Pualani Kanakaʻole Kanahele
Kumu hula and author
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pualani Kanakaʻole Kanahele (born September 14, 1937) is a Hawaiian kumu hula[1] and author.[2] She is the daughter of Edith Kanakaʻole, and as of 2003 led Hālau o Kekuhi along with her sister Nalani Kanakaʻole. In 1993, the sisters were jointly named National Heritage Fellows by the National Endowment for the Arts, which recognized them as "Hula Masters".[1]
Career
In 1994, Kanahele was invited by the Dalai Lama to give a speech about world peace at an academic symposium for 600 people at the Hawai‘i Prince Hotel in Honolulu. In 1995, Kanahele co-wrote and directed the first opera-length hula drama for the stage, titled Holo Mai Pele. In 1999, she represented Hawai‘i in a UNESCO committee on native cultures and intellectual property.[2]
As of 2003, Kanahele led Hālau o Kekuhi along with her sister Nalani Kanakaʻole, additionally teaching Hawaiian studies at Hawaiʻi Community College during the day.[3]
Kanahele was among the leaders of the Thirty Meter Telescope protests in 2019. In May 2021, she was one of seven Native Hawaiians named to a working group of 15 people that was convened by the Hawaii House of Representatives to develop recommendations for management of the Mauna Kea summit.[4]
As of 2020, Kanahele was president of the Edith Kanakaʻole Foundation.[2]
