The He Lei No Kaiona Hula Festival is a partnership between three Waiʻanae Community organizations coming together to benefit the future generations of our Waiʻanae.
The first is our Fiscal Sponsor, Tulipa Style 501(c)(3). Tulipa Style is dedicated to educating, researching, promoting, and perpetuating Native Hawaiian and Polynesian culture and values through excellence in the arts, crafts, language, music, dance, history, and heritage.We strive to create a safe, supportive, and culturally grounded environment where Native Hawaiian and Polynesian descendants can develop cultural pride, strengthen personal identity, and pursue positive pathways that uplift both individual and community well-being.Through collective advocacy, cultural practice, and active community engagement, we work to elevate and advance initiatives that reflect the voice, values, and aspirations of our people.
The second is our non-profit sponsor Kekaikuihala 501(c)(3). Kekaikuihala is dedicated to perpetuating and cultivating the Hawaiian Culture through Hula, Crafts, Language, and Community Service. They work closely with the Waiʻanae community through their partnerships with Kahumana Farm, the Civic Clubs, and many other groups in the community.
Lastly, the Lualualei Hawaiian Civic Club. It is through the Civic Club that we are able to issue small Scholarships for Graduating Seniors that live in the Waiʻanae Moku. Lualualei Hawaiian Civic Club is based in the Waiʻanae Moku of the bigger Association of Hawaiian Civic Club. They have been active since 2008.
The He Lei No Kaiona Hula Festival is a two-day cultural event designed to perpetuate ʻike Hawaiʻi through hula, mele, and intergenerational knowledge sharing. The festival centers kūpuna, Gracious Ladies, and Gentlemen divisions, creating a rare and intentional platform that honors lineage, experience, and the transmission of ʻike kupuna.
Supporting divisions of wāhine and kāne ensure continuity across generations, strengthening pathways for cultural learning and practice. The event will include live performance, cultural protocol, and a Native Hawaiian vendor village that uplifts local artisans and practitioners.