Mike Foley's blog
The Kamaluwehiokapalai halau hula from Japan
Story and photos by Mike Foley
[First published in the Polynesian Cultural Center blog, February 2017]
As it has for the past several years, the Polynesian Cultural Center hosted its annual Moanikeala Hula Festival on February 4, 2017, in a perfect setting — under the monkeypod tree in the Hawaiian Village. [Read more…]
[Story and photos by Mike Foley: Originally published in the BYU–Hawaii electronic “newsroom” on 27 February 2009]
Cy M. Bridges [pictured at right], Theater Director for the Polynesian Cultural Center and a noted Hawaiian cultural expert, shared his love, passion and expertise on historical and genealogical aspects of modern hula with Brigham Young University Hawaii students during the February 25, 2009, Honors Program colloquium in McKay 101.
“The hula was really our hard drive — our textbook,” said Bridges, who in addition to his work at the PCC is an entertainer, musician, genealogist, kumu hula or master, and periodic judge for the well-known Merrie Monarch Hula Festival in Hilo. “Everything was committed to memory, because there was no written language; so we chanted, sang and danced about our lives.”
Bapak (sometimes also spelled bapa’ in those days, and sometimes shortened to Pak; the final consonant sound is “unreleased” or cut in half) is an Indonesian term of respect usually applied to all older men, or to show courtesy to any man, similar to using “sir” in English or “uncle” in Hawaiian English. Soon after […]
[Story and photo by Mike Foley: Published originally in the BYU-Hawaii online “Newsroom,” February 13, 2009] A prominent Shakespeare scholar who is on campus co-directing the Brigham Young University Hawaii Fine Arts production of Twelth Night, detailed to students in the February 12 Honors Program colloquium in McKay 101 how 18th century-through-modern editors of Shakespeare’s […]
[Story and photo by Mike Foley, originally published in Kaleo, September 10, 1998] The BYU-Hawaii kupuna conference begins with hula The BYUH Center for Hawaiian Language and Cultural Studies — more commonly called the Hawaiian Studies program — sponsored back-to-back conferences on two weekends in August to seek input and suggestions from kupuna and educators for […]
[Story and photos by Mike Foley: Originally published August 17, 2009] The Tongans welcome the young couple into their lives and community The Polynesian Cultural Center, where I have worked off-and-on in various student, full-time and freelance capacities for the past 41 years, premiered its latest night show — Ha: Breath of Life — on August […]
