstrating their commitment to the cultural art form and to perpetuating Hawaiian traditions through performance.
Hālau Hula o Nānāikapono has not only strengthened the hula skills of its haumāna but has also nurtured their understanding of the deeper cultural meanings embedded in each mele and movement. Through hula, they have built a stronger connection to their Hawaiian heritage, engaged meaningfully with their community, and embraced their role as cultural storytellers and practitioners.
