Bishop Museum to hold Pacific festival
By Will Hoover
Advertiser Staff Writer
Just in time for King Kamehameha's birthday, the Bishop Museum will kick off a two-day Pacific Islands Music and Dance Festival on Saturday. The presentation will feature the music, dance, arts and crafts of Hawai'i and 10 other Pacific island nations.
Bishop Museum Archive
"It's a celebration of our cultural diversities," said Miki'ala Ayau, the museum's cultural education specialist. "It's like being at the Polynesian Cultural Center, only bigger."
As they've done in the past, hula halau will be dancing on the lawn at the Bishop Museum for the upcoming Pacific Islands Music and Dance Festival.
The theme of the festival is "Ku'u One Hanau: The Sands of My Birth." The idea is to inspire people to recognize different ethnicities and to realize how similar most cultures are in the way they relate through dance and music.
On Saturday the celebration will spotlight Pacific nations, both Polynesian and Asian.
"There will be all kinds of crafts and demonstrations," said Ayau. "For example, the Chinese will be making bracelets, New Zealand will be doing carvings, the Marshall Islands will be doing a weaving activity and the Indonesians will be doing puppetry. The Tahitians and Cook Islanders will be on hand and let people bang on their different drums.
"Visitors can learn dances and songs and actually make different instruments and learn to play them. It's not just an experience. There will be tangible things visitors can take home with them."
On Sunday the focus shifts to Hawai'i. Naturally, there will be hula, as well as contemporary and traditional Hawaiian bands performing.
Sunday will honor the birth of King Kamehameha. Guests will see a few of the king's personal possessions. In addition, they'll be taught how to make and play a'ohe hano ihu (bamboo flute), and sample numerous Hawaiian delicacies.
The museum is waiving its customary $14.95 general admission for the special event. Visitors can attend the entire event by wearing a $5 admission button, which can be purchased at any Outrigger Hotel activities desk or Papa John's Pizza location. Buttons can also be purchased at the Bishop Museum.
For more information, call 848-4160.
