Kamehameha Schools Hawaiʻi in collaboration with UH Hilo UH Hilo Performing Arts Center presents Hōʻike 2026: Keaomelemele.
Keaomelemele is a breathtaking stage production by Kamehameha Schools Hawai‘i that brings Hawaiian mythology to life through music, hula, and chant.
Adapted from Moses Manu’s 19th-century epic, the story follows divine figures of Paliuli, Kahānaiakeakua, Mo‘oinanea, Waka, and Keaomelemele on a journey of love, transformation, and longing across mystical landscapes from the forests of ʻŌla‘a to the summit of Mauna Kea. Audiences will experience a rich tapestry of Hawaiian language, poetic imagery, and original compositions by Herb Mahelona as Paliuli rediscovers her feminine power and identity in the traditional Hawaiian art of hula. This cultural celebration promises an unforgettable evening of artistry and tradition.
KS Hawaiʻi rich, annual storytelling tradition of Hōʻike is heading for a new venue to further elevate the audience experience and technical capabilities to tell a story like Keaomelemele. For the first time, Hōʻike will be off-campus as we partner in collaboration with the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo Performing Arts Center to tell this story in a whole new way. Join us! March 12 & 13 at 7 p.m.
Funds raised through these performances will help our Hōʻike a Haʻi performing arts group bring this powerful moʻolelo to the world's largest performing arts festival in Scotland, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Students are scheduled to perform Keaomelemele at the Fringe this August.
Tickets are $15 and available on the Kamehameha Schools Hawaiʻi GoFan page. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Kamehameha Schools’ policy is to give preference to applicants of Hawaiian ancestry to the extent permitted by law.
