Kumu Hula Association of Northern California

Bay Area Alameda County Asian/Asian-American/Pacific Islander Dance Oral Traditions/Language Visual/Craft/Material Arts Hawaiian 2021

Established in 1979, the Kumu Hula Association (KHA) of Northern California is an association of cultural leaders that have organized to promote, preserve, and perpetuate Hawaiian cultural learning and performance in Northern California. Kaulana Na Pua o Hawai’i is KHA’s affiliated cultural learning academy that offers chant, dance, music, language, and craft classes to children and adults of all ages.

KHA produces two annual events: the May Day Festival in the Spring and the Ia ‘Oe e Ka La Hula Festival in November. These festivals are 3-day long events which feature Hawaiian and Pacific Island music and dance exhibitions, food booths, and craft fairs. These events are sponsored by KHA, with people-power provided by Kaulana Na Pua o Hawai’i members, alumni, and their families and friends.

In 2021, KHA received a grant from ACTA’s Living Cultures Grant Program for their E Ola Ka Hula! (Long Live The Hula!) project. The project will engage traditional Hawaiian cultural experts from California and Hawai’i to teach a series of online learning activities in Hawaiian chants and dances, traditional lauhala weaving, and Hawaiian language.