In "Kūkūʻena: Guiding by Walking the Academic Path as a LearnerCommunity," Gail Makuakane-Lundin, one of the founders of the
Kūkūʻena hula group, described the experience as one of igniting the spirit
through connecting to Hawaiian culture. She said it gave new meaning to her
hectic life. I can attest, as one of the newest members of the Kūkūʻena hula
group, this is a perfect description of being a part of this circle of HawaiiCC
and UHH administrators, faculty, staff, and students.
Last fall, my husband asked
me if it was more of a commitment than I realized it would be. Yes, but it has
been worth every minute. As he has watched me grow and become more confident in
my modest hula practice and in chanting in ʻOlelo Hawaiʻi, he senses that I am
making deep connections with practices, people, and places that are having a
profound impact on my life. I am absorbing Hawaiian language, culture, stories,
and ways of thinking, all intertwined together, and I am grateful for the
opportunity.
The Kukuʻena hula group was
first started in 2008 under kumu hula Dr. Taupōuri Tangarō. Members have weaved
in and out of the group, some staying, some moving on, others being initiated.
The wealth of knowledge and experience in the group is always in flux, so that
we learn and teach one another as we receive more formal instruction from our
kumu (now, Kainoa Ariola-Sukisaki).
Each of us is encouraged to
explore the connections between group activities and our work lives. CeliaBardwell-Jones captured the struggle and frustration I felt with the
challenge of learning hula for the first time: "I struggled my first year
in learning the dances and the chants. Throughout this process, I kept
reflecting on how my students felt learning a whole new subject matter and
struggling in the same way I was in hula class." I remember the moment I
made the realization that the way I was feeling - insecure and somewhat lost -
must be how students feel sometimes.
The truth is there are
moments of great joy when we are dancing and chanting in unison, or when we are
joking as we learn together. These overshadow the times when I feel tired,
clumsy, and irritated with myself. At the end of a practice, no matter how well
or badly I performed, I do not regret the effort. I walk away from the warmth
of my halau feeling enriched and part of something important, connected to
generations of hula practitioners who came before us.
There is so much more I
could write to reveal the special activities we do together, the ways my hula sisters
and brothers have reached out to guide me, the way I feel when I watch more
skilled and experienced dancers glide and step in unison...but it feels too
sacred to describe in too much detail on a blog. I'm writing because my purpose
for this public diary is to share my journey in supporting the Hawaiʻi
Papa O Ke Ao initiative through my personal and professional
activities.
Also, I hope to spread the
word about Kūkūʻena to keep the group growing and active. Last year I received
an invitation from Trina Nahm-Mijo who has been my mentor. If you've heard
about us and wonder what we do, here's a synopsis. We meet Mondays and
Wednesdays throughout the school year from about 5:00-7:00 pm. We share
responsibility for the kuahu (altar). We go on field trips, take part in
kipaepae when we can, and help with commencement. We memorize oli and mele,
talk a lot about what we're learning and how it connects to students and our
work, and we laugh. A lot.
I can say that being a part
of this group is one of the best things I’ve ever done.
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