I am performing at Puuhonua O Honaunau in Kona !!!!!!!!!!

Aloha !

Wow ! Its a dream come true !  I have always wanted to learn Hula in Hawaii and perform Hula in Hawaii !  This weekend, I will be doing just that ! I will be performing at Puuhonua o Honaunau in Kona !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It happened so very fast. I  joined a hula halau on Monday , June18th , ( today is June 24th ) and now  I am going to Kona to perform with them on the weekend of June 29th, 30th and July 1st !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Right now  , I have gathered 3 dozen brown ti leaves and I will be braiding them into 2 x 10 feet ropes and 2x 25 feet ropes to make slippers to wear at Puuhonua O Honananu .

I have also gathered 3 dozen fresh green ti leaves and I will be taught to make my own set of leis , for my head, around my neck, for my wrists, and my ankles. Thank goodness there is no time to make a lauhala skirt out of fresh lauhala leaves . The hala tree has long spiky leaves that you have to strip before using. Really major intensive work required to make a skirt .  The spikes are very sharp  . Here's a link to see what this tree looks like. The picture isn't that great as this tree can be huge and you cannot see the spikes on the edges of the leaves. .It is also known as the walking tree, so google that too. .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lauhala

So, yes, I am performing at Puuhonua O Honaunau  Cultural Festival  !   Puuhonua O Honaunau was a place of refuge in ancient Hawaiian times. It is deeply sacred and spiritual . I feel incredibly humbled and honored to be performing there . Thank you Kumu Ehulani for this privledge and honor  . Mahalo is not enough to express how I feel. I will be part of the Royal Court. Isn't this simply AMAZING ??????  I love how I am performing in a place of Forgiveness and Peace. It  is/ will be  good for my heart and spirit. It will be incredibly grounding .


http://www.gohawaii.com/big-island/regions-neighborhoods/kona/puuhonua-o-honaunau-national-historical-park

Yesterday , the hula halau did a special cleansing in preparation for the performance at Puuhonua O Honaunau . We went to Maia's ( I believe that was her name  )  house and did weeding on the long lava steps that went down to a thermal pond. The place looked like a deep quarry leading down into the pond . It was incredible. The thermal  pond was  crystal clear and emerald green  . The water was 89 F . We were so hot from weeding in the sun and the thought of getting into an 89F water didn't exactly appeal to me. I jokingly said that were we going to take a warm bath after getting baked by the sun . After the weeding , we went into the thermal pond for cleansing. Kumu Ehulani did three Hawaiian chants , as we stood on the lava steps. We then all went quietly into the thermal pond water and did a full dip . After that , we meditated for 5 minutes . In olden times , I was told that the cleansing would be done over 5 days . While we were meditating in the water  , beautiful blue and green dragonflies were flying around us .  Two of the dragonflies were mating in flight .  It was deeply spiritual and magical ! 


Maia made us a sumptuous BBQ lunch . I ate baked purple sweet potatoes for the first time ever . The colour of the sweet potato was so beautiful. The purple was a deep amethyst . It felt like I had a jewel in my mouth . It was so yum !

This truly is a dream come true. I am now immersed in Hawaiian culture . I feel so very lucky and blessed ! Oh happy happy day ! :)

With much aloha,
x0x0x0x0x0
Molly