HONOLULU (KHON2) — A new hula show in Waikīkī brings a centuries-old story home to the very place it began. Just steps from the sacred healer stones of Kapaemahu, “The Return of Kapaemahu” tells a moʻolelo of healing, duality and aloha through traditional hula.
The free outdoor performance takes place every Wednesday from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. under the banyan tree at the Kūhiō Beach Hula Mound.
Located on the beach side of Kalākaua Avenue near the Duke Kahanamoku Statue, the show invites both visitors and locals to sit on the grass, relax and experience the story where it happened.
“We in Hawaiʻi are fortunate to live in a land that not only recognizes but celebrates and honors
gender diversity” said Lei Pua ʻAla co-director Dean Hamer in opening remarks at the premiere. “I hope that the thousands of visitors who see this show will take that message home with them and spread it far and wide.”
A moʻolelo of healing and legacy
The story began long before the 1500s, when four Tahitian healers — Kapaemahu, Kapuni, Kinohi and Kahaloa — arrived in Waikīkī from Moaulanuiakea, Raiatea. Known as māhū, individuals of both male and female spirit, the healers were celebrated for their gentle nature and miraculous cures.
When they prepared to leave, the healers asked that four large stones be placed to mark their presence, two at their home and two at their bathing site. The stones, quarried from Kaimukī, were set on the night of Kāne. The healers performed prayers and fasting for a full moon cycle, then vanished.
According to oral tradition recorded in 1906 and published the following year, their mana lives on in the stones. The site remains a tribute to healing and inclusion.
“At its core, this story is a reminder from our kupuna of how to treat people with aloha and respect even if you view them as different,” said Kumu Patrick. “Because in the end, they’re not different. They’re your ‘ohana, your friends. They’re you. Just a more fabulous version of you. And couldn’t we all use a more fabulous version of ourselves to remind us of our potential?”
Hula in the shadow of the stones
The show is composed and directed by Patrick Makuakāne, the first Native Hawaiian recipient of the MacArthur Foundation Genius Award.
“This extraordinary production by Kumu Patrick is a great example of visitor entertainment that’s
not only enjoyable but culturally meaningful, educational, and impactful. And because it is free to the public, it is a wonderful addition to the resurgence of Hawaiian cultural programs now helping to reshape the visitor experience in Waikīkī,” added co-director Hamer.
The cast features Moani Wright-Van Alst, Kaimana Domingo, Mauikānehoalani Lovell, Keola Kamahele, Maluhia Kawai, Makenna Kinsler, Mahie Crabbe, Mahina Celadas-Leong and Kaʻiulani Leong-Celadas. Costumes are by Koanui Johnson and Malia King.
The production is presented by Lei Pua ʻAla Queer Histories of Hawaiʻi and supported by the City and County of Honolulu, the Waikīkī Business Improvement District and ʻUmeke, powered by the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority.
“Through our work on Kapaemahu over the past ten years, we’ve seen how empowering it can be for people who have been marginalized and erased for so long to finally be able to see themselves reflected and valued in the life and culture of their community,” said Lei Pua ‘Ala co-director, Joe Wilson.
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The performance stands in tribute to the mahu healers and their enduring legacy. Through hula, the moʻolelo continues to speak and offers a space for reflection and remembrance on the sands of Waikīkī.