Aloha! Building community and sharing have always resided in the Hawaiian/Polynesian culture. Ke Kukui Foundation continues this tradition through community events, education, music and the art of hula in Pacific Northwest communities throughout Washington and Oregon for future generations.
July 25th, 26th, and 27th, 2013
Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington
This annual event is our largest community program. With na kumu (teachers) flown in from the islands, they share their knowledge of hula, history and cultural craft with (haumana) students who come from as far away as Florida and Canada at the Hula & Arts Workshop. Friday night heats up with the Hapa Haole Hula Competition featuring both local and national competitors. Saturday is the 5K Aloha Fun Run/Walk and all day festival where thousands gather to watch the haumana showcase what they learned, see the winners of the competition perform, and partake in the arts & craft, business and food vendors. HAWAIIANFESTIVALPNW
To become a valued partner of this event or to advertise in the program CLICK HERE.
Ke Kukui Arts & Cultural Center Programs & Activities
301 E McLoughlin Blvd Suite D, Vancouver, WA 98663
Kūpuna Talk Story
Monday, May 13th, 2013 7pm
Our kūpuna (elders) are a powerful source of wisdom. Kūpuna are defined as “grandparents, ancestors, relatives or close friends,” and also means “starting point or source.” Uncle Rossiter Ronald Kamealoha Oana will be our kupuna for the night. Uncle Ross was our Mo`i Kane for our 2013 May Day Royal Court. He is from the island of Kaua`i, graduated from Kamehameha Schools in Kapalama in 1957 and worked at Hawaiian Tel. He moved here 16 years ago and in July of this year plans to move back home to Kaua`i. FREE and open to the public.
`Olelo Hawaii for Keiki - Hawaiian Language for Kids
Saturday and Sunday, May 18 and 19th, 2013 10am-12pm
Aunty Waialoha will build your keiki's knowledge of the Hawaiian language one la'au (stick) at a time using Aunty Tuti Kanahele's brightly colored sticks as learning tools. Ages 9-15. All genders welcome. Class fee: $20. For more information or to reserve your space, contact waialoha@kekukuifoundation.com. Class size is limited so reserve a spot today!
Kanikapila - Open Music Jam Session
Monday, May 20th, 2013 7pm
Bring your instruments, guitar, ukulele, but most importantly - bring YOUR VOICE to this casual open music session. Free and open to the public.
Hawaiian History: The Chief's Children's School
Saturday, May 25, 1pm - 3pm
Join Auntie Ka'iulani for a presentation on the Chief's Children's School and learn how our ali'i grew strong in a harsh boarding school environment to become the leaders of the Hawaiian people. Five future monarchs were among the 13 royal children whose young lives were shaped by this extraordinary experience. Contact: Kaiulani@kekukuifoundation.com for more information. FREE and open to the public.
`Olelo Hawai`i Game Night - Practice your Hawaiian
Saturday, June 1st, 6pm - 9pm
Come practice your 'olelo Hawai'i as we enjoy a fun night of Hawaiian language games, like Hawaiian Bingo and Go Fish Hawai'i. Prizes will be given! Free and Open to the Public. All ages.
We're very honored to be recognized by Clark County for bringing the "Spirit of Tourism" to Vancouver for the annual 3 Days of Aloha Festival. Mahalo to our Kumu, volunteers, Ke Kukui board, workshop participants, contestants and all 10,000 plus of you, the public who attend!
Na Keiki O Ka ‘Aina: Children of the Land. A garden is a simple way to help keep our keiki healthy, our food local and our community engaged. Every garden is also a classroom where the natural world teaches them about patience, cooperation and responsibility.
In the Kukui Gardens we have two gardens boxes. The first box we are keeping native with Hawaiian plants like kalo, awapuhi and ti leaf. The second box contains tomatoes, onion and marigolds (gifted and planted by neighboring gardener). We'll find out how the tropicals weather in the Pacific Northwest climate!
Ke Kukui Foundation is very pleased to be a recipient of the Native Arts and Cultures Foundation's 2012 Bridge Initiative Through Native Arts grant. The Native Arts & Cultures Foundation is a permanently endowed foundation supporting American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian communities by strengthening and supporting their diverse arts and cultures.
Funding will provide support for the annual 3 Days of Aloha which brings renown hula and craft instructors from Hawai'i to the Pacific Northwest every July. Ke Kukui Foundation appreciates the opportunity to serve our community and know that it is because of the generous support from institutions like the Native Arts and Cultures Foundation.
Mahalo once again for a SOLD OUT show. We had a number of new performances taught by both visiting kumu local kumu (teacher) and laulau was on the menu and so ono. Because of the community support for programs like our Lu`au, we are able to continue to bring cultural programs to you through out the year at the Ke Kukui Arts & Cultural Center. To see photos of the lu`au connect through Miguel Mesa's Photography page HERE
Kaleinani o ke Kukui represented the hula community by dancing for ABC's Extreme Makeover Home Edition. The episode which airs on Friday, October 28th at 8pm, builds a home for an Oregon family of two children with autism.
Ke Kukui Foundation and members of the community returned to Fort Vancouver to film the second installment of the Kanaka Village Mobile App story that is being produced by Washington State University and Fort Vancouver National Park Service. This next topic is still in production but will explore the struggle of William "Kanaka Billy" Kaulehelehe during the 1840s fur trade to get the Hawaiian men to attend church on Sundays. The mobile app is available for both the Droid and the iPhone for free. More information on the production can be found here.
Ke Kukui Foundation is pleased to announce a grant from the Seventh Generation Fund to provide community programs of ‘Olelo Hawai`i: Hawaiian Language classes, and Kupuna Talk Story both of which takes place at the Ke Kukui Cultural Center in Vancouver, Washington.
Seventh Generation for Indian Development is dedicated to promoting and maintaining the uniqueness of Native peoples and the sovereignty of tribal Nations. Ke Kukui Foundation appreciates the recognition of Seventh Generation and is excited for the opportunity to continue serving the community with our Hawaiian language and elder history sharing programs.
Ke Kukui Foundation is very pleased to announce a 2010 Mobilizing the Community Through the Arts grant has been awarded from Native Arts and Cultures Foundation. The Native Arts & Cultures Foundation is a permanently endowed foundation supporting American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian communities by strengthening and supporting their diverse arts and cultures.
Funding will provide support for the annual 3 Days of Aloha which brings renown hula and craft instructors from Hawai'i to the Pacific Northwest every July. Ke Kukui Foundation appreciates the opportunity to serve our community and know that it is because of the generous support from institutions like the Native Arts and Cultures Foundation.
The last few weeks have been spent working on an interactive mobile device app which focuses on Fort Vancouver in Vancouver, Washington. What is it? See here.
The Mobile Vancouver Project is the brainchild of Brett Oppegaard and other media professors at Washington State University and rangers at Fort Vancouver. The first module of this project (so far there are three) focuses on the cultural aspect of the Fort in the early to mid 1800s; the Hawaiian laborers living in Kanaka Village and William Kaulehelehe.
Ke Kukui Foundation was contacted as a cultural reference to insure accuracy. Brett and his crew have been so maika`i and we are appreciative that they asked to help make it pono. Besides researching the history through reference books and countless hours online, we worked to get the accuracy of the scenes and the appropriate chants, music and verses, finding the actors, and managing Ke Kukui's part with Brett. Mahalo to our actors: Tommy Owens (who also provided the dinner), Kaloku Holt, Hono Yacapin, Virginia Hilina`i MacKenzie and Frank Van Waardenburg. Our singers and speakers, Bully Magsayo and Kaleinani o ke Kukui chorus.
Help keep the Culture Alive.
Consider a donation or sponsorship to KE KUKUI FOUNDATION.
For more information, please contact Pat Naeole at 503-330-4856Hula for Babies
Who: Boys and Girls ages 3 to 6
Hula for Beginning Keiki
Who: Boys and Girls ages 7 to 12
Hula for Advanced Keiki
Who: Boys and Girls ages 7 to 12 who have previous hula experience
Hula Beginning Adults
Who: Wahine (Women) & Kane (Men) ages 18 and up with limited or no hula experience
Hula Intermediate Adults
Who: Wahine (Women) & Kane (Men) ages 18 and up with some hula experience
Hula Advanced Adults
Who: Wahine (Women) & Kane (Men) ages 18 and up with extended hula experience
Gracious Ladies Hula
Who: Wahine (Women) ages 50 and up
Son of Deva Leinani Yamashiro, Pvt. David Keawenuiaumi Tsutomu Holt, Platoon 2173, Company H, has achieved his ambition to be the first person in his family to join the armed forces.
Hula brother and Hawaiian History teacher Pete Kepulekaneokealoha Fritsch returned safely from a year of service in Afghanistan. Welcome home, Kepule. Mahalo nui loa for your service!
Danial James Kalani Carlton is the nephew of hula Aunty Lollie DeBest and was injured in Afghansitan. We send our Aloha and mahalo to him and his family and wish him a healthy recovery.
Mark Hogan is a keiki parent and spouse of hula sister Amanda and will be deplyed this summer.
of Ke Kukui Foundation Programs
High school sophomore Marissa Malia Hanabusa is a collecting funds to reproduce a copy of an original Barnfield 1886 watercolor painting to `Iolani Palace. `Iolani in Honolulu, O`ahu is the only royal palace on American soli and was outfitted with electricity even before the White House. Click here to download a pdf file and learn more about Malia's project and how you can help restore the royal palace to it's original splendor.
Each of our valued affiliates offers Ke Kukui Foundation a percentage of sales/proceeds if you purchase through these links.
Search for New, Used and Rare Books at Powell's. Hawaiian dictionaries, travel and keiki books can be found at Powell's, often at a discounted price.
Many of the photos you see on this site are taken by Miguel Mesa. Proceeds from a portion of sales of the Ke Kukui 3 Days Event will go back to Ke Kukui. Mahalo Miguel!
