Welina! Welcome!
Aloha Ke Akua!
ʻO au nō ʻo Kuʻualohanui Kauliʻa. No Oʻahu mai au, akā, noho au ma Maui. He kumu hula, kumu kula, haku hoʻoponopono, haku mele, kākāʻōlelo, a he alakaʻi nui nō au. He kono a ke aloha kēia iā ʻoukou e hoʻolauna aloha pū mai me mākou i ka hopena o ka mahina o Iune, 2024.
It is my honor to welcome all of you, both kānaka maoli (Indigenous people of Hawaiʻi from all locations) and kānaka kākoʻo (those who are Hawaiian at heart) to our 2nd annual Ka ʻAha Hoʻolauna Aloha event (KAHĀ), taking place in Las Vegas, NV., June 28-30, 2024.
This ʻaha or gathering was truly inspired by a dream revealed to me in the wanaʻao hours of January 1, 2023. Upon awakening around 3:00 am early that morning, I was overjoyed to have experienced a moe ʻuhane (dream) in which there were many people gathered; all were filled with joy upon their faces. This was an indication of meaningful events to occur in the future. I so wanted to go back and revisit that happy place that I saw in my dreams, but was suddenly awakened by the call of nature. I had a glass of water, then returned to sleep. To my surprise, I experienced the same dream and joyful feeling once again, then later awoke around 10 am. I realized then that this was a hōʻailona (a sign/revelation). Oftentimes hōʻailona are seen as signs or revelations from the Supreme Spirit or those from our ʻaumākua/kūpuna (spiritual ancestral family guardians/elders from the other side). I later realized that I had experienced a moe ʻuhane hoʻopālua (a dream having been divided into two parts). Immediately I prayed as a similar revelation occurred to me once before in the fall of 1994.
Within days of entering into my wā pule hāmau (fasting period), I consulted with a few of our kūpuna and loea; each who gave me their verbal and spiritual support to create an ʻaha (gathering or assembly) and hoʻokō (fulfill) the important goals shared in the moe ʻuhane hoʻopālua, including the following:
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Aloha: Ke Akua, nā aliʻi, lāhui, kānaka, ʻaumakua, kūpuna, ʻohana, ʻāina, kai
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Hoʻoponopono: lōkahi, laulima, maluhia, hoʻomaʻemaʻe (mending, healing, balance)
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ʻIke Hoʻoilina: Hawaiian Cultural Knowledge: Leaving behind a legacy
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Kamehameha Paiʻea: celebrating, commemorating, and honoring Kamehameha ʻEkahi, aka Kamehameha the Great, Kūnuiākea, Kaʻiwakīloumoku, Kanaʻiaupuni, and Ka Napolionaokapākīpika, (to recall a few of his many names.)
At this ʻaha, we unite instructors, kumu hula, and loea of various ʻIke Hawaiʻi/ʻIke Kūpuna (Hawaiian cultural knowledge base) share their expertise. Their ʻike include: hula, oli, Hawaiian language, a Hawaiian Culture-Based Model (NHMO), hoʻopono, lei-making, mele Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian music/songs/singing), and Hawaiian feather work.
This ʻaha, or assembly, is a rare opportunity to bring all of these kumu of various knowledge bases together to create learning opportunities and experiences, especially (but not limited to) those who live in the Continental U.S. This gathering is also an opportunity for many of us to rise above the wā o ka maʻi ahulau puni honua (global pandemic). ʻO ke aloha nō ka mea nui!
Since 2020, though many of us have lost loved ones including family, hālau and Hawaiian club members, co-workers, friends, and neighbors, we remain ʻonipaʻa (steadfast) in our movement to holomua (move forward) and holopono (progress with righteousness). In all that we do, we base our kahua (foundation) upon aloha, our culture, language, and each other; all which should never be compromised. We will also continue to practice and promote healthy ʻike pilina (relationships), ʻike honua (sense of places), ʻike pīkoʻu (building ourselves to attain/achieve greater knowledge), and ʻike ʻōlelo (our ability to use the Hawaiian language on a daily basis.)
Me Ke Aloha,
Kuʻualohanui Kauliʻa
KAHĀ Founder
