Upcoming Events

July 11 – 3pm & 7pm: Halau Keali’i O Nalani Annual Polynesian Dance Production’s Annual Ho’ike El Camino College: 16007 Crenshaw Blvd., Torrance $15 July 18 & 19 – 10am-6pm: HICCSC’s Ho’olaule’a @ Alondra Park in Lawndale http://hiccsc.org/ The largest Ho’olaule’a on the Continent! Free July 18 – 2pm & 7pm: Aloha Falsetto Festival Redondo … Continue reading »

Hawaiians and Hawaiian Culture on Sesame Street

This episode of Sesame Street (#1094) is a little too old to be included in my critique of Hawaiians in Mainstream Media, but its still fun to watch none the less. The Amazing Nona Beamer Counts to ‘Umi Keola Beamer Dancing Hula Bilingual Three Blind Mice

Upcoming Classes and Events

City of Torrance Spring Schedules (includes Polynesian Dance classes in 3 levels) Kalani Islander Reunion Practice: Every 3rd Saturday of Each Month at Kaulana Ka Hale Kula ‘O Na Pua ‘O Ka ‘Aina Halau.  The Kalani Islanders were formed in the 1970s in Carson, CA, under the direction of Moana Chang.  They are currently planning … Continue reading »

Cultural Associations

Carson: Lei Hulu of California: “Lei Huluʻs objectives are to maintain this tradition of feathercraft by creating an awareness for an art long preserved by the Hawaiian people” Contact: 206 E. 220th St., Carson, CA 90745 Office of Samoan Affairs Performing Arts: “an outreach program targeting Samoan/Pacific Islander youth with interests in cultural performances of … Continue reading »

Na Halau

Here is just a listing of all the Halau in Torrance, Carson, and Gardena with as much contact info. as I could find… Carson: Echoes of the Islands, Kumu Kita Austin Phone: 310-835-9860 Email: bobandkita@hotmail.com Hula Halau ‘O Lilinoe, Sissy Kaio Phone: 310-217-0055 Email: slkaio@aol.com; halaulilinoe.org Gardena: Kanani Kalama Hula Studio, Kanani Kalama Phone: 310-327-7736 … Continue reading »

Library Holdings

Below are charts gathered from a search of the library catalogs of Torrance Public Library and the County of Los Angeles Public Library.  The Torrance Public Library search was not broken down by branches, since they were all contained within the city limits of my study.  The County of Los Angeles Public Library was broken … Continue reading »

American Aloha

So last night I watched the PBS special, American Aloha, which focuses on Hula in California following three halaus: Sissy Kaio’s Hula Halau ‘o Lilinoe in Carson, Mark Hoʻomalu‘s Na Mele Hula ‘Ohana (which was disbanded in 2002.  In 2003, he opened the Halau, Acadamy of the Hawaiian Arts) in Oakland, and Patrick Makuakane’s Nå … Continue reading »

Textbooks

So today I began reading some of the textbooks used by Compton Unified School District (which services parts of Carson) and Los Angeles Unified School District (which services Gardena), K-12.  I was looking primarily at Social Studies and HIstory textbooks, looking for the treatment of Hawaiian history and how much they included, and whether or … Continue reading »

More Media – Newsletter

The Borders in Torrance used to carry out of state newspapers, including the local Maui paper.  Unfortunantly, around the time I quit working there the first time, they stopped carrying them. An endogenous paper has come out though, called Ka Hoku Newsletter: Hawaiian Living in Southern California.  The newsletter is bi-monthly and began in June/July … Continue reading »

Media – Radio

Unfortunantly, hawaiian radio in southern california doesn’t have a lot of stability.  In the 80s, my kumu had a radio show, but that eventually ended. As of Friday, August 29, the most recent hawaiian radio program, “Aloha Friday Radio” on 88.5 FM, KCSN and sponsored by CSU Northridge, ended its broadcast, being replaced by an … Continue reading »