February 7, 2019
Hō‘ike 2014 dramatizes the moments that lead to the final battle for the Kingdom of Hawai‘i. The story begins months after Kamehameha the Greats death and follows the power struggle between Kamehameha II, Liholiho, and the keeper of the war god, Kekuaokalani. After Liholiho—on the advice of Ka‘ahumanu— decides not to reinstate the ‘ai kapu, which in essence strikes down the ancient religious system, Kekuaokalani, the defender of the the ancient gods, rises up in rebellion against Liholiho. The result is the battle of Kuamo‘o, the war between the traditional and the modern. At the center of this is Manono, Kekuaokalaniās wife, whose dedication and love drives her husband forward in his defense of the ancient religion. In the end both die performing the greatest sacrifice a human can for his or her culture. Battle of Kuamo‘o will be reprised for Kamehameha Schools Hawai‘i Hō‘ike 2019 on March 14 and 15, and then travel to Scotland in August for several performances at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the world‘s largest performing arts festival.
Kamehameha Schools’ policy is to give preference to applicants of Hawaiian ancestry to the extent permitted by law.
