ʻHe Lei Hoʻokahiʻ Marks 100 Years of UH Mānoa Summer Sessions

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HONOLULU, Hawaiʻi - In celebration of 100 years of Summer Sessions at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, the Asia Pacific Dance Festival, an initiative of UH Mānoa Outreach College Community Programs, presents "He Lei Hoʻokahi" ("To Be As One Lei Adorned"), a special restaging of this year's Merrie Monarch Hōʻike by the EO LEI 'ILIAHI Foundation. The performance will take place on Friday, May 22, 2026 at 7:30 p.m. at UH Mānoaʻs John F. Kennedy Theatre.

"He Lei Hoʻokahi" serves as a stirring tribute to the late Kumu Hula Darrell Lupenui and celebrates a significant milestone-50 years of kāne hula at Merrie Monarch. The evening invites the community to experience the strength and artistry of kāne hula and the richness of moʻolelo (stories) that define Hawaiian cultural practice.

This concert represents more than a performance. It honors the enduring legacy carried forward by kumu, dancers and hālau, while celebrating a century of educational excellence at UH Mānoa. UH Mānoa embraces its kuleana-its responsibility and duty-to honor the host culture by serving as a vital space where Hawaiian cultural knowledge and practices are showcased, uplifted and perpetuated.

Through Outreach College's Community Programs, UH Mānoa welcomes the broader community onto campus and extends its educational mission beyond traditional academic settings. Within this distinctive role, programs such as the Asia Pacific Dance Festival create spaces where cultural knowledge, artistic practice and community engagement come together in meaningful ways.

The event marks a significant convergence of institutional and cultural milestones, recognizing UH Mānoa's commitment as a place of Hawaiian learning and its unique role in preserving and celebrating Hawaiian cultural heritage through extended education, community partnerships and outreach initiatives.

Event Details:
Date: Friday, May 22, 2026
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: Kennedy Theatre, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa

For more information and to view performance details, visit: manoa.hawaii.edu/outreach/asiapacificdance/2026-concert/

About UH Mānoa Outreach College

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Outreach College expands access to quality education and cultural experiences through innovative programs, partnerships, and community engagement. For over 100 years, our Summer Sessions have provided opportunities for learners worldwide to advance their knowledge while experiencing Hawaiʻi's unique cultural and natural environment.

About the Asia Pacific Dance Festival

Established in 2011 as an initiative of the Community Programs department of Outreach College and a unique offering of Summer Sessions, the Asia Pacific Dance Festival (APDF) celebrates the diversity and excellence of dance traditions, artistry, and scholarship across the region. One of the festival's central goals is to ensure that hula is prominently showcased and thoughtfully placed in dialogue alongside other dance forms, reflecting APDF's commitment to honoring Hawaiian cultural practices while fostering exchange across contemporary Asia-Pacific communities.