Kāhili Paʻa Lima Workshop w/ Kawika Lum-Nelmida

Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023 – 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 8, 2023 – 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Location: Gulab and Indru Watumull Atrium of Hawaiian Hall

Kāhili Paʻa Lima are small hand-held kāhili that were carried by ali‘i or near them by special bearers in a display of respect. Hand-held kāhili are usually at least thirty inches tall and are variable in form and appearance. It is thought that kāhili paʻa lima were once used as fans and whisks for ali‘i and evolved into larger ceremonial kāhili kū. Today, hand-held kāhili are given as gifts or awards, or sometimes used as decorative furnishings. Participate in two workshop sessions to create a kāhili paʻa lima, led by featured artist and hulu practitioner Kumu Kawika Lum-Nelmida. In the first session, learn how to prep your feathers. In the second session, learn how to construct a hand-held kāhili.

This Living Culture workshop is part of the Ola Ka No‘eau: Excellence in Hawaiian Artistry public programming. The exhibition. on view in the J. M. Long Gallery, explores genealogies of Hawaiian artistry and spotlights thirteen cultural stewards across six disciplines represented by a senior and junior practitioner pairing, each having devoted their lives to the preservation and vitality of their respective art forms. Kumu Kawika Lum-Nelmida is a featured artist in the exhibition alongside his kumu Aunty Paulette Nohealani Kahalepuna, an esteemed featherwork master who opened a storefront with her parents named “Nā Lima Mili Hulu No‘eau” where she conducted classes to elevate the art of Hawaiian featherwork in modern living. Kawika Lum-Nelmida is officially Aunty Paulette’s last apprentice — as a kumu hulu, he offers classes to uphold the high standards and value systems that his kumu impressed upon him. The Ola Ka No‘eau public programs honor these knowledge bearers who maintain and perpetuate the cherished insights and processes of our kūpuna.

Registration fee: $30 per session | $60 total
*Included in the registration fee is a material kit with hulu (feathers) provided by the Museum
*Please note that capacity is limited and participating in this program is a two-session commitment on the dates listed above.
*No prior featherwork experience is necessary.

Photo Courtesy of Kawika Lum-Nelmida