Hula

I have always wanted to learn Hula. Like, ALWAYS. I remember being a little girl and wanting very long dark hair and wanting to hula. I have never danced before. Not ballet, not jazz, not cheer. Nada. But just recently my daughter, Mapuana, and I joined a halua and we are learning HULA. YAY!

My desire to hula stems from this woman...

My great grandmother.
Mapuana Peters McComas.

To my mother she was lovingly called Tutu Mops. 

Tutu Mops' mother was Mary Mapuana and her mother was Maria Jane. Maria Jane's mother was Pohonui Kekahuna, full blooded hawaiian.

Mary Mapuana's father was Henry Smith, and his mother was also 100% hawaiian, her name was Mele Naokaawa.

Now dont ask me how much hawaiian blood this gives me, cause I know its not much. In fact Im pretty sure I am more of a melting pot of most Caucasian countries but maybe because my middle name is Mapuana and my mothers middle name is Mapuana and my great grandmothers name is Mapuana and her mothers name Mapuana, and my daughter's name is Mapuana, I feel such a connection to that hawaiian side. 

Like I told my Kumu Hula, Aunty Deb, I may just be a extremely white, freckled, red headed girl. But my love for my Hawaiian ancestry is so real. I'm not sure why it has always fascinated me, but it has.

This is my Mapuana dancing in her first performance with our Halau, Hiva Nui.

We are still working on the warm aloha smiles.

xx

MM