Jump to content

Nalani Kanakaʻole

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Nalani Kanakaʻole
Born (1946-03-19) March 19, 1946 (age 78)
OccupationKumu hula
Years active1960 – present
ChildrenKūhaʻo Zane
MotherEdith Kanakaʻole
Relatives

Nalani Kanakaʻole (born March 19, 1946) is a Hawaiian kumu hula at Hālau o Kekuhi.[1] The daughter of Edith Kanakaʻole, she leads Hālau o Kekuhi along with her niece Huihui Kanahele-Mossman.[2] In 1993, she and her sister, Pualani Kanakaʻole Kanahele, were jointly named National Heritage Fellows by the National Endowment for the Arts, which recognized them as "Hula Masters".[1]

Early life and education

[edit]

Kanakaʻole was raised on homestead lands in Keaukaha, Hilo, Hawaii, in a traditional Hawaiian fashion.[3] She first learned hula from her grandmother, Mary Kekuewa Kanaele Fujii. She was 13 years old when her mother Edith Kanakaʻole started work as a hula teacher, and began teaching hula herself at the age of 14 in 1960. Her family spoke the Hawaiian language at home.[2]

Career

[edit]

In 1985, Kanakaʻole opened Sig Zane Designs alongside her husband[4] Sig Zane.[3]

Personal life

[edit]

In 1982,[4] Kanakaʻole and Sig Zane had a son, Kūhaʻo Zane.[5]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Nalani Kanakaʻole & Pualani Kanakaʻole Kanahel". National Endowment for the Arts. Retrieved 2021-09-13.
  2. ^ a b Gill, Lorin Eleni (2017-11-22). "How These 6 Kumu Preserve Hawai'i's Hula Traditions". Honolulu Magazine. Retrieved 2021-09-13.
  3. ^ a b "Junior Achievement's 'Business Hall of Fame' to honor Sig Zane, Nalani Kanakaʻole". Hawaii Tribune-Herald. August 22, 2017. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  4. ^ a b Yamanaka, Katie Young (2020-07-01). "Surf's Up For Sig". MidWeek. Retrieved 2021-09-13.
  5. ^ Timboy, Marcia (2019-03-01). "Kūha'o Zane: "Hula is the vehicle for my identity to be passed on to me."". Ke Ola Magazine. Retrieved 2021-09-13.