The 25th Moanike’ala Hula Festival strived to capture the spirit of Sally Moanike’ala Wood Naluai who served at the Polynesian Cultural Center for 17 years, says PCC’s website. This year, the festival hosted a halau hula (hula school) from Japan and Aunty Sally’s own niece, Victoria "Sunday Girl" Napuananionapalionakoolau Kekuaokalani Mariteragi’s local halau, among others. Aunty Keala Miller, an esteemed community leader of Laie and kumu hula, said, “Having the festival in the Hawaiian Village as opposed to the theatre brings it home and makes it personal. I just hope the PCC doesn’t decide to cancel the festival as a whole.” Aunty Keala also pointed out that many young people who are now off the island at university call back home to kupuna like herself or Cy Bridges, the retired PCC kumu hula, to learn the hula that they “didn’t take seriously” in their younger years. Speaking of the festival, Pualalea Barrows, a freshman from Maui, said, “I just love that not only the Hawaiians in the village, but also Hawaiians from all the different halau on the island, came together to celebrate Aunty Sally’s legacy.” Hula is integral to the Hawaiian community, said Aunty Sunday Mariteragi. She voiced it is important to let younger people come into their own when it comes to learning the art. In introducing the youngest members of her halau, she said, “Everyone who wants to learn will learn in their own time.” Aunty Sunday continues the legacy of her kupuna Aunty Sally by continuing to teach not only the spirit of hula, but also to love and cherish the sacred art. One of the local dancers said, “This year’s festival brought together an audience willing to learn and appreciate Hawaiian hula culture, a community filled with love and support, as well as students from across the globe. I can only hope for this tradition of exhibition to continue here at the PCC.” uploaded January 22, 2015
Writer: Morgynne Tora
