January 29-31, 2016 – Hawaiian Hula Workshops in San Diego, USA
The end of January this year saw Kumu Lei making a splash in San Diego, California at the second edition of Hula Kahanoa’s annual hula workshop series. Hula Kahanoa is the mainland USA extension of the hālau here on Kaua’i, and it is led by Aunty Kahanoa Floresca.
Similar to 2015’s debut, the workshops were planned around equipping all the participants with not only hula choreography for the year ahead, but also aloha, cultural and historical wisdom and guidance, and a sense of respect and honour for kupuna and Ke Akua.
Kumu Lei was formally welcomed to San Diego at a private ceremony at which event sponsors could meet her and where students presented her with ho’okupu to express their love, honour and blessings to her. It was obvious that a lot of thought, care and aloha went into the planning, preparation and presentation of the gifts.
The evening concluded with a special welcome dinner that was attended by various VIPs in the community.
Below are some snapshots from the workshops, and the ho’ike on January 31 which was a wonderful roundup of the entire three-day event.
Halau Ka Lei Kukui Hi'ilani 
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