14th Annual May Day & Ho’olaule’a

April 29, 2019

Parker lower school held its 14th annual May Day & Ho’olaule’a on Friday, April 26.

All 104 students in kindergarten through grade 5 worked twice a week for four months under the direction of kumu hula (dance teacher) Liana Aveiro to learn Hawaiian language, oli (Hawaiian chants), mele (Hawaiian song) and hula (Hawaiian form of dance). Also, more than 15 faculty, staff, plus middle and upper school students danced the hula.

Following the morning program, Parker middle and upper school students held a ho’olaule’a (celebration) which offered numerous hands-on cultural stations including: kapa design, lei making, octupus ink printing; as well as hukihuki (tug of war) and haka moa (standing chicken fight). The day’s festivities also included a Hawaiian meal prepared by the senior class which included kalua pork (cooked in an underground oven), sweet potatoes, pineapple and haupia (coconut dessert).