DANCES OF FIVE ISLANDS WILL BE INTERPRETED in the modern half of the hula concert to be given by Iolani Luahine and her group on Tuesday at 8 p. m. in McKinley high school auditorium. In this picture, left to right, Lei Miranda, Nani Chang and Lani Rodrigues are dancing the well known mele, “Maui No Ka Oi.” Another guest on the program will be Alfred Apaka singing, “I Will Remember You.”—Craig Stevens photo.

Iolani Luahine Will Dance Old, Modern Hulas in Concert Tuesday

The dignified and the humorous hulas and chants of old and modern Hawaii will be presented in the concert program, “Hula Hoolaulea o na Hawaii” by Miss Iolani Luahine on Tuesday evening at 8 in the McKinley high school auditorium.

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Miss Luahine, foremost interpreter of the ancient hula, will dance a prologue, the Hula Pele, two groups of gourd dances, Hula Ohelo; a group of drum dances; the Treadle board dance and the Hula kii.

She will also perform the paddle dance with her group.

“Kaulana na Pua o Hawaii,” a hula dating back to the 1890s will be Miss Iolani’s first modern dance offering.

THE STORY

This dance and the mele tell the story of the predicament in which the Hawaiian musicians, members of the Royal Hawaiian band, found themselves when the monarchy was overthrown and the band continued under the sponsorship of the Provisional government.

The great majority of the Hawaiians left the band as a dramatic symbol of their loyalty to their fallen Queen Liliuokalani.

The title of the song and hula, “The Flowers of Hawaii” is symbolic of their loyalty.

Miss Luahine’s final solo number will be the beautiful Ka Ono I’a Na Kupuna, a mele dedicated to Queen Liliuokalani.

ABLE ARTISTS

Miss Luahine will be ably supported by her accomplished group of artists, including the two young men, Joseph Kahaulea and Paul Kekoa, both able student dancers and chanters.

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Her sister hula dancers will include Hoakalei, the chanter, drummer and dancer; Lani Rodrigues, Nani Chang, Lei Miranda, Queenie Ventura, Abigail Johnson, Agnes Winsley.

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Victoria Ii and Her Girls will play and sing the music for the modern portion of the program.

This will be the first public concert given by Miss Luahine since her very successful series given in 1947.

(Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 4/4/1949, p. 18)

Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Volume LV, Number 17641, Page 18. April 4, 1949.