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Kanaka Celebration

Kanaka Celebration!

Hula, songs, stories and a film from the islands celebrate the legacy of the Hawaiians here in the Pacific Northwest. Join us to learn about and celebrate the 'Forgotten Hawaiians'.

With Kumu Hula Gloria Nahalea and special guests, we will explore the historical tracing migration of the earliest Kanaka to Pacific Northwest from 1800's to present day. The Kanaka Celebration includes a film preview, hula, and Hawaiian music from special guests Charles Brotman and Charlie Recaido from the group Kohala, visiting from Waimea, Hawaii.

Kanaka Legacy in the Pacific Northwest
By Gloria Nahalea

The Hawaiians began to arrive in the Pacific Northwest in the late 1700's-early 1800's for a variety of reasons. There are Hawaiian place names sprinkled throughout the Northwest as they left their mark in the history of Washington, Oregon, Idaho and British Columbia. Place names such as Aloha, Kalama (city, river, and ranch), Kanaka Village, Waikiki Beach, Owyhee (city, county, mountain and river), Kanaka Row. The Hawaiians worked and lived in areas such as Fort Nisqually, Fort Langley, Dupont, Warm Springs, Salt Spring Islands, Yakima, Lummi, Nisqually, Tulalip and many more places.

Find out more about their rich heritage honoring their home islands, and the impact they have on the Northwest history and continues to make history today.

They are called the 'Forgotten Hawaiians' as they melded in the local fabric of the society they live. The earliest Hawaiians married the local Native Americans, and the blended bloodlines runs through many tribal families. Today, it is difficult to have an accurate census but it's believed to be much more than has been accounted for. More people are tracing their roots and as evidenced by the increasing PowWows existing in the Hawaiian Islands, more celebrations of these rich blended bloodlines occur as genealogical roots are being traced.

The Kanaka Celebration's main purpose is to raise awareness of the legacy of these almost 'Forgotten Hawaiians' and confirm their historical contributions not only with the Hawaiian Place Names, but to the history of the Pacific Northwest.

Visit http://www.alohaislandtreasures.net/cms/ for more information!

Tickets will be $18 at the Door.