PO‘IPU — The Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Resort and Spa opened its daylong celebration of Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalaniana‘ole Pi‘ikoi with the traditional protocol of ho‘okupu presentations in the resort’s front lobby on Monday.
“This is on the same scale as Sunday night when we did the welcome for the Takenaka family, who owns the resort,” said a staff member of the Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i, who was part of the opening protocol.
The Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i, working closely with its cultural practitioner Moani Tolentino, hosted everyone to celebrate Prince Jonah Kuhio starting with the opening protocol where Kuhio was recognized for his legacy for advocating and saving the Hawaiian race.
Kuhio was born on March 26, 1871, a state and county holiday, and the Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i selected Monday as its day to celebrate the last reigning prince whose deeds still impact the lives of people living in Hawai‘i.
The celebration included several cultural demonstrations, including coconut frond weaving, lei hulu, or feather lei and the traditional Hawaiian game konane. The cultural demonstrations peppered a lineup of craft and jewelry vendors under a blanket of music being presented by local entertainers, including Frank Cruz, Kirby Keough and Leoiki Kahalau.
“This is a big test for us,” said a haumana of Onio Punzal, a coconut weaving instructor at the Kaua‘i Museum. “He told us to fill the table by creating everything we’ve learned.”
Robin Kaheaokalani Goss, of Lei Hulu Kaua‘i, may have come to Kaua‘i from California, but was enlightened that her name is that of a bird that is the source of feathers used in lei hulu, a practice that dates back more than a thousand years.
Goss said people had no jewelry as we know it. Feathers demonstrated its wealth and value by being restricted to ali‘i and high royalty.
John Kaohelauli‘i, who learned konane and expanded access to the traditional Hawaiian game, was wrapped up with tables of konane participants intent on making the last move.
For representatives of the county and the Kaua‘i Visitors Bureau, the daylong celebration was a demonstration of respect for the host culture.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 808-245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
