Kūlia I Ka Pūnāwai
Projects
This distinguished recording presents traditional Hawaiian oli and mele performed by award-winning kumu hula, honoring the legacy of King David Kalākaua. Central to the collection is “He Inoa Iubile No Kalani,” a remarkable suite of 15 chants originally composed for and performed at the King’s Birthday Jubilee on November 16, 1886. This project offers the first complete recorded presentation of these chants, preserving their historical and cultural integrity through meticulously researched musical settings and performances.
Curated by esteemed hula scholar Dr. Amy Kuʻuleialoha Stillman, the album is both an artistic achievement and a scholarly resource. It includes full Hawaiian texts with English translations, providing accessibility while maintaining fidelity to the source material.
Legacy Hula Volume 1
Critical Acclaim
Praised in the Honolulu Advertiser’s Island Sounds column by Wayne Harada (October 2006), this recording has been recognized as an exceptional and historically significant collection of traditional Hawaiian chant. The review highlights the project’s origins in a landmark 2004 Southern California performance by Kūlia i ka Pūnāwai, where the full repertoire was presented live in the Hawaiian language—an unprecedented achievement.
The recording is noted for its scholarly rigor and cultural authenticity, the result of extensive research and collaboration among respected practitioners and producers, including Grammy Award–winning artist Daniel Ho. Accompanied by comprehensive liner notes and translations, the album serves as an enduring educational resource and cultural document.
Cultural Significance
Produced under the auspices of Kūlia i ka Pūnāwai, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation and advancement of hula, this recording reflects a broader mission of cultural perpetuation, unity, and professional excellence. The organization’s collaborative efforts bring together kumu hula and hālau across Southern California, fostering mentorship, education, and performance opportunities rooted in tradition.
This release is part of the Legacy Hula series, an ongoing initiative to document and honor significant historical chant traditions, with future volumes continuing this important work.
Endorsement & Recommendation
Widely regarded as a vital contribution to Hawaiian cultural preservation, this recording stands as both an academic cornerstone and a living artistic expression. Its depth of research, cultural authenticity, and collaborative excellence make it a compelling candidate for recognition and award consideration. It is strongly recommended for inclusion in institutional collections and for adoption by hālau hula and scholars alike.
Production Credits
Producers: Lowell Edgar; Daniel Ho; Amy Kuʻuleialoha Stillman
Hawaiian Protocol: Randy Chang
Hospitality: Lydia Miyashiro
Production Assistants: Puanani Grace Edgar; Sylvia Puanani Edgar
Recording, Mixing & Mastering: Daniel Ho
Design & Layout: Daniel Ho; Lydia Miyashiro
Cover Photography: Lydia Miyashiro
Videography: Puanani Grace Edgar; Queena Morris
Liner Notes & Lyrics Editing: Amy Kuʻuleialoha Stillman
Lyrics Source (He Inoa Iubile No Kalani):Ka Nupepa Elele, December 11 & 18, 1886
Hawaiian Language Consultants: Puakea Nogelmeier; Keola Donaghy
Following the success of its inaugural release honoring King David Kalākaua, Kūlia i ka Pūnāwai presents a second compilation produced to equally rigorous standards—arguably of even greater historical resonance. While King Kalākaua is widely celebrated for his musical contributions and advocacy for Hawaiian culture, this collection brings deserved recognition to Queen Kapiʻolani’s vital role in the cultural and social life of the Hawaiian Kingdom. At the heart of the album is a suite of eight chants, “He Lei No Ka Mōʻī Wahine Kapiʻolani,” originating from King Kalākaua’s coronation in 1883. Additional chant groupings commemorate royal visits to Waimānalo and Kauaʻi, each contributing to a broader understanding of the Queen’s historical and cultural significance. Though particularly meaningful for students and practitioners of hula and chant, the recording’s scholarly depth and historical importance establish it as an essential addition to any serious collection of Hawaiian music. Its cultural value extends beyond performance, serving as a vital archival and educational resource worthy of formal recognition and award consideration.
From the Album Notes
Queen Kapiʻolani (1834–1899)
For many in modern Hawaiʻi, the name Kapiʻolani is familiar through landmarks—a boulevard, a park near Diamond Head, a Waikīkī hotel, and a leading medical center in Honolulu. For students of Hawaiian history, she is known as the consort of King David Kalākaua. For haumāna hula (students of hula), she is both a haku mele (composer) and a revered figure honored in numerous chants and songs.
In 2006, Kūlia i ka Pūnāwai presented its second collaborative concert production in Los Angeles, “He Lei No Kapiʻolani” (“A Lei for Kapiʻolani”). The “lei” created through this concert and recording is composed of mele associated with, dedicated to, and in some cases authored by the Queen herself. Offered as a hoʻokupu (cultural tribute), this work ensures that future generations understand and appreciate the enduring legacy of Queen Kapiʻolani as preserved through mele and hula.
The complete liner notes expand upon this foundation, including a detailed biography of the Queen, annotations on the mele, documentation of the 2006 concert, and insights into the recording project.
Album Review & Award Consideration Context
Honolulu Star-Bulletin – Island Mele Column
By John Berger (August 2007)
Grammy Award–winning producer Daniel Ho continues his distinguished legacy with this historically significant recording, a carefully curated and economically accessible collection of 19th-century Hawaiian chants honoring Queen Kapiʻolani. This release reflects a deep commitment to cultural preservation and scholarly presentation, offering extensive annotation and contextualization.
Legacy Hula Volume 2
In Memoriam
This project honors the legacy of Aunty Clarice Wahinealiʻi Nuhi, whose vision for a unified gathering of kumu hula was realized in November 1997. She passed shortly before the 2006 “He Lei No Kapiʻolani” concert.
He kumu hiwahiwa i poina ʻole ʻia — a cherished teacher, never to be forgotten.
Recorded January 14, 2026
Legacy Hula Volume 3
The project is curated by distinguished Hawaiian ethnomusicologist Amy Kuʻuleialoha Stillman, whose accompanying liner notes provide critical insight into the historical context, cultural significance, and enduring legacy of Queen Liliʻuokalani and the traditions represented in this recording.
Cultural and Scholarly Significance
The full album notes feature an in-depth essay by Amy Kuʻuleialoha Stillman, exploring the historical, political, and cultural dimensions surrounding Queen Liliʻuokalani and situating this project within a broader effort of cultural preservation and revitalization. This recording stands as part of an ongoing commitment to document, perpetuate, and respectfully reinterpret foundational elements of Hawaiian musical and hula traditions.
About Kūlia i ka Pūnāwai
Kūlia i ka Pūnāwai is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the perpetuation of hula and the advancement of professionalism in its practice. Its membership includes kumu hula representing hālau hula throughout Southern California, from Ventura to Chula Vista. The organization fosters unity, collaboration, and mentorship among its members.
Guided by a fourfold mission—to uphold the foundations of hula, perpetuate the art in unity, cultivate professionalism, and deepen cultural knowledge—the organization supports ongoing educational initiatives. Quarterly workshops enhance members’ understanding of hula, while collaborative performances provide opportunities for students across hālau to share repertoire and gain experience in diverse performance settings.
Production Credits
Producers: Lowell Edgar; Daniel Ho; Amy Kuʻuleialoha Stillman
Project Curator & Liner Notes: Amy Kuʻuleialoha Stillman
Recording Engineer: Puanani Grace Edgar
Production Assistant: Sylvia Puanani Edgar
Design & Layout: Doug Katsumoto
Photography: Karen Nakamura (Karen Nakamura Photography)
Album Overview & Award Consideration Statement
This recording presents historical Hawaiian hula chants in contemporary hula kahiko settings, performed by award-winning kumu hula of Kūlia i ka Pūnāwai. The album is dedicated to honoring Queen Liliʻuokalani, offering thoughtfully realized interpretations that bridge historical source material with living performance traditions.
These contemporary renditions are grounded in careful research and cultural responsibility, preserving the poetic, musical, and ceremonial integrity of the original chants while presenting them in a format accessible to modern audiences and practitioners. The inclusion of complete Hawaiian texts and English translations further enhances the album’s value as both an artistic work and an educational resource.