Feb. 18, 2026
Our original Hawaiian opera, which debuted in 2013, is back in a brand new way - including new arrangements and a whole new venue!
Kamehameha Schools Hawaiʻi in collaboration with UH Hilo UH Hilo Performing Arts Center will present 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.
Check out this ʻŌiwi TV story from 2013 as Keaomelemele debuted.
KS Hawaiʻi's 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.
Hōʻike 2026: Keaomelemele will take place 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.
The University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo Performing Arts Center is located at 342 W Kawili St, Hilo, HI 96720
Read more about the history of Hōʻike at Kamehameha Schools Hawaiʻi
The roles in this year's production of Keaomelemele include multiple actors portraying the same roles. Here is the cast list along with the characters and notes about the roles.
| Character | Description | Portrayed by |
| Moʻoinanea | moʻo akua, mother of Kū and Hina | Bela De La Cruz/ Kilinahe Ehrhorn |
| Kū | son of Moʻoinanea, brother/husband of Hina | Cinnamon Gorai-Lau |
| Hina | daughter of Moʻoinanea, sister/wife of Kū | Kalena Higa |
| Olopana | son of Moʻoinanea, brother/wife of Hiʻilei | Malina Martinson |
| Hiʻilei | daughter of Moʻoinanea, sister/wife of Olopana | Meaaloha Haa |
| Kahānaiakeakua | first child of Kū and Hina, brother/husband of Paliuli | Junior Keliikuli |
| Paliuli | daughter of Kū and Hina, sister/wife of Kahānaiakeakua | Bella Paekukui-Jackson |
| Keaomelemele | third child of Kū and Hina | Kahua Dunton/ Lei DeMello |
| Waka | hānai mother of Paliuli | Bela De La Cruz/ Kilinahe Ehrhorn |
| Poliʻahu | snow goddess who steals Kahānaiakeakua from Paliuli | Kahua Dunton |
| Lilinoe | sister of Poliahu | Cinnamon Gorai-Lau |
| Kalauakolea | sister of Poliahu | Jaymie Wengler |
| Kauma'ili'ula | half brother of Kahānaiakeakua, Paliuli, and Keaomelemele | Azyn Ha-Ahu |
| Kaulanaikapōkiʻi | half sister of Kahānaiakeakua, Paliuli, and Keaomelemele | Taylor Mendoza |
| Waiola | friend and traveling companion of Kahānaiakeakua | Elena Andrade |
| Kanukuokamanu | friend and traveling companion of Kahānaiakeakua | Azyn Ha-Ahu |
|
Hiʻilawe |
friend of Paliuli | Elena Andrade |
| Ensemble |
Ava Roque-Ahina Te Rerehau Pao-Tamaira Hope Arthur |
The original Keaomelemele was KS Hawaiʻi's first, original Hawaiian language opera and a return to an all-school prodution. This year's production will evolve it even further.
Hōʻike blends hula and mele to tell a rich moʻolelo for audiences to enjoy whether or not they speak ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi.