NEWS RELEASE

Kamehameha Schools and Bishop Museum present Ua Ao Kaiwiʻula: Celebrating ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, Wayfinding and Culture

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Honolulu - (May 23, 2018) – Kamehameha Schools and Bishop Museum will host Ua Ao Kaiwi‘ula: Celebrating ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i, Wayfinding and Culture on the museum’s Great Lawn.

The free event on Saturday, June 23 from 4-9 p.m. will showcase early education organizations, Polynesian Voyaging Society, Kula Hawai‘i and others. Families can explore museum exhibits, including a last chance to view Holo Moana: Generations of Voyaging exhibit in the J. Long Gallery (closes June 24). Food will be available for purchase and live entertainment will include performances by keiki from ‘Aha Pūnana Leo schools, Nā Kula Kaiapuni and Hawaiian Charter Schools. Arts and crafts by Pa‘i Foundation will also be available for purchase.

Culminating the evening will be a hana hou and final public screening of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Moana ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i featuring the voice of Hawai‘i’s own Auli‘i Cravalho.

“Ua Ao Kaiwi‘ula is about connections to our past and how they inform our present and future,” said KS Kona, O‘ahu Regional Director Hailama Farden. “We are honored to partner with Bishop Museum to educate, celebrate and inspire keiki and families through Hawaiian language, history and this place – Kaiwi‘ula, where Kamehameha Schools first began, and is now the site of our beloved Bishop Museum.”

“Bishop Museum is a place for community to gather and share, to learn and grow. We are thrilled to be working with Kamehameha Schools to bring keiki, mākua and kūpuna together in celebration of language and culture,” said Melanie Y. Ide, President & Chief Executive Officer, Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum.

The first Hollywood blockbuster to be translated into ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i, The Hawaiian Language Version of Moana was locally produced by the University of Hawai‘i Academy for Creative Media System; faculty, students and staff from Awaiaulu, a non-profit organization for Hawaiian-language translation training;

KS Media Contact: Andrea Oka (808) 534-8709 anoka@ksbe.edu

UH-Mānoa’s Theatre Department; Honolulu Community College’s MELE Studio; UH West O‘ahu; and Disney Animation’s Character Voices International.

The film stars a host of talented performers including: Cravalho, reprising her role as Moana; UH Mānoa student Christopher Kaipulaumakaniolono Baker as Māui; World-renowned recording artist and Wai‘anae native Nicole Scherzinger as Sina; Kelikokauaikekai Hoe as Ali‘i Tui; Kalehuapuake‘ula Kawa‘a as Puna Tala; Kamakakēhau Fernandez as Tamatoa; and 24 locally cast ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i speaking actors and singers.

“We’re excited to have a Hawaiian language version of Moana. In this Ke Au Hawai‘i (Year of the Hawaiian), it demonstrates that ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i lives, and we want to create more opportunities to increase exposure to the language, ‘Ike Hawai‘i and Nohona Hawai‘i,” said Farden.

Tickets are limited for this free event through the KS Facebook event page.

Attendees are encouraged to carpool, take a taxi, Uber or Lyft. Parking will be available at Bishop Museum, Kapālama Elementary School and Damien High School.