Merrie Monarch Events at ‘Imiloa
The Annual Merrie Monarch Festival is just around the corner and Hilo is preparing for the large number of festival goers and the many events around Hilo Town. Again this year ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai‘i is partnering with the Merrie Monarch Festival to offer four days of hula-related workshops and demonstrations during the upcoming annual festival and competition in Hilo. ‘Imiloa’s cultural enrichment programs will take place from April 26 to April 29, 2011, and provides visitors as well as Hawai‘i residents with an opportunity to learn more about the history and cultural significance of hula and its practitioners.
‘Imiloa will provide morning and afternoon hula-related workshops during these days. For a complete schedule of the times visit us online at imiloahawai.org.
In order to continue to offer more educational enrichment programs, a donation of $3 per session is suggested. Seating is limited and will be offered on a first-come first-served basis. Daily admission rates apply for the Center’s exhibits and the planetarium shows.
“Every year the visitors who come to Hawai‘i for the Merrie Monarch Festival are fascinated about hula,” said Ka‘iu Kimura, executive director of ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center. “We hope they will come away from their experiences at ‘Imiloa with a deeper appreciation and knowledge about hula’s history, its cultural and traditional significance, and an increased knowledge about hula-related activities.”
A highlight this year will be ‘A‘a i ka Hula, a Hawaiian language contemporary hula drama that will be presented by the 9th-11th graders of Ke Kula ‘O Nāwahīokalani‘ōpu‘u. A historical journey through the ancient and modern nuances of the art of hula, ‘A‘a i ka Hula will take the audience on a huaka‘i through life lessons revealed by timeless stories of a kupuna as they pertain to a mo‘opuna’s modern existence. Through dramatic representation of Hawaiian song, chant, and hula, ‘A‘a i ka Hula will be an experience of learning from our past and present, with practical implications for cultural sustainability. The program has been researched and developed by students of the Nawahiokalani‘opu‘u Hawaiian Language Immersion School with the help of the rich cultural resources within the Hawai‘i Island community. An English translation will be provided for non-Hawaiian speakers.
The Center thanks the County of Hawai‘i Department of Research and Development and the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority for its support of this program.
‘Imiloa provides accommodations for accessibility for persons with disabilities. For accommodations contact Jeff Harman, at 969-9705 or email jharman@imiloahawaii.org 10 business days prior to event.
Please visit ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center’s Blog for more information on events and schedules.
