NĀ AKUA ĀKEA OʻAHU PĀʻIEʻIE

Nāinoa Kahiona Alefaio is a first-generation returned-diaspora Kanaka Hawaiʻi. Raised in kaiapuni/kaiaʻōlelo communities, Nāinoa's passion is to learn the hana noʻeau that kūpuna Hawaiʻi were so expert at. The opportunity to learn under Kumulāʻau and Haunani Sing has emboldened Nāinoa's connection to his kūpuna through the craft of ulana ʻieʻie and taught him much about the old saying 

"ma ka hana ka ʻike.”

Mahana Beamer, nurtured in Waikea Uka and Papakōlea, cherishes her Native Hawaiian heritage. Her passion drives her to continuously learn and practice, embodying the essence of lifelong learning of Native Hawaiian arts and culture. Eager to share her knowledge, she is dedicated to teaching others, enriching her communities with each lesson. Through daily artistic endeavors, she has developed a profound appreciation for the art of ulana ʻieʻie. Ī ē holo ē!!!

Aloha nui kākou! My name is Jade Chihara, and I am honored and privileged to be one of the thousands of lateral roots of Lahaina, fed and nourished in the shade of Lele. I began this journey of ulana ʻieʻie through the inspiration of those who walked this path before me in the Maui Cohort, Kaipo Kekona, and Liko Rogers.

He kupa ‘o Holly Kilinahe Coleman i nā one o Kakūhihewa. She has called Mōʻiliʻili, Wailupe, and Mānana home. Inspired by her grandmother, Kili has sought to expand her knowledge and practice of hana noʻeau Hawaiʻi through ulana ʻie under the instruction of Kumulā‘au and Haunani Sing.

From a young age, I have had interests in various hana noʻeau, including ulana lauhala, lei pūpū, lei hulu, and various forms of basketry. I am grateful for the opportunities to learn from different Kumu as I strive to perpetuate nā mea Hawaiʻi.

Kimeona Kane, a proud son of Waimānalo, Oʻahu, was raised in the comfort and care of Puʻu o Kona and the Ua Nāulu. Humbled by the kuleana before me to serve the lāhui, I am privileged to enter into this relationship with ʻieʻie. As a Kumu Uhau Humu Pōhaku, I envision the weaving of ʻieʻie into the lives of my haumana and kaiaulu as it exists within our loko iʻa life ways as well.

Aloha kāua, ʻO Mānowai koʻu inoa. I am a Hoʻokano and a Hālualani, hailing from Kahaluʻu, Oʻahu. Currently, I work in conservation, dedicated to protecting and restoring native forests and species. I am committed to lifelong learning of nā mea Hawaiʻi, aspiring to pass on as much knowledge as possible to future generations. Kamaʻilio mai.

From Maunalua and Kapālama, Oʻahu, Mahi is an educator and mixed-media artisan who is passionate about exploring, perpetuating, and sharing the art and science inherent in Hawaiian indigenous knowledge, practices, and material culture. Working in the fields of education, conservation, and cultural resource management, his creations are inspired by the symbolism, shapes, and textures of akua, ʻāina, and kanaka narratives.

His kiʻi, Kaneililani, reflects his ancestral bond, symbolizing wisdom, protection, and inspiration from his kupuna. This art transcends mere expression, embodying Kaneikapahua's spirit—Kane as a protective Pueo—showcasing the profound influence of his ancestors in his life. 

His journey into Hawaiian cultural practice and expression has been enriched by Kumulāʻau and Haunani Sing; their guidance of ulana ʻieʻie provides him with a medium through which he can express his love for his kupuna.

Kuʻulei McGee was born and raised in St. Louis Heights, Oʻahu. Her Kalama side of her family (mother) is from Kaupo, Maui. She currently resides in Kaneʻohe. Her new granddaughter and namesake are the loves of her life, and she enjoys doting on her. 

Her dedication to learning and perpetuating Native Hawaiian practices stems from the need to teach the next generation the importance of maintaining our cultural practices.

Keʻala Ostrowski is from Koʻolaupoko, Oʻahu, with connections to Kahaluʻu, Kāneʻohe, Kailua, and Waimānalo. Keʻala is an active learner in Hālau ʻŌhiʻa, a Hawaiʻi Ecological Kinship Training group by Kekuhi Kealiikanakaole, and is excited to deepen her pilina with ʻāina through ulana ʻieʻie. Mahalo to Kumulāʻau and Haunani Sing's patience to teach this practice so it continues to breathe life.

Kahalepuna B. Richardson-Naki is an accomplished individual, skilled in various disciplines including ʻŌlohe Wahine Lua, Kumu Hula, Musician, Lāʻau Lapaʻau Practitioner, Pōtahi, and Tūtū. She was born and raised on kuleana land in Maʻemaʻe, Oʻahu, as the youngest of six, receiving a BS in Business Management and awarded a Lalamilo Homestead lot in Kamuela. She remains deeply grateful to the Nā Kumu whose grace and aloha have patiently lifted our lāhui toward yet another dimension of kānaka consciousness.

Ikaika Rogerson is the president of the Waimānalo Limu Hui, the current organization responsible for caring for Pāhonu, a turtle pond in Kukui, Waimānalo, Koʻolaupoko, Oʻahu. Learning to weave the many fish traps will be shared within our hui and among the greater fishpond network. The artistry of ulana ʻieʻie and its connection with ʻike kūpuna has elevated his ʻiʻini to continue and preserve this practice.

William was born in Nānākuli, Oʻahu, and spent his youth in American Samoa. His Samoan grandparents taught him traditional culture such as fishing, cooking, building huts, farming daily foods, and weaving. After graduating high school, he left Samoa and came to Hawaiʻi, initially knowing little about his Hawaiian culture. William's interest in Hawaiian culture grew through conversations with his Hawaiian grandparents in Nānākuli. His grandmother, Winifred Nalani Keopuhiwa, was knowledgeable in Hawaiian culture and genealogy, sparking his desire to learn more.

Piʻilaniwahine Smith is a Native Hawaiian contemporary artist of Hawaiʻi, and kumu hula descending from an ‘ohana tradition. Her weaving of ‘ie‘ie began at the intersection of her practice of the hula kuahu where the ‘ie‘ie is a manifestation of the female deity of hula. Piʻilani utilizes her knowledge and experience of the culture as a form of political resistance and activism for change. She employs the ‘ie‘ie to elevate and expand the human consciousness. Her weaving is a dancer's journey of transformation.