By Fox Pōmaikaʻi Deatry
“I ulu nō ka lālā i ke kumu.” Our kūpuna remind us that every branch draws its strength from its trunk. We flourish because those before us chose to preserve, practice, and pass forward what mattered most. Their ʻike became our foundation. Our kuleana is to ensure it does not end with us.
For many Hawaiians, home is no longer measured only by geography. It is found in the language we speak, the stories we remember, the songs we sing, the hula we dance, and the relationships we nurture. Yet distance can quietly separate us from these gifts if we do not intentionally return to them.
That is why Ka ʻAha Hoʻolauna Aloha (KAHĀ) exists.
From June 26 – 28, KAHĀ 2026 welcomed kumu, loea, educators, cultural practitioners, artisans, and families to Las Vegas under the theme, “Oʻahu ka ʻŌnohi o nā Kai.”
Inspired by Oʻahu as a place where people and ʻike have converged for generations, the gathering created space for learning through ola pono, hana noʻeau, ʻike Hawaiʻi, and hula. More importantly, it created space for pilina.
“Distance creates a sense of separation from culture, language, and community,” reflected Kumu Kuʻualohanui Kauliʻa, founder and president of KAHĀ. “KAHĀ exists to close that distance. We gather to reclaim ʻike, strengthen identity, and build relationships grounded in aloha, ensuring that ʻike Hawaiʻi continues to thrive.”
His words speak to something greater than a single weekend. Hawaiian culture has never endured through places alone. It has endured because each generation chose to become both student and teacher, understanding that ʻike is not something we own, but something entrusted to our care.
Throughout the gathering, conversations became mentorship, introductions became friendships, and learning extended well beyond the classroom. Culture was not simply discussed. It was lived.
Reflecting on the weekend, Kumu Kanani Cadaoas, luna hoʻokele of KAHĀ 2026, shared, “KAHĀ is more than an event. It is a place where aloha is shared, ʻike is exchanged, and our culture is celebrated. As we return home, it is our kuleana to mālama the knowledge we have received, nurture the pilina we have created, and continue sharing aloha wherever our journeys may lead.”
Perhaps that is the true legacy of KAHĀ. Not measured by attendance or the number of workshops offered, but by every relationship strengthened, every lesson carried forward, and every person inspired to live aloha more deeply.
As long as there are places where ʻike is shared, pilina is nurtured, and each generation reaches back to lift the next, Hawaiʻi will forever live within her people.
As Queen Liliʻuokalani reminded us, “Never cease to act because you fear you may fail.” May we carry that courage with humility and aloha, ensuring that the ʻike entrusted to us today becomes the inheritance of generations yet to come.
Fox Pōmaikaʻi Garcia-Deatry is the chief marketing and philanthropy officer for Ka ʻAha Hoʻolauna Aloha (KAHĀ). An experienced communications and nonprofit executive, he has held senior leadership positions with Al Jazeera Media Network, the Movember Foundation, Outright International, and the National Institutes of Health. He currently serves as a board advisor to the Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics (GALECA) and holds a graduate degree in political management from The George Washington University.
