About Hālau Nā Kīpuʻupuʻu
Hālau Nā Kīpuʻupuʻu is the Cultural Division of the Waimea Hawaiian Homestead Organization. This hālau is rooted in the practices of ancient Hawaiʻi, the great Kamehameha family and his famous Kīpuʻupuʻu Warriors. Anchored in the Hawaiian culture and language while immersed in the traditions and teachings of the Kamohoaliʻi family, they descend from the Puʻukapu plains of Waimea on the slopes of Mauna Kea.
This world-renowned hālau is under the direction of Kumu Hula Micah Kamohoaliʻi. Known for their powerful energy, ʻaihaʻa and emphatic style of chant and dance that comes from Hawaiʻi Island, they are linked to the powerful rains of their homeland and known to bring on a downpour.
Hālau Nā Kīpuʻupuʻu is celebrated for revitalizing many ancient art forms and practices and for being truly authentic. They have presented, performed, and taught in many countries around the world including the famous British Museum in London, where they were featured in a year long exhibit for their works in Kapa, the Theatre Adyar at the Eiffel Tower of Paris, The Ohga Opera Hall, the Kyoto Cultural Theatre of Japan, and The Grand Theatre of Papeʻete Tahiti in French Polynesia. In 2015 - 2017 they toured their award winning Hula Drama entitled “Hanau Ke Aliʻi” locally to all eight Hawaiian Islands presenting on the finest stages Hawaiʻi has to offer as well internationally to France, Belgium, Holland, London, Ireland, and Tahiti.
Cultural leaders within the Waimea landscapes they strive to preserve, perpetuate, and practice native tradition to honor the akua, the kanaka, and the ʻāina.
Kumu Hula Micah Kamohoalii
Kumu Micah Kamohoaliʻi descends from a Native Hawaiian family deeply rooted in their culture and traditions. He was born and raised in Puʻukapu, Waimea on the slopes of Mauna Kea of Hawaiʻi Island, where his family descend for many generations. His maternal grandfather's family descend from Waimea, Kohala and Waipi'o Valley. His maternal grandmother from the Peelua Clan of Moloka'i. His paternal grandparents are from Ke'ei, South Kona. He is an accomplished and a renowned Kumu Hula, a Hawaiian expert and historian. His traditional dance school, Hālau Nā Kīpuʻupuʻu is world renowned and celebrated for being a powerhouse of energy, truly one of the most authentic in Hawaiʻi. They have received highly acclaimed honors for their presentations that have toured in many countries around the world and are the authentic heartbeat of native Hawaiian cultural practices in the Waimea Community.
Kumu Micah Kamohoalii has danced hula all his life. Born to a family of hula dancers his family were kumu hula extending back for many generations and some who were teachers in the court of King Kalakaua. He learned hula and music from his grandparents growing up. His first teacher was his mother, who was a student of Kumu Hoakalei Kamau'u. He was a student of his Uncle, Keala Ching and has traveled around the world with him. He studied chant under Pualani Kanahele, John Kaimikaua, Ka'upena Wong and Kalena Silva. He had the privilege of learning hula from some of the greats including his aunts Ulu Garmon, Pualani Kanahele and Nalani Kanaka'ole while being a student of Hālau o Kekuhi from intermediate school and through college . In 2004, he was the first graduate of the Hawaiian Lifestyles Hula degree at Hawaii Community College, under the tutelage of Kaipo Frias and Kekuhi Kanahele. He returned home to Waimea for his ʻuniki ʻailolo, formally rising to the rank of Kumu Hula. He is a encyclopedia of Hawaiian knowledge and his vast and old training can be seen in his hula, his haumana and halau. His dance style perpetuates Hawai'i Islands aiha'a and kielelei style of chant and dance.
His family’s extensive ties to the art of bark cloth kapa making has taken his hālau around the world and have been honored for reviving ancient kapa tradtions. Kumu Micah Kamohoalii is well-regarded in Hawaiʻi for extensive knowledge in native hawaiian practice and protocols. He is an archaeologist, historian, genealogist, cultural expert, artist and famed storyteller. He has worked in many mediums such as lei making, feather work, photography, printing, painting, film production, Hawaiian music, and most famously his work in reviving customary practices of the Hawaiian kapa in hula and into modern Hawaiian fashion.
He received a Na Hoku Hanohano award in 2019 for his work in Hawaiian music and producing the Kalawaianui album with his cousin Amy Hanaiali'i. He has been honored by the Native Arts and Cultures Foundation and was a recipient of the 2017 Cultural Preservation Award presented by the governor of Hawai'i. He has been featured around the world in Vogue magazine, Vanity Fair, Marie Clair, Times, Modern Luxury, Forbes, the New York Times, The New York Botanical Gardens and The British Museum of London to name a few. His works in film and television garnered him an Emmy Award in 2023 and multiple Telly awards from 2021 til present.
He is the cultural director of the Waimea Hawaiian Homesteaders Association, which encompasses the majority of Waimea’s great native Hawaiian population. He is a well-known cultural leader and practitioner and continues to lead ceremonies, educational excursions, and conducts native Hawaiian practices and protocols throughout Hawai’i. His extensive knowledge and creativity is what makes him so sought-after.
