Windward Community College hosts "Kumu Aʻo Festival" June 11, 2011

Leading Hawaiian cultural practitioners will offer music, presentations and hands-on mini-workshops

Windward Community College
Contact:
Bonnie J Beatson, (808) 235-7374
Marketing & Public Relations Director, Chancellor's Office
Ku‘ulei Lessary, 235-7393
Kumu A‘o Festival coordinator
Posted: May 18, 2011

The first-ever Kumu Aʻo Festival will take place at Windward Community College on Saturday, June 11, 2011 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on campus at Hale ‘Ākoakoa Atrium and Lanai.

The festival celebrates the theme “Kumu A‘o” (learning from the source), and honors the work of Living Treasure and Master Sculptor/Carver Tui‘one Pulotu, and other respected Hawaiian cultural practitioners who will be on hand to demonstrate and reveal techniques and traditions in mini-workshops throughout the day.

Mini-workshops include:
  • “Sculpting the image of Kū, one of four major Hawaiian Gods (Kū Ki‘i),” with Tui‘one Pulotu
  • “Carving a functional fish hook (makau),” with Gordon ‘Umialiloalahanauokalakaua “‘Umi” Kai
  • “Kapa dye-making” with Bernice Akamine
  • “Exploring the healing power of lomilomi,” teaching different styles of massage (lomi) with Keola Chan, Kapuaihooleiiaikapono “Kapono” Aluli Souza and Enrick Ortiz
The festival will also feature slack key guitar Master Jerry Santos of Olomana, and Kāne‘oheʻs own Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award-winner Hoku Zuttermeister with talk story and music performances.

Kumu A‘o Festival is free and open to the public. All supplies, as well as lunch, will be provided. For more information, contact Ku‘ulei Lessary
at (808) 235-7393
or e-mail clessary@hawaii.edu.

The first annual Kumu A‘o Festival is co-sponsored by Ke Kumu Pali, guiding Hawaiian studies at Windward Community College.