Aloha a me Hauʻoli Makahiki Hou! On behalf of the Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association (NaHHA), we are humbled and excited to announce a free upcoming community event: Hoʻokipa Hawaiʻi Weekend, a two-day cultural festival happening on Feb. 15 and 16, 2025, at Helumoa, Royal Hawaiian Center in historic Waikīkī.
This family-friendly event is curated by NaHHA and celebrates Hawaiian culture and traditional knowledge through the medium of cultural practitioners, interactive exhibits, demonstrations, and vendors, and is designed to foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of Native Hawaiian culture among both residents and visitors.
Hoʻokipa Hawaiʻi Weekend specifically highlights Native Hawaiians and their contributions in small business, cultural education, preservation, and traditional practices. Together, we celebrate the connections to our culture, land, and community, embracing the essence of hoʻokipa – the reciprocal value of hospitality, our care and passion for culture, and the honor we have for one another in connection with our shared values.
Daily programming highlights include interactive exhibits and hands on demonstrations, a vendor marketplace, all-day stage programming and cultural entertainment, storytelling, food, art and fashion. The event will include sharing of traditional practices including mele, hula, ulana (weaving), kapa-making, kōnane (the strategy game), nā mea kaua (weaponry), nā mea makua (fishing), hōlua (sledding), loko iʻa (fishponds), lei-making, nā wai hoʻoluʻu (natural dye-making), kilo hōkū (celestial observation), hulu (featherwork), lei pūpū (shell lei-making), ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, ʻohe kapala (stamping), mea kanu Hawaiʻi (native plants), pahu (drum), and more!
We anticipate 10,000+ attendees visiting 100+ participating Native Hawaiian vendors, cultural practitioners, and nonprofit organizations. This gathering aims to deepen our community’s connection to Hawaiʻi through workshops, cultural experiences, and learning opportunities, inspiring meaningful interactions that uplift Native Hawaiian voices and promote responsible, authentic tourism.
Hawaiʻi stands at a pivotal moment to reimagine the visitor industry as a force for cultural and environmental preservation. Join NaHHA in this shared vision, on February 15–16 at the Royal Hawaiian Center.
Me ke aloha pumehana on behalf of the Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association.
, we are humbled and excited to announce a free upcoming community event: Hoʻokipa Hawaiʻi Weekend, a two-day cultural festival happening on Feb. 15 and 16, 2025, at Helumoa, Royal Hawaiian Center in historic Waikīkī.){kind=link}