E Ulu A Paʻa Fundraiser Gala & Online Auction 2026
Please join us for Bishop Museum’s premier fundraising event, E Ulu A Pa‘a. This year, we recognize the late Nālani Kanakaʻole, a renowned cultural expert who lived by the philosophy that true creativity flows from deep respect for tradition. Born Faith Nālani Kanakaʻole in Keaukaha, Hawaiʻi, Nālani was the youngest daughter of Edith Kanakaʻole, founder of Hālau o Kekuhi and the namesake of the stadium where the annual Merrie Monarch Hula Festival is held. Nālani took over Hālau o Kekuhi with her sister, Pualani Kanakaʻole Kanahele, and later with her niece, Huihui Kanahele-Mossman, where she shared decades of knowledge and creativity with her haumāna as a fifth-generation loea hula. She and Pualani were named National Heritage Fellows by the National Endowment for the Arts in 1993.
In 1985, Nālani and her husband, Sig Zane, opened Sig Zane Designs. Their son, Kūhaʻo Zane, was named CEO of the company last October. When asked about his mother in a recent interview, Kūhaʻo shared, “The thing that stands out for me the most is really her resilience in wanting to continue to progress the culture forward…One of the biggest things that she wanted us to do was to be able to take on the kuleana that we’re responsible for.
Attend the Gala Dinner
The E Ulu A Paʻa gala dinner will take place on Saturday, August 22, 2026. We invite you to join us for a night of fellowship, ʻono food, and beautiful mele as we celebrate the extraordinary history, culture, and environment of Hawaiʻi and the Pacific.
Contribute to our Online Auction
In addition to the fun-filled evening, we will be hosting an online auction featuring exclusive Bishop Museum experiences, travel packages, fine dining, art, and more. This auction will be open to the public and attendees at 3 p.m. on Thursday, August 13, and will conclude at 9 p.m. on Sunday, August 23. To donate an item, experience, or service to be included in the online auction, please complete the form via the link below by Monday, June 30.
Other questions? Email the Development Office at development@bishopmuseum.org or call 808.847.8281.
Come and See Ea Mai ʻEiwa: Patterns of Practice
This powerful exhibition features the work of Nālani Kanakaʻole (1946–2026), Sig Zane, and Kūhaʻoʻīmaikalani Zane – a Hilo-based family of artists whose creative practices are deeply rooted in hula ʻaihaʻa. As dedicated members of Hālau o Kekuhi in Keaukaha, Hawaiʻi, their work across visual and performing arts is continually charged and sustained by hula. From Nālani Kanakaʻole’s art direction and choreography to Sig Zane’s photography and textile design, and Kūhaʻoʻīmaikalani Zane’s graphic design and immersive installations, each artist channels ʻike carried through generations.
The exhibition title references “Kūhaʻimoana,” a chant describing the migration of shark gods from Kahiki to Hawaiʻi. Interpreted as “structures of nine,” Ea Mai ʻEiwa reflects the strength, resilience, and environmental knowledge embodied in these ancestral stories. Bringing together new and existing works alongside botanical specimens and cultural treasures from Bishop Museum’s collections, the exhibition weaves themes of migration, community resilience, and environmental stewardship – offering insight and inspiration for today.
Our Committee
EVENT CHAIR
Kūhiō Lewis
HONOREE
Nālani Kanakaʻole
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Sig Zane
Kūha‘o Zane
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Ann Botticelli, Chairwoman
Todd Apo, 1st Chairman
Michael Bruno, 2nd Chairman
Andy Touma, Controller & Treasurer
Kristofer Helgen, President
Kelsi Tanaka, Secretary
Nicole Sakai, Assistant Secretary
Edward Barnabas
Landon Beers
Maenette Benham
Darlene Blakeney
Eric Co
Sam ‘Ohu Gon III
Elizabeth Rice Grossman
Keith Hayashi
Sharon Hurd
Manu Kaiama
Anton C. Krucky
Nancy Lueck
Jacqueline Maly
John Morgan
William (Billy) K. Richards, Jr.
Michael Takayama
Chipper Wichman
DIRECTOR EMERITUS
Rick Humphreys
Patrick Kirch
Wayne Pitluck
