Residents Featured in New Kīpahulu Cultural Demonstration Series

Cultural demonstration, photo courtesy Haleakalā National Park.

By Wendy Osher

A new cultural demonstration series launches next week in the Kīpahulu District of Haleakalā National Park, featuring instruction from area residents.

Cultural practitioner Bolly Helekahi will be on hand to teach participants coconut leaf weaving, and fellow practitioner Patricia Gomez will teach participants the art of making a feather lei.

Both demonstrations will be held between 1 and 3 p.m. on Saturday June 14, 2014, at the Kīpahulu Visitor Center in East Maui.

Park superintendent Natalie Gates commented on the new Hana Noʻeau demonstrations saying, “We are proud to offer this new series, which features Maui’s cultural practitioners and honors Native Hawaiian traditions. We appreciate the support of the Hawaiʻi Pacific Parks Association, our non-profit partner, in funding this series.”

Future demonstrations will be offered in Kīpahulu on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month, between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.

The full list of upcoming events is as follows:

• June 14: Bolly Helekahi, Coconut Weaving; and Patricia Gomez, Feather Lei Making
• June 28: Pi`ilani Lua, Ti Leaf Lei Making and Traditional Hawaiian Games
• July 12: Judy Kinser, Hula
• July 26 : Pi`ilani Lua, Ti Leaf Lei and Ti Leaf Weaving
• August 9: Judy Kinser, Hula
• August 23: Pi`ilani Lua, Hawaiian Music

Call 248-7375 for more information.