Museum After Hours – Kū a Lanakila!

Kū a Lanakila!

Friday, October 11, 2024
5 pm – 9 pm
Location: Gallery Lawns | J. M. Long Gallery · Hawaiian Hall Complex

$10 pre-sale, $15 at the door for General Admission. Free for Bishop Museum Members.

Experience the interweaving of political and cultural life during the aftermath of the 1893 illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdon depicted in Kū a Lanakila! Expressions of Sovereignty, 1900-1920. Showcasing rarely seen items from Bishop Museum’s Ethnology and Library & Archives collections, this exhibit bridges the gap between the Hawaiian Kingdom and early territorial periods, revealing the resilience and adaptability of Kanaka ʻŌiwi. 1900-1920 were critical years when Kanaka ʻŌiwi and citizens of Hawaiʻi from diverse backgrounds advocated to maintain social and political influence under American governance. This was accomplished through extensive community organizing expressed in ceremonies, civic engagement, government elections and competitive sports.

Aʻa, the beloved 40-foot koa racing canoe commissioned by Ke Aliʻi Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole, stands as a central mea kupuna of Kū a Lanakila!, and as a rallying point for our community to examine, reflect upon and discuss this pivotal period in the history of Hawaiʻi, bringing to light issues that remain relevant today. Celebrate Kū a Lanakila! with gallery talks, keiki activities, hula, mele and more!

Spotlight Program
Kū a Lanakila! Expressions of Sovereignty, 1900-1920 (J. M. Long Gallery · Hawaiian Hall Complex)
Gallery Talks
6:30 pm & 7:30 pm

Join us in an exploration of Kū a Lanakila! Expressions of Sovereignty, 1900-1920 led by Sarah Kūāiwa, Curator of Hawaiʻi and Pacific Cultural Resources. Featuring a stunning array of artifacts, including ʻahu ʻula, lei hulu, banners, and political ephemera, the exhibit highlights how Native Hawaiians engaged in public ceremony, competitive sports, and political activism to maintain their identity and agency in a time of profound change.

Featured Kū a Lanakila! Partner Organization (Gallery Lawns)
5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Friends of Hōkūleʻa & Hawaiʻiloa
Join the Friends as they share ʻike Hawaiʻi and keiki activities themed around waʻa traditions.

• Canoe building traditions utilizing materials indigenous to Hawaiʻi
• Star compass navigation
• Lashing on waʻa kaukahi
• Keiki activities

Friends of Hōkūleʻa & Hawaiʻiloa is a non-profit organization dedicated to the perpetuation of Hawaiian canoe building traditions and values through the preservation and development of canoe building resources. By building, maintaining, and restoring canoes, the Friends hope to improve understanding and appreciation for this unique Hawaiian heritage, not only for Hawaiians, but for any person interested in learning.

Hōkū Hoʻokele Waʻa featuring Kaʻiulani Murphy (J. Watumull Planetarium)
6:45 pm & 7:30 pm
Hōkūleʻa navigator and Honolulu Community College Hoʻokele Instructor Kaʻiulani Murphy leads an exploration of Canoe Navigating Stars. Each show is 25 minutes. Tickets required; reserve at Shop Pacifica upon check in. Free for members and children under 4, $3 per person general admission. Limited seating.

Stargazing with Kaʻiulani Murphy (Great Lawn)
8:15 pm
Experience the evening sky through the eyes of Hōkūleʻa navigator and Honolulu Community College Hoʻokele Instructor Kaʻiulani Murphy. Weather permitting.

Kaʻiulani Murphy is from Puʻukapu, Waimea, Hawaiʻi. A Hoʻokele course at UH Mānoa led her to Hōkūleʻa in 1997. Since then she’s been learning from extraordinary mentors and voyages throughout our paeʻāina and Moananuiākea. She now teaches the Hoʻokele courses that started her journey with the waʻa ʻohana.

Hālau Ke Kiaʻi O Ka Lamakū, Kumu Hula Kawika Mersberg (Gallery Lawn Stage)
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Kumu Hula Kawika Mersberg is a native Hawaiian educator whose career spans over 30 years. Kumu Kawika received his ʻūniki privileges from Loea Kapiʻolani Haʻo in 2005 and in 2012 he established Hālau Ke Kiaʻi O Ka Lamakū. Throughout the years the Hālau has participated in many community events like ʻOnipaʻa, Lā Hoʻi, Commemoration of the Battle of Nuʻuanu and recently, Nā Lani ʻEhā. Kumu Kawika is a firm believer in community engagement. One way to perpetuate the art of hula is through community activism. One ʻōlelo noʻeau that inspires the hālau is “Aia ke ola i ka hana” there is life in the daily practice, the daily practice of the hula.

Hawaiian Hall Tours (Hawaiian Hall Complex)
6:00 pm & 8:00 pm
Immerse yourself in the beauty and history of Hawaiian Hall on a guided tour, highlighting tradition and change in Hawaiʻi through signature gallery spaces and displays. Meet at the staircase in Hawaiian Hall’s front entry tower.

The Hawaiian Sky Tonight (J. Watumull Planetarium)
6 pm & 8:15 pm
Each show is 25 minutes. Tickets required; reserve at Shop Pacifica upon check in. Free for members and children under 4, $3 per person general admission. Limited seating. Learn what stars, constellations, planets, and more can be seen in the skies above Hawaiʻi the night of the show.

Ongoing Offerings
Food and Beverage on the Lawn
5:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Keiki Activities w/ Ulu Aʻe Learning Center (Flanders Lawn)
5:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Activities include ʻohe kāpala (create a greeting card using stamps), kōnane (outplay your opponent in a two-player strategy board game) and kiʻi pōhaku (collect the most matching petroglyphs). For ages 5-10. A parent/guardian must be present.

Lauhala Weaving w/ Keoua Nelsen (Flanders Lawn)
5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Weave the dried leaves of the Pūhala (Pandanus) into a stunning bracelet (one per attendee). Courtesy of Helumoa, Royal Hawaiian Center

Lei Making w/ Maxeen Shea (Flanders Lawn)
5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Use the kui (sewing) style to string an assortment of blossoms into a beautiful lei (one per attendee). Courtesy of Helumoa, Royal Hawaiian Center

ʻUkulele Lesson w/ Puʻuhonua Jumawan (Flanders Lawn)
5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Learn basic chords and sing a song as you strum Hawaiʻi’s best-known string instrument, introduced to the islands in the 1870s from Portugal. ʻUkulele provided. Courtesy of Helumoa, Royal Hawaiian Center

Mahalo ā nui to Kona Brewing Company, our Official Beer Sponsor for this event!