ʻIkuwā Festival
ʻImiloa Astronomy Center, in partnership with Lonoa Honua and ʻOhana Waʻa, is hosting the ʻIkuwā Festival on Oct. 15-16. This free, 2-day festival celebrates the month of ʻIkuwā and the connections between people, communities, and the natural resources and landscapes that we call home.
Join us in celebrating the season, get ready to re-engage with our community and enhance your own "island consciousness".
Festivities include live demonstrations, canoes, vendors, oli, storytelling, crafts, live entertainment, games and more!
Saturday Program Schedule
Kīpaepae Opening Ceremony — Front Entrance
Time: 10 a.m.-10:30 a.m.
Kūekeolioli Keiki Oli Challenge — Moanahōkū Hall
Time: 11 a.m.-11:45 a.m.
Children grades K-12 are invited to enter and to chant either a mele they've learned or a mele of their own creation. We invite solo keiki chanters and groups of keiki who might like to oli together. Join us as we recognize and elevate the importance of the leo of our keiki! Sign-up at the Lonoa Honua table before 11am each day.
Papa Mau, Ka Ihupani Waʻa — Planetarium
Time: 11 a.m.-11:45 a.m.
Presenters: Pualani Lincoln-Maielua & Nick Marr (ʻOhana Waʻa)
The building of the double hulled voyaging canoe Alingano Maisu in honor of our father, master navigator Pius Mau Piailug of Satawal, Micronesia, culminated in 2007 with the Kū Holo Mau Voyage. Alingano Maisu along with Hōkūleʻa sailed from Hawaiʻi to Satawal to gift the voyaging canoe to Papa Mau, as a small token of gratitude for all he did to reignite the people of Moananuiākea. Our story begins with our relationships and early lessons from Papa Mau – magical moments that we continue to share and learn from as we raise our own keiki on the deck of the waʻa.
Hula Performance — Moanahōkū Hall
Time: 12:00 p.m.-12:30 p.m.
Presenters: Unulau
Under the direction of Kumu Hula Pele Kaio, Unulau is a hālau hula whose name means "The multitudes of UNU". UNU is a name that is shared by all hālau born from Unukupukupu, their mother hālau. Anchored in the philosophy, pedagogy, and fire traditions of the hula ʻaihaʻa, the hālau promotes and perpetuates ʻike (knowledge) and education through hula -- as it is the platform by which they engage, inspire, and inform their relationship to the environment and the spirit.
Kanikuamauna — Planetarium
Time: 12:00-12:45 p.m.
Presenters: Lisa Mason & Noah Gomes (ʻAha Hoʻākua Lāhui Manu)
Be immersed in the world of Hawaiian birds focusing on the diversity and beauty of their song! Exploring the rise and fall of the dawn chorus of birds allows us to draw parallels to their speciation and extinction. Join Lisa and Noah as they introduce “O Ka Lele a Nei Auna”, a brand new Hawaiian bird creation oli, composed by Kekuhi Kealiʻikanakaʻoleohaililani and members of ʻAhuimanu, a recently hatched group of bird-people from Hawaiʻi. This oli pairs our threatened native birds with fish kiaʻi (guardians) from the sea and plant kiaʻi from the land to help guide our birds back into abundance.
Lauhala Bracelet Making — Moanahōkū Hall
Time: 12:45 p.m.-1:45 p.m.
Presenters: ʻAha Pūhala o Puna
E hana kākou i ke kūpeʻe lauhala; letʻs make a lauhala bracelet! Club members from ʻAha Pūhala o Puna will help you weave a lauhala bracelet. We have all the supplies you need and we love to share our ʻike of the cultural practice of ulana lauhala as taught by our kumu. While supplies last.
Nā Hōkū Hoʻokele Waʻa — Planetarium
Time: 1:00-1:45 p.m.
Presenters: Kaʻiulani Murphy (ʻOhana Waʻa)
The practice of open-ocean celestial navigation was lost among Hawaiians for many generations until revered navigator Mau Piailug began mentoring and training navigation students in the 1970s, sparking a revitalization of the art form across Polynesia. Nearly 50 years later, a new generation of capable young navigators in training have emerged. In this presentation you'll explore the lani paʻa - the sky above, stars and kūpuna who guide us with navigator, Kaʻiulani Murphy.
Kanaloa Consciousness — Planetarium
Time: 2:00-2:45 p.m.
Presenters: Roxanne Stewart (Kiaʻi Kanaloa)
This immersive session will have us invoking the stretching energies of Kana to venture beyond the limitations of our everyday state of being. Through simple ritual, we make like the koholā - diving into the pō within and beyond and resurface to our heightened selves. Join Roxy Keliʻikipikāneokolohaka of Kiaʻi Kanaloa as we tap into the Kanaloa Consciousness within ourselves.
Live Entertainment — Moanahōkū Hall
Time: 2:00-2:45 p.m.
Presenters: Pō & the 4fathers
Pō & the 4fathers consists of kāne from Hawaiʻi and Oʻahu including, Kalei Young, Roman Corpuz, Kiliona Young, and Kawaioli Hoe. As true stewards of their culture, the songs they write and sing deliver penetrating messages of love and consciousness through their perspectives as native Hawaiian people. Coming together, they create a powerful sound with influences of funk, reggae, hip-hop, rock and soul. A sound that represents the forward movement of modern day maoli music.
Vendors
Demonstrations
Waʻa (Canoes) — ʻOhana Waʻa
Activities & Outreach
Makahiki Games — ʻOhana Kanui
Star Compass — ʻOhana Waʻa
Holoholo Iʻa — ʻImiloa
Noio Flier — ʻImiloa
Shrinky Dink Crafts — ʻImiloa
Kīpuka Native Hawaiian Student Center
Hawaiʻi Island School Garden Network + Mountain View Elementary
Big Island Invasive Species Committee
Retail
Ala Koa
Lilihanuiokalanipō
