Services will be held later this week for George "Uncle George" Louis Lanakilakeikiahialii Naope, a beloved kumu hula and co-founder of the Merrie Monarch Festival.

Naope, 81, of Hilo, died Monday.

Visitation will be from 1 to 9 p.m. Friday at the Afook Chinen Civic Auditorium in Hilo. The wake services are from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Visitation also will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at the Civic Auditorium. The service will be from 1 to 2 p.m. Aloha attire is recommended.

Naope, who helped found the Islands' premier hula event in 1963, died at his Waiäkea Uka residence in Hilo after a long battle with cancer.

Naope is credited with helping to revive the art of male hula. He traveled the world to spread hula and Hawaiian culture and trained several of today's prominent kumu hula.

He was born in Kalihi, Oahu. He is survived by hänai son, Beyers Hoapili; brother, Francis; and sisters, Eileen Crum, Bernie Konanui, and Emma Werley.

Arrangements are by Dodo Mortuary.