22 Jan Kapaemahu hula show presents inclusive storytelling every week at Kuhio Beach
HONOLULU (Island News) — “The Return of Kapaemahu” presents a free hula show revealing the stories of Kapaemahu every Wednesday at Kuhio Beach.
This first-ever hula show is a “unique monument to healing and inclusion” that shares the long-hidden story of The Healer Stones of Kapaemahu. The free, one-hour show premiered this evening on the Kuhio Beach hula mound. Visitors and residents can watch this performance every Wednesday from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. throughout 2025.
The show was composed and directed by Kumu Patrick Makuakāne, incorporating modern music which adds a new layer to the story’s poetic message. The production includes traditional hula as its foundation along with the use of the unique style that Makuakāne calls hula mua.
“At its core, this story is a reminder from our kupuna of how to treat people with aloha and respect even if you view them as different,” said Kumu Patrick. “Because in the end, they’re not different. They’re your ‘ohana, your friends. They’re you. Just a more fabulous version of you. And couldn’t we all use a more fabulous version of ourselves to remind us of our potential?”
“The Return of Kapaemahu” is a production of Lei Pua ʻAla Queer Histories of Hawaiʻi, which strives to illuminate and honor more stories that represent gender and sexual diversity across the rich, multicultural landscape of the islands.