There are two significant Hawaiian entertainment attractions this weekend, both free. My brother Stan and his family came to Honolulu almost yearly to attend the Prince Lot Hula Festival. They had a halau hula and performed mostly for senior communities and luaus in Southern California. On the way to the festival I stopped by The Mandalay, and had my traditional Shanghai Soup Dumplings and two custard tarts:
The spoon was too small, so I went to the tea cup, where I could slurp the soup and scotch.
Then on to the 42nd Prince Lot Hula Festival. He brought back the hula in the 1850's. Moanalua Garden was the long-time site for this two-day event, which moved to the grounds of Iolani Palace two years ago. Made sense, for he called both places home.
How many of you knew that he was King Kamehameha V, from 1863 to 1872? Born as Lot Kapuaiwa, his mother was Elizabeth Kinau and father Mataio Kekuanaloa. He was adopted in the Hawaiian tradition called hanai by Princess Nahienaena, daughter of Queen Kalakaua. He was bethrothed to Bernice Pauahi at birth, but she chose to marry American Charles Bishop (from where came Bishop Trust and Kamehameha Schools).
He should have been Governor of Maui, but ended up becoming Kamehameha V. According to Mark Twain:
He was a wise sovereign; he had seen something of the world; he was educated & accomplished, & he tried hard to do well by his people, & succeeded. There was no trivial royal nonsense about him; He dressed plainly, poked about Honolulu, night or day, on his old horse, unattended; he was popular, greatly respected, and even beloved.[16]
Queen Victoria (Great Britain) sent her second son, the Duke of Edinburgh on a state visit in 1869. He arranged through Kaiser Wilhelm I of Germany to loan Henri Berger to Hawaii. Berger organized the Royal Hawaiian Band.
King Kamehameha V died in 1872 without naming an heir. He was the final Kamehameha.
The first photo I took at the festival was of Clarke Bright, conductor of the Royal Hawaiian Band.
This was a mellow crowd. The closest to anger and protest was the group above.
Iolani Palace and, across the street, King Kamehameha I:
The Prince Lot Hula Festival continues today from 9AM to 3PM. Click on THIS to view the complete schedule:- Malia Kau Award
- 4 halau hula groups
- Noon lunch break, with entertainment by the Royal Hawaiian Band
- 5 more halau hula groups
- 3PM: Hawaii Aloha
Bring a beach chair and sit in the shade. See lei making, poi pounding and other cultural demonstrations. Food vendors are all over the place. The theme this year is I Mua E Na Pokii: Move Forward, O Youth. They should honor this wish on Mauna Kea. Parking? Forget it. Take The Bus.
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