WAILUKU - Despite stores closing islandwide due to the economic downturn, a kumu hula is opening up shop Friday in the heart of Wailuku to showcase native arts, crafts, hands-on workshops and sales of fresh flower lei.
Kumu hula Kapono'ai Molitau calls his new Native Intelligence shop a cultural design store or cultural resource center "dedicated to the preservation and evolution of Hawaiian culture."
He said he wants to restore to downtown Wailuku the ike of the kupuna - the knowledge of Native Hawaiian ancestors - and the traditional aura of "when our kupuna walked down the street and talked story."
The 922-square-foot shop is on the site of a former Emura store at 45 N. Market St., Unit 3. The enterprise will offer wares ranging from holua sleds and pahu drums to konane games and images of indigenous birds.
Artisans will include Niihau shell lei maker Ku'ulei Akeo of Kauai, Maui master stone carver Hoaka Delos Reyes, Maui woodworker Milton Rollins, lei hulu (feather lei) maker Makanaaloha San Nicolas and Hawaiian kapa makers Ka'iulani DeSilva and Dalani Tanahy.
Seasonal products will include awa by Jonathan Yee of Hawaiian Kawa Co., dryland taro by Dain P. Kane, poi from Maui farmers, native Hawaiian plants from Ho'olawa Farms and custom flower lei by Molitau.
He and other practitioners will lead workshops to create various hula implements and kahili, or feather standards - "to show the maoli-ness (true substance) of our people," he said.
Molitau is the hanai son of the late Hawaiian cultural master of Maui, John Keola Lake, and is co-kumu hula with hanai sibling Sissy Lake Farm of halau Na Hanona Kulike 'O Pi'ilani in Central Maui. Until recently Molitau served as a Hawaiian cultural specialist with the Kaho'olawe Island Reserve Commission.
He will hold a traditional Hawaiian blessing of Native Intelligence at 6 p.m. Friday in conjunction with First Friday festivities in Wailuku and celebration of May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii.
Hours of the store are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday. For more information, call the shop at 249-2421 or send e-mail to ninau@native-intel.com.
* Kekoa Enomoto can be reached at kekoa@mauinews.com.
