Educator, composer, dancer, cultural preservationist. Edith Kanaka'ole, widely known as "Auntie Edith", was a native Hawaiian cultural icon. As a Kuma Hula, master of Hula and practitioner of traditional Hawaiian practices, she helped spark the Hawaiian Renaissance. In the 1950's she toured the contiguous United States, Canada, and Asia with her hula group, Nalani. She established her own hula school and helped start Hawaiian language courses for public schools in the state. She wrote her own Hawaiian chants, oli, and choreographed the hulas to go with them. As a professor at Hawai'i Community College and University of Hawai'i at Hilo, she continued her work to preserve Hawaiian history, identity, and culture. She represented Hawaii at the second South Pacific Festival of the Arts in New Zealand in 1976 and released two award winning albums of her oli. In 1979 she was bestowed the Distinction of Cultural Leadership award from the state of Hawai'i. In 2023 she was the first native Hawaiian woman featured on a quarter. The Edith Kanaka'ole Foundation continues her work in continuing native Hawaiian culture.
Educator, composer, dancer, cultural preservationist. Edith Kanaka'ole, widely known as "Auntie Edith", was a native Hawaiian cultural icon. As a Kuma Hula, master of Hula and practitioner of traditional Hawaiian practices, she helped spark the Hawaiian Renaissance. In the 1950's she toured the contiguous United States, Canada, and Asia with her hula group, Nalani. She established her own hula school and helped start Hawaiian language courses for public schools in the state. She wrote her own Hawaiian chants, oli, and choreographed the hulas to go with them. As a professor at Hawai'i Community College and University of Hawai'i at Hilo, she continued her work to preserve Hawaiian history, identity, and culture. She represented Hawaii at the second South Pacific Festival of the Arts in New Zealand in 1976 and released two award winning albums of her oli. In 1979 she was bestowed the Distinction of Cultural Leadership award from the state of Hawai'i. In 2023 she was the first native Hawaiian woman featured on a quarter. The Edith Kanaka'ole Foundation continues her work in continuing native Hawaiian culture.
Bio by: Mary Louise
Family Members
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See more Kanaka'ole or Kenao memorials in:
- East Hawaii Veterans Cemetery No. 1 Kanaka'ole or Kenao
- Hilo Kanaka'ole or Kenao
- Hawaii County Kanaka'ole or Kenao
- Hawaii Kanaka'ole or Kenao
- USA Kanaka'ole or Kenao
- Find a Grave Kanaka'ole or Kenao
Records on Ancestry
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