Ray Kahikilaulani Fonseca
Title
Ray Kahikilaulani Fonseca
Subject
Nā Kumu Hula Kay Kaliikilaulani Fonseca - Nānā I Nā Loea Hula Volume 2 Page 38
Description
Ray Fonseca began teaching in 1980 and established Hālau Hula ‘O Kahikilaulani located in Hilo, Hawaiʻi.
I started as a Tahitian drummer for Keolalaulani Hula Studio and then with Pauline Padeken and Lokelani Andersen. Aunty Pauline’s and Aunty Lokelani’s group went to Hilo to participate in the Merrie Monarch Festival and that’s when I met Uncle George Nā‘ope. He liked my Tahitian and asked me to come to Hilo to teach at his hālau. So in the summer of 1973 I left Honolulu to live with Uncle George and I didn’t return home until three years later.
I learned to dance hula at the age of seventeen while living with Uncle George. I went everywhere with him and that’s how I began taking an interest in hula. Although Uncle George was my kumu hula for many years, he encouraged me to learn from other hula resources. He made me go to workshops and told me who to take from. He directed me to learn from Lokalia Montgomery. I took workshops from Henry Pa and took classes from Aunty Edith Kanaka‘ole and Aunty Eleanor Hiram Hoke. Uncle George wanted me to broaden my horizon and not be limited to learning only from him.
In 1977 I ‘ūniki from Uncle George and in 1980 I opened my hālau in Hilo. At that time Hilo did not have too many teachers especially in hula kahiko. I named my hālau Hālau Hula ‘O Kahikilaulani meaning, “The Staff of Heaven.” Kahikilaulani was my hula name given to me at my ‘ūniki by Uncle George.
When I am teaching, it is the force within me that drives me. Everything in my life is related to hula. i keep the traditional dances exactly as i learned them from Uncle George. These dances will be carried on.
My joy is to see my students perform to the best of their abilities and to do it with full love and understanding of the art. In my hālau we try to do everything ourselves. We make the implements, feather lei, haku lei, and costumes. It gives my students a feeling of accomplishment when they dance in costumes that they made themselves.
When I win at competition, I first feel fortunate and blessed. I always tell the dancers to thank the Almighty who allows us to be here. What really matters is that they all come off that stage feeling good about themselves and that they have a greater understanding of the art.
Uncle George is my greatest inspiration. He always told me that in hula, the sharing of one’s knowledge enhances one’s own knowledge. So my job was to share what l have learned with the people of Hawai‘i and in turn I would gain more knowledge. If I get stuck on a chant, I will go to him to ask for advice. Until today even if we live apart, I am still with Uncle George in spirit.
“My joy is to see my students perform to the best of their abilities and to do it with full love and understanding of the art.”
38 Ray Kahikilaulani Fonseca
I started as a Tahitian drummer for Keolalaulani Hula Studio and then with Pauline Padeken and Lokelani Andersen. Aunty Pauline’s and Aunty Lokelani’s group went to Hilo to participate in the Merrie Monarch Festival and that’s when I met Uncle George Nā‘ope. He liked my Tahitian and asked me to come to Hilo to teach at his hālau. So in the summer of 1973 I left Honolulu to live with Uncle George and I didn’t return home until three years later.
I learned to dance hula at the age of seventeen while living with Uncle George. I went everywhere with him and that’s how I began taking an interest in hula. Although Uncle George was my kumu hula for many years, he encouraged me to learn from other hula resources. He made me go to workshops and told me who to take from. He directed me to learn from Lokalia Montgomery. I took workshops from Henry Pa and took classes from Aunty Edith Kanaka‘ole and Aunty Eleanor Hiram Hoke. Uncle George wanted me to broaden my horizon and not be limited to learning only from him.
In 1977 I ‘ūniki from Uncle George and in 1980 I opened my hālau in Hilo. At that time Hilo did not have too many teachers especially in hula kahiko. I named my hālau Hālau Hula ‘O Kahikilaulani meaning, “The Staff of Heaven.” Kahikilaulani was my hula name given to me at my ‘ūniki by Uncle George.
When I am teaching, it is the force within me that drives me. Everything in my life is related to hula. i keep the traditional dances exactly as i learned them from Uncle George. These dances will be carried on.
My joy is to see my students perform to the best of their abilities and to do it with full love and understanding of the art. In my hālau we try to do everything ourselves. We make the implements, feather lei, haku lei, and costumes. It gives my students a feeling of accomplishment when they dance in costumes that they made themselves.
When I win at competition, I first feel fortunate and blessed. I always tell the dancers to thank the Almighty who allows us to be here. What really matters is that they all come off that stage feeling good about themselves and that they have a greater understanding of the art.
Uncle George is my greatest inspiration. He always told me that in hula, the sharing of one’s knowledge enhances one’s own knowledge. So my job was to share what l have learned with the people of Hawai‘i and in turn I would gain more knowledge. If I get stuck on a chant, I will go to him to ask for advice. Until today even if we live apart, I am still with Uncle George in spirit.
“My joy is to see my students perform to the best of their abilities and to do it with full love and understanding of the art.”
38 Ray Kahikilaulani Fonseca
Citation
“Ray Kahikilaulani Fonseca,” Nā Kumu Hula Archive, accessed February 23, 2025, https://nakumuhula.org/archive/items/show/117.