Inspiration from
home and travels…
Kumu Hula Ching traveled extensively teaching and performing at concerts on the mainland United States, Mexico, and Japan in 1997. In addition, the kāne and kūpuna competed in the Kau I Ka Hano Hula Competition in Las Vegas and the keiki competed in the Queen Lili‘uokalani Keiki Hula and Hula ‘Oni E competitions that same year.
Ching’s visit to Kaho‘olawe for the first time in 1997 inspired him to write the chant He Lei No Kaho’olawe which was danced by the wahine at the 1998 Merrie Monarch Festival. The dancers’ performance at Merrie Monarch awed the audience and judges. He Lei No Kaho‘olawe brought the spirit of the island alive—it allowed the audience to transport back to ancient times and imagine the honu (turtle) the nai‘a (dolphin) and the winds of Hakioawa through every breath. The men’s kahiko Nā Wai Puna O Komohi‘o No Kaho‘olawe brought to life a long forgotten heritage of our people. The hālau won both the Women and Men’s Overall Awards as well as the Festival Overall award that year.
The 1999 Merrie Monarch festival once more awarded the hālau the Kāne Overall, 2nd place for the wahine and the Festival Overall award. Once more Ching’s hālau brought back to life the deity Kamapua‘a (pig God) and
his exploits with Pele and the surrounding environment of his life. As the Overall 1998 & 1999 Merrie Monarch winners, the hālau twice participated in the Ikaho Japan Festival wherein 20,000 people witnessed Hawai‘i’s premiere hālau in live action.
The summer of 1999 saw the first ever hula created for the opera Haydn’s Creation.The hālau was inspired by the music of the Honolulu Symphony, the singing of the O‘ahu Chorale Society along with the tenor singer Jonathan Mack, baritone Leslie Tennent and soprano Zofia Kilanowicz.
Ching released his first chant CD in April 2000. The CD title Ho‘oulu I Ka Na‘auao (to grow in wisdom) also shares the title of their popular hālau concert performed at the Carnegie Hall Concert in New York City on June 3, 2000 and the Kamehameha Day Celebration in Washington, D.C. .
Kumu Hula Sonny Ching attributes the hālau’s success to his belief and faith in God Almighty, wonderful students and the love and support of his family and Kumu Hula Lōpaka Igarta-De Vera.
