Pualani Kanakaʻole Kanahele

Pualani Kanakaʻole Kanahele (born September 14, 1937) is a Hawaiian kumu hula[1] and author.[2] She is the daughter of Edith Kanakaʻole, and as of 2003 led Hālau o Kekuhi along with her sister Nalani Kanakaʻole. In 1993, the sisters were jointly named National Heritage Fellows by the National Endowment for the Arts, which recognized them as "Hula Masters".[1]

Career

In 1994, Kanahele was invited by the Dalai Lama to give a speech about world peace. In 1995, Kanahele co-wrote and directed the first opera-length hula drama for the stage, titled Holo Mai Pele. In 1999, she represented Hawai‘i in a UNESCO committee on native cultures and intellectual property.[2]

As of 2003, Kanahele led Hālau o Kekuhi along with her sister Nalani Kanakaʻole, additionally teaching Hawaiian studies at Hawaiʻi Community College during the day.[3]

Kanahele was among the leaders of the Thirty Meter Telescope protests in 2019. In May 2021, she was one of seven Native Hawaiians named to a working group of 15 people that was convened by the Hawaii House of Representatives to develop recommendations for management of the Mauna Kea summit.[4]

As of 2020, Kanahele was president of the Edith Kanakaʻole Foundation.[2]

Personal life

Kanahele has two daughters, Kekuhi Kanahele-Frias[3] and Huihui Kanahele-Mossman.[5]

References
  1. "Nalani Kanakaʻole & Pualani Kanakaʻole Kanahel". National Endowment for the Arts. Retrieved 2021-09-13.
  2. Schnell, Lindsay (August 13, 2020). "Surfing champion, hula masters, educators and advocates on Hawaii Women of the Century list". USA Today. Retrieved 2021-09-13.
  3. Lang, Leslie (August 2003). "Making Hula History". Hana Hou!. Retrieved 2021-09-13.
  4. McAvoy, Audrey (May 11, 2021). "Hawaii House Speaker announces names of Mauna Kea working group". Maui News. Retrieved 2021-09-13.
  5. Gilbert, Andrew (2019-10-17). "Hālau O Kekuhi, a dance of revolution, and Māhealani Uchiyama's Pasifika". Berkeleyside. Retrieved 2021-09-13.


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