July 4 hula fundraiser celebrates culture and aloha at Bishop Museum

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Eleven kumu hula and their hālau hula will gather Saturday at Bishop Museum for ʻIlau Ka Hula 2026, a hula fundraiser running from 5 to 9 p.m.

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The event was originally scheduled in March but was postponed after a Kona low storm forced cancellations across the islands.

Event rescheduled after storm disruption

Vicky Holt Takamine, founder and executive director of Paʻi Foundation and kumu hula of Pua Aliʻi ʻIlima, said pivoting during the storm was a challenge.

“We had so many hālau depending on the income coming from that,” Takamine said. “They’re just like, oh my gosh and then we had people that asked for their funds back, so we naturally gave it back, but then Kona low came in and we thought, okay, let’s all chant for the storm to go away, and it didn’t, and it kept coming.”

Kaʻiulani Takamori, Paʻi Foundation cultural curator and program manager, said some food vendors redirected resources to storm-affected communities.

“They lost out on the food,” Takamori said. “I know several of them ended up giving to the community that was impacted, so that was maika’i.”

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Opening mele honors Nālani Kanaka’ole

For the opening of ʻIlau Ka Hula, 125 dancers from multiple hālau hula will perform “Ke Welina” to honor the legacy of the Kanaka’ole family and kumu hula Nālani Kanaka’ole, who passed away in January.

Kanaka’ole’s work is also featured in a cultural exhibit at Bishop Museum.

“I’m going to get a little emotional about this because all of us learned this mele that we’re using for the opening from Aunty Nālani Kanaka’ole,” Takamine said. “When we gathered together as Ilio’ulaokalani, Aunty Pua and Nālani came together and had a body of work that we all learned from them.”

In addition to hula and mele, ʻIlau Ka Hula will feature lei making, food booths, and vendors.

“The kumu hula, they are actually making these foods and selling them at their tent,” said Takamori.

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Learn more and buy tickets here.