Hala

Festival

2024

Saturday, may 18

About the Hala Festival:

The purpose of this event is to bring the community together to celebrate hala (Pandanus tectorius), cherished for its significance as an ecological and cultural keystone species in Hawai'i. The Hala Festival provides allows everyone to foster a deeper connection to hala and play an active role in preserving this important cultural and natural resource for future generations.

The Hala Festival is a free event brought to you by the Big Island Invasive Species Committee in collaboration with Pōhaku Pelemaka.

Puna paia ʻala

i ka hala

Puna is known for its fragrant hala groves. The significance of hala is multifaceted, as it encompasses cultural, environmental, and symbolic dimensions that underscore its importance in Hawaiian life and identity.

Register for workshops

ulana lauhala (weaving)

ʻAha Puhala o Puna is a collective of Puna lauhala weavers, and is offering a hana noʻeau activity featuring ulana lauhala (lauhala plaiting) of bracelets. Each representative of ʻAha Puhala o Puna is a practitioner of ulana lauhala and has many years and sometimes decades of weaving experience. We are fortunate to have their expertise at the Hala Festival.

Each participant will weave a lauhala bracelet: checkerboard bracelet for adults or a twisty bracelet for children over 7 years old.

hua hala painting

Avalon Dawn Arts is offering a hana noʻeau activity featuring hua hala paintbrushes (brushes made from hala fruit). This workshop will be approximately 1 and a half hours, focusing on preparation and treatement of hua hala for painting and using natural pigments.

Each participant will make a paintbrush and have input from Avalon regarding their own artistic creation using natural pigments.

Hala planting

Plant keiki hala with us at the Hala Festival!

Learn about and mix the perfect media for planting hala, ensuring their prosperity. Each participant will plant their very own hala tree in a gallon-sized pot.

Workshop led by Molly Murphy and Darcy Yogi of Plant Pono and Ande Buskirk of the Department of Forestry and Wildlife.

Ola i ka ulehala

Learn to make cordage from fibers of the ulehala (aerial roots) while exploring its ties to Pele.

Discover the art of cordage-making and its cultural significance in this engaging and interactive session led by Kumu Kekai Naone. No prior experience necessary – just bring your curiosity and enthusiasm!

ulana lauhala (weaving)

Kumu Annie Kaaukai will be hosting 45 min. ulana lauhala (lauhala weaving) bracelet workshops. She is a lifelong practitioner from Puna and has been providing hana noʻeau workshops to the community for decades. She is knowledgable in net making, lauhala and lau niu plaiting, haupia, and many others.

Each participant of this workshop will weave a bracelet with Aunty Annie's guidance and expertise.

ulana lauhala (weaving)

Kumu Pūlama Long of Honi Hala will be facilitating 45 min. ulana lauhala (lauhala weaving) workshops. She is a weaver of 10+ years and has been teaching in the community since 2015. These workshops focus on kilo (observation), pattern recognition, hua 'ōlelo (Hawaiian words), and weaving techniques.

Each participant will weave a patterned jacket pin or hair clip, transforming traditional knowledge into woven wearable art.

We're looking for volunteers!

If you want to volunteer at the Hala Festival, please fill out this form.

Deadline to apply: May 10, 2024

Mahalo to Hawaiʻi County Council Districts 3 & 4, County Department of Research and Development, and all of our sponsors for making this event possible!

Questions?

Big Island Invasive Species Committee

Contact: biisc@hawaii.edu

Pōhaku Pelemaka

Contact: aloha@pohakupelemaka.org