The Festival was a joint effort by the Botanical garden, The Bishop Museum, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and local small business Ka Ulu Hawaii.  While kapa students busily worked, visitors who came were able to see artifact "i`e kuku" beaters and "ohe kapala" stamps brought from Bishop Museum by Collections and Research Specialist Marques Marzan.  He even brought the white cotton gloves so people could handle these very special and not often seen pieces.  Amy Greenwell BG has been a long time supporter of kapa makers, providing resources and wauke for those who would come to help malama the gardens and was a beautiful setting for the event.  Long time kapa maker Joni Mae Makuakane Jarrel of HVNP and Ka`uhane Heloca and Greg Garriss of Ka Ulu Hawaii were the movers and hustlers of the event, coordinating everything and makings sure that it ran smoothly.  Ka`uhane and Greg have been able to create a sucessful local business creating traditional Hawaiian tools and artifacts, including tools used for kapa making.  Greg is a retired Boeing Aviation Engineer who brought his formidable skills with him and integrated them into 21st century style kapa tool making.  Ka`uhane's love for the art of kapa making has motivated him to experiment with processing, beating and dye making techniques that have created beautiful and durable kapa.

     Kapa makers from around the state also came to share their mana`o, including Terry Rivera, Bernice Akamine, Marie MacDonald and Roen Hufford from Hawaii and Ka`iulani DeSilva and Dalani Tanahy of O`ahu.  Relaxing Hawaiian music was provided by Joni Mae's brother, Kenneth Makuakane, and a stunning hula/lua/kapa performance was staged by the `ohana halau of Micah Kamohoali`i of Waimea.  12 weeks of intensive work for his group (which meant 12 days of real time), with additional kapa instruction and tools provided by Ka`uhane and Joni Mae, produced not only an amazing performance but some absolutely stunning kapa.  The halau came onto the stage dressed in flowing black robes and literally 'revealed' the explosion of color and design beneathe, much the same way the blackened lava fields hide the flowing fire below.  Micah's love of hula, kapa and telling the stories of his kupuna and beloved homeland of Waimea were all evident in his creation.

    Although the crowd at the festival was mild, according to Ka`uhane "it was a good start and a good way to gauge what we can do next year to improve or make changes.  Main thing, we had good fun and people got to see and learn more about kapa."

 For photos of the event, please visit our Facebook page at Kapa Hawaii, LLC 

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kapa-Hawaii-LLC/171216612958158

For information about organizations mentioned in this article visit:

http://www.bishopmuseum.org/exhibits/greenwell/greenwell.html   for the Amy Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden

http://kauluhawaii.com                                                                for Hawaiian kapa tools and more

http://www.nps.gov/havo/index.htm                                             for Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park