Iwalani Kalima

Nā Kumu Hula Iwalani Kalima

Iwalani Kalima established Hula Hālau O Ko Lima Nani E in 1986 and is currently residing in Hilo, Hawaii.


I was eight-years-old when I started taking hula from Uncle George Nā‘ope in Hilo. Uncle left in 1974 to live in Honolulu and returned to Hilo after four years. During that time I didn’t take hula from any other teacher. I went back to Uncle when he returned and I am still studying with him till today. I’ve been with him for over thirty years.

Uncle George’s style of hula was very basic. You had to know your foot movements. There was no half step or a side step. It was a full kāholo and your basic steps were the most important thing. If you didn’t know your steps, you couldn’t do hula. That’s what Uncle always told us. You can see the difference in the dancing today. Before it was one motion for one sentence. Today it’s ten different motions for one sentence. Some teachers try to interpret every word with a motion.

Uncle was a very strong hula kahiko teacher. You had to learn the kahiko first before you learned the ‘auana. My first hula was “Liliʻu E” and we learned the ‘uwehe step. We learned the kāholo and ‘uwehe by doing “Kawika.” It taught us timing.

Uncle also took us out to entertain at private parties and at the Naniloa Hotel. We first started out performing the hula kahiko and hula ‘auana, and then in later years when I was about twelve-years-old, we started learning Tahitian. He brought over Ray Fonseca and Etua Lopes to teach Tahitian dancing. Etua was the dancer and did most of the teaching and Ray was the drummer and perfectionist. I regard them as my hula brothers.

In 1982 Uncle gave me my kumu palapala. It was a special ceremony with a hō'ike and ‘ūniki. Although I wasn’t ready for it, Uncle felt it was the time to give me the paper. I don’t know what the requirements were but in Uncle’s eyes, I was ready.

Although I had been assisting Uncle since 1981, others considered me his alaka‘i only after I had my ‘ūniki. I continued teaching with him and in 1986 I opened my own hula school. Uncle was a very hard and a very strict teacher. It was difficult to ask him questions because we were to be seen and not heard. He told you when you were ready to learn this or that and sometimes he would force it on you. At that time I thought he was being mean and nasty and I didn’t want to have anything to do with hula because I wasn’t doing anything right. Today I look back at the nitpicking and realize that he did it so that I would become a better dancer. I stuck in there because I was going to prove to Uncle that I could do it.

Today I want the kids to come because they want to, not because they are forced to. I try to teach the girls everything I know about the chant or song. When I was learning, I did the motions but could not even ask the name of the dance. I didn’t realize that there was a time and a place that you could ask him. Now with my students I want them to know everything. It took me fifteen years to learn all those dances and I want them to learn it in five years.

When I was growing up, I was a tomboy and I never thought Iʻd be a hula dancer. But hula has taught me to respect my heritage, love my culture, and respect people for what they are. Through my hula, I can show people what I feel inside without saying a word.

When you have your own hālau, you must remember that the children are the ones that will perpetuate and keep the hula alive. You must teach them to the fullest of your ability. Love them as if they are your own and teach them to have ha‘aha‘a.

Today I am very glad that I started my own school because I see how important the work is. When you live in Hawai‘i, you are Hawaiian.


"Through my hula, I can show people what I feel inside without saying a word."