Pā‘ū Parade & Hoʻolauleʻa to Kick Off at Lahaina Town Party

June 11, 2015, 2:00 AM HST
* Updated June 13, 10:28 AM

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Second Friday Town Party poster June 2015

By Maui Now Staff

The Nā Kamehameha Commemorative Pā‘ū Parade & Hoʻolauleʻa festivities will kick off Friday, June 12, at Second Friday Lahaina Town Party at 8:30 p.m.

The Nā Kamehameha Commemorative Pā‘ū Parade & Hoʻolauleʻa Planning Committee invites the public to commemorate and celebrate Hawaiʻi’s ali‘i through the State Commission theme “E ola ka Mo‘i Kamehameha ‘Elima” – Honoring the 150th Anniversary of the Royal Order of Kamehameha I.

(See “The Art of Pā‘ū” and “150th Anniversary of the Royal Order of Kamehameha I” below.)

Hawaiian music will be performed by Maui Jam and Na Wai ‘Eha.

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The Teri Chicken Plate food booth’s proceeds will support the Boys and Girls Club; Kalua Pig Bowl booth proceeds will go to Lahaina Hawaiian Civic Club.

The event will also feature free keiki art activities and exhibits.

The celebration will continue with the pā‘ū parade on Saturday, June 13, at 9:45 a.m. from Kenui Street, down Front Street to Shaw Street.

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The hoʻolauleʻa at Keawaiki (Lahaina Banyan Tree Park) will include exhibits, keiki art activities, a pā‘ū awards presentation, food booths supporting community nonprofits, Maui crafters, music and hula.

The festivities are scheduled to last until sunset.

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Pā‘ū Parade Highlights

The 2015 Parade Marshal, Ali‘i Nui of the Royal Order of Kamehameha I, is Sir William Roback KGCK of Hāna. He is married to Carolyn. He is a great-grandfather and retired officer of the Maui Police Department. Roback joined the Royal Order of Kamehameha Kahekili Chapter, after many years of service. In 2009, he was elected ali‘i nui of all chapters.

The 2015 Pā‘ū Marshals are Merton Kekiwi and Michael Purdy.

Kekiwi was raised a paniolo on Ka‘ono‘ulu Ranch by his parents, Hua and Annie. When he was 18, he was hired at ‘Ulupalakua and worked there over 40 years.
Purdy was raised on ‘Ulupalakua Ranch by his parents, Daniel and Nancy. Now a retired cowboy of 40 years, like Kekiwi, he watches as his children and mo‘opuna and continues to live the paniolo lifestyle.

Pā‘ū Parade

To showcase the art of pā‘ū, a visual demonstration of Hawaiian equestrian styling, as well as gather Maui County organizations and community to honor the Kamehameha lineage.
Six parade commentary stations will be located along the parade route Longathi‘s, Kimo‘s, Cheeseburger in Paradise, Lahaina Pizza Co., The Wharf Cinema Center and Entertainment Stage at Kamehameha ‘Iki Park.

Keawaiki (Banyan Tree Park) Highlights
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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12:30 p.m.
Grammy nominee and Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award-winning kumu hula Kamaka Kukona and Halau O Ka Hanu Lehua take the stage.

1:45 p.m.
Pā‘ū Awards Ceremony

2 p.m.
Leohone will perform, featuring Ikaika Blackburn, Pi‘ilani Arias and Kamakoa Lindsey Asing.

9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Maui Made Arts & Crafts
Mea‘ai – Delicious Local Favorites to support local nonprofits
Lei Making
Meet and greet the pa‘u princesses and riders
Cultural Exhibits
Keiki Art Activities

Road Closure Information
Front Street will be closed to traffic starting at Kenui Street at 8:30 a.m. At 9 a.m., all subsequent cross-streets will be closed, including Baker, Papalaua, Lahainaluna Road, Dickenson and Prison. Maui Police Department and community volunteers will be posted at each intersection to regulate the road closure.

Planning Co-Chairs
Planning co-chairs for this year’s event are Daryl Fujiwara of Smythe Fujiwara Design, the Lahaina Hawaiian Civic Club, Pā‘ū Co-Chairs Donna Otsuka and Gena Lay Rickard, Roving Marshal Melissa Sowers and Pā‘ū Coordinator Kathleen Birmingham.

For more information about the parade and the ho‘olaule‘a, call (808) 264-8779.

The Art of Pā‘ū

“In 1875, vibrant writer Isabella Bird, wrote with awe about her arrival to the Sandwich Islands. She was curiously impressed with the Hawaiians’ love of horses, particularly the women. Every now and then, a flower-wreathed Hawaiian woman, in her full radiant garment, sprang on one of these animals astride, and dashed along the road at full gallop, sitting on her horse as square and easy as a hussar [Hungarian light horseman].

“The women seemed perfectly at home in their gay, brass-bossed, high peaked saddles, flying along astride, barefooted, with their orange and scarlet riding dresses streaming on each side beyond their horses’ tails, a bright kaleidoscopic flash of bright eyes, white teeth, shining hair, garlands of flowers and many-colored dresses.

“Sometimes a troop of 20 of these free-and-easy female riders went by at a time, a graceful and exciting spectacle, with a running accompaniment of vociferation and laughter. Many of the women were in flowing riding-dresses of pure white, over which their unbound hair and wreaths of carmine-tinted flowers fell most picturesquely.

“This is one of the best early descriptions of the beautiful tradition of pau riding, carried on today in pageants and parades throughout the state. Yards and yards of brilliant fabric, usually of an island’s particular color, go into long skirts and saddle decorations. And, thousands of flower blossoms are strung and woven into lei for horses as well as riders.

“But how did such an elaborate custom begin? From the beginning, Hawaiian people loved horses, and the women had no interest in riding side-saddle, in spite of the missionaries’ disapproval. The wahine hitched up their long dresses from the back, tucked them in around their legs and rode astride, letting their skirts pā‘ū flag out behind as they paraded through town in their finery.

“If they had to travel any distance, they might wrap a long sheet of muslin around themselves to keep dust and mud off their good clothes. Special occasions, of course, demanded special costumes and lei, for horse as well as rider.

“Like a kind of hula on horseback the pā‘ū riding unit grew into an essential element of parades and other festive gatherings. From 1965-1983, Auntie Anna Lindsey Perry-Fiske hosted fully scripted and choreographed Hawaiian history pageants in her Waimea front yard.

“The Old Hawai‘i on Horseback celebration was one of the social events of the season, always led by Anna herself as queen for the day, draped in the finest pā‘ū fabrics and lei. Her notorious skill and style as a pā‘ū rider took her all the way to the Calgary Stampede and the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade.

“Today, you’ll see pā‘ū riders during Aloha Festivals and other island parades, with beautiful women wrapped in a rainbow of satiny yardage, draped with fabulous lei on their shoulders and hats, and on their horses’ necks and hooves.

“Usually, a pā‘ū queen leads the procession, dressed in red, followed the islands’ princesses, ladies in waiting and paniolo outriders adorned in the colors and flowers particular to each island–eight in all. Red with ohia lehua represents the island of Hawai‘i; pink with lokelani for Maui, gray or blue with hina hina for Kaho‘olawe; orange with kaunaoa for Lāna‘i green with kukui for Moloka‘i, yellow with ilima for O‘ahu, , purple with mokihana for Kaua‘i and white or brown with pupu o Ni‘ihau for the tiny Island of Ni‘ihau.”

150th Anniversary of the Royal Order of Kamehameha I

“The Ali’i Chapter of the Royal Order of Kamehameha I has hereby proclaimed the Year 2015 the Jubilee Year of the founding of the Royal Order of Kamehameha I by HRH Lot Kapuaiwa Kamehameha V.

“As such, the Kahekili Chapter on April 11, 2015, began their celebration with a ceremony at the statue of Kamehameha at the Grand Wailea Hotel. On April 12, 2015, a solemn service was held at historic Ka‘ahumanu Church in Wailuku.

“Following the service on both days, the chapter will host a paina at Hale Nanea in which all members and their families are cordially invited to attend. A special invitation was extended to past members to come and renew their acquaintance with their chapter.

“The Royal Order of Kamehameha I was formed as an Order of Merit by HRH Lot Kamehameha under article 35 of the 1864 Constitution with an Order of Knights, which still exists today, although several changes have been made to the original make-up of the Order.

“The original purpose of the Order was to promote and defend the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Hawai‘i at home and abroad. Created as an instrument of the Kingdom of Hawai‘i the Royal Order of Kamehameha I, has served every Head of State since its inception with the last Grand Chancellor of the Order of Kamehameha I, being HRH Queen Lili‘uokalani. After the illegal overthrow and occupation by a foreign government, and annexation by the same foreign entity, the Royal Order of Kamehameha I, went underground until its reemergence in 1902.

“Crown Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalaniana‘ole brought back the Royal Order of Kamehameha I in 1902, but on condition the title ‘Royal’ be dropped.

“The name Kamehameha Lodge became the Order’s new title, for the time being. Born of the Kingdom of Hawai‘i the Royal Order of Kamehameha Ist proclaim that the Kingdom still exists. That event took place at Mauna Ala Honolulu in January 1995. The ‘Mauna Ala Proclamation’ was the first the Royal Order of Kamehameha I, had made such a public statement in over 100 years.

“The Kahekili Chapter was formed in December 1922, with its first leader being William E Bal Sr. as Kaukau Ali‘i. Since then, the Bal ‘ohana have been very prominent in the chapter’s history with his grandson, Chris Bal, also becoming the head of the Maui Chapter and many of his grandchildren and great-grandchildren becoming members of the chapter.

In addition to William E Bal Sr. there were other members:

Mr. Manuel C Ross, La‘au Ali‘i
Mr. Stephan Lake, Kaka‘olelo
Mr. Henry Ka‘a‘a, Kahuna Kuhikuhi Pu‘uone
Charles Wilcox, A‘ipu‘upu‘u
C. F. Nohea Rose, Ku‘auhau
W. E. Cockett, Pukaua Nui
Wm. Buck, Pukaua Iki
N.R. Peck, Kia‘i Loko
Hiram La‘a, Kia‘i Waho.

By 1923, the chapter had 228 members on its roll, making it one of the largest in the territory.

Today, 92 years later, the chapter is headed by

Ali‘iaimoku Sir David Kamai KGCK
Ali‘iokana Sir Carl Kaupalolo KCK
Kahuna Pule Ali‘i Sir John Tomoso CK
Kaka’olelo (Talking Chief) Ali‘i Kawika Ki‘ili
A‘ipu‘upu‘u (Treasurer) Ali‘i Sir Reginal Valle KCK
Ku‘auhau (Secretary) Mamo Knight John Kahawai CK

“In addition, the present Ali‘i Nui of the Royal Order of Kamehameha I is Sir William Roback KGCK of Hāna and he succeeded by Ali‘i Sir Clifford Hashimoto KGCK also of Hāna who was the previous Ali‘i Nui. Both of these individuals were former Ali‘iaimoku of the Kahekili Chapter.

“Throughout the year of 2015 the Chapter will participate in events to commemorate our Jubilee–a proud year for the Royal Order of Kamehameha I. The Kingdom of Hawai‘i still exists and we are her proud sentinels. Eia aupuni mo‘i o Hawai’i nei. E Ho‘okanaka.”