Pūpūkahi Returns from Aotearoa

Earlier this month, Pūpūkahi I Ke Alo O Nā Pua traveled to Aotearoa (New Zealand) for a weeklong cultural exchange rooted in hula, connection, and learning. This year marked a special milestone as Pūpūkahi celebrated 20 years since its first trip to Aotearoa in 2005, when the hālau was the only high school group invited to participate in Culture Moves, a dance conference featuring professional companies that explore the blending of modern movement with indigenous dance traditions. From Wellington to Whakatāne, students immersed themselves in Māori culture through shared performances, workshops, and heartfelt gatherings with longtime friends of the hālau.

Highlights included dancing alongside students at the New Zealand School of Dance, a powerful pōwhiri (welcome ceremony) at Whakatāne High School, and emotional performances at community events and cultural sites. Through every experience, whether performing, engaging in school exchanges, or staying with host families, students deepened their understanding of Pacific connections and strengthened their own cultural identities.

The trip closed with joyful farewells, a soak in the local hot springs, and the promise of reunion when their Māori ʻohana visits Hawaiʻi in May. As Kumu Hula Lanakila Casupang shared, “Our students grew not just as dancers, but as compassionate, connected individuals. I’m so proud of each of them.”