Now it begins

Aloha, e kakou!

Today was my first encounter with the inevitable question for this year's 46th Annual Merrie Monarch Festival: "What happened to AHA?"

I was asked this by Kumu Kenneth “Aloha” Victor of Halau Kala'akeakauikawekiu. Keith and I are staying until tomorrow at the Sheraton Resort & Spa on the Kona side, where Kumu Aloha's halau practices on Monday evenings. Never being one to pass up an opportunity to see hula (and having been thoroughly impressed with the keiki of Halau Kala'akeakauikawekiu, who we had seen in a free performance on Friday night), Keith and I went to the advertised, open practice of the le'a class at the hotel on Monday night.

After the class, we went to thank Kumu Aloha for the opportunity to observe; the conversation naturally got around to who/what/where, and when I stated that I study with Kumu Mark at the Academy, the immediate response was: "What happened?"

I'm happy to report that this question was posed with true concern, and with no attitude or anger. Kumu Aloha just seemed genuinely concerned that something unfortunate had happened.

I expressed to him Kumu Mark's concern about the impact of trying in 12 short weeks to prepare the full complement of dancers for the MM Ho'ike, and how he had decided it was not in the best interest of the Academy to try and do both the Japan tour and the Ho'ike; he truly seemed to understand.

Keep in mind, I'm still in Kona ... so we'll see what happens in the next few days in Hilo. And we'll see how fast the "hula telegraph system" works on Hawai'i Island!

Me ke aloha,

Pat