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Kumu Hula discusses family, culture and starting Hawaiian studies scholarship fund

Dancers from Ka Pā Hula O Kauanoe O Waʻahila at the Merrie Monarch Festival.
Ka Pā Hula O Kauanoe O Waʻahila
Dancers from Ka Pā Hula O Kauanoe O Waʻahila at the Merrie Monarch Festival.

In Hawai’i most are familiar with the title of Kumu Hula, a master of hula who leads students in the protocol, poetry and practice of hula, and who guards and teaches the wisdom of Hawaiian culture.

Kumu Hula Maelia Lobenstein Carter of Ka Pā Hula o Kauanoe o Waʻahila talked about women's leadership, dance and the way the community comes together in times of crisis.

"I'm here to be the bridge between the old and the new," she said. "To keep the passing of knowledge — the passing of ʻike — as pure as it can be."

Extended Interview

This interview aired on The Conversation on August 24, 2023. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.

Stephanie Han was a producer for The Conversation.
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