Hālau Makana Aloha O Ka Lauaʻe announces its inaugural Hōʻike, Aug. 2

Hālau Makana Aloha O Ka Lauaʻe announces its inaugural Hōʻike, Keolamakaainanakalahuiokalaninokamehamehaekolu (The Life of the People) Hōʻike 2025, set for Saturday, Aug. 2, 2025, at the historic ʻĪao Theater in Wailuku.

This milestone event marks the first official presentation by the hālau since its founding in 2020 by Kumu Hula Naomi “Sissy” Lake‑Farm. The hōʻike is more than a showcase; it is a cultural gathering, a way to share stories, chant, and hula that preserve and honor Hawaiian heritage for community and keiki alike.

This inaugural hō‘ike is a tribute to Sissy’s father, the late Kumu Hula and Hawaiian cultural visionary John “Keola” Lake. Raised in Lahaina, Kaupō, and Wailuku.,John Keola Lake later led the Hawaiian Studies program at Saint Louis School on Oʻahu, introduced Hawaiian language instruction, authored key curricula, and trained generations of ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi teachers and practitioners.

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John Keola Lake bestowed upon his daughter her Hawaiian name, Kahakuhaupiokamakani—“lady of the cold, piercing wind”—during a dream involving ʻĪao Valley and its iconic Needle. As Sissy recalls: in her father’s dream, “one man told the other to look up toward the Needle… and repeated Kahakuhaupiokamakani,” linking her irrevocably to the spirit of Wailuku and her cultural inheritance. This drove her decision to hold the Hō‘ike at Wailuku Town’s Historic ʻĪao Theater.

Kumu Sissy, born and raised on O‘ahu in 1969, relocated to Maui 20 years ago, reconnecting with her father’s birthplace. She rose to prominence as a performer in the celebrated Lahaina-based production ʻUlalena, which toured native Hawaiian mythology and history through hula, chants, and music until its closing in May 2018.

Beyond performance, Sissy has spent decades dedicated to cultural preservation. She is the founding kumu of Hālau Makana Aloha O Ka Lauaʻe and served as Executive Director of Hale Hōʻikeʻike at the Bailey House and Maui Historical Society for 12 years, bringing community engagement through immersive educational workshops, museum exhibitions, cultural programs, and nationally recognized place-based public art programs with the County of Maui and Maui Public Art Corps.

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Keolamakaainana Hō‘ike 2025 is crafted to embody her multifaceted legacy, with hula kahiko, hula ʻauana, mele, oli, and storytelling that weave the tapestry of place, ancestry and life. The program honors her father’s trailblazing vision in Hawaiian language revitalization and his kuleana as a teacher, chanter and mentor. Sissy dedicates the evening to his memory and to the ongoing revival of Hawaiian cultural identity. The hālau will share the evening with music makers: Walter and Luana Kawaiʻaeʻa and Nā Hoa.

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This event is open to the public, and seating is limited to 400 guests in ʻĪao Theater’s intimate setting. Tickets will go on sale Friday, June 27, 2025, exclusively through mauionstage.com. The public is urged to secure tickets early through the ʻĪao Theater to ensure availability.

Kumu Sissy said, “This hō‘ike is my expression of aloha to my ʻohana, to Maui, and to all who carry the mana of our language and story. It is a celebration for our people, our lineage, and our future.”

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For tickets and information, visit mauionstage.com or contact ʻĪao Theater box office.