Lei Hulu Poepoe Workshops with Kawika Lum-Nelmida

Saturday, June 3, 2023 – 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Sunday, June 4, 2023 – 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Location: Gulab and Indru Watumull Atrium of Hawaiian Hall

Lei Hulu Poepoe is a traditional style of feather lei making — “poepoe” indicates a rounded and fuller shape where feathers are positioned against their natural curve. Participate in two workshop sessions to learn how to make this traditional style of lei hulu, 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 start and end a lei hulu poepoe.

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