ʻIolani Luahine
ʻIolani Luahine (January 31, 1915 – December 10, 1978), born Harriet Lanihau Makekau, was a native Hawaiian ''kumu hula'', dancer, chanter and teacher, who was considered the high priestess of the ancient hula. ''The New York Times'' wrote that she was "regarded as Hawaii's last great exponent of the sacred hula ceremony," and the ''Honolulu Advertiser'' wrote: "In her ancient dances, she was the poet of the Hawaiian people." The Iolani Luahine Hula Festival was established in her memory, and awards a scholarship award each year to encourage a student to continue the study of hula. Early years Luahine was born in 1915 in the village of Nāpoʻopo'o, near Captain Cook, Hawaii. Her given name was Harriet Lanihau Makekau, and she was the youngest of five daughters in a pure Hawaiian family that traced its genealogy to dancers and keepers of ancient Hawaiian rituals and chants. Iolani was raised by her great-aunt Julia Keahi Luahine (1877–1937), who began educating her i ...
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