Hālau Nā Mamo O Pu‘uanahulu

Christopher Iokia Ramento was born in Honolulu, Hawai‘i and raised in the Pu‘uloa district on the island of O‘ahu. Iokia comes from a family of Hula and Polynesian entertainment. He began his first hula lessons with Aloha Pumehana O Hawai‘i Hālau under the direction of his mother Kumu Hula Denise Ka‘uhionamauna Kia Ramento at the age of six along with his sister and four brothers. Along with Hula they also learned Tahitian, Maori and Samoan dances. They learned music and drumming from their father Jimmy Kimo Ramento who was also a part of the dance school.

In the essence of Hawaiian traditions where not all knowledge is learned in one school, Iokia was given the blessings by his mother to further his knowledge of Hula. He joined Hālau Nā Mamo O Pu‘uanahulu in January of 2000. Iokia has participated in several hula events and competitions. In 2011, Iokia recieved his first ‘ūniki as an ‘olapa/ho‘opa‘a from his Kumu Hula Sonny Ching. Today he serves as an alaka‘i to the hālau.

In 1998, Iokia became the artistic dance choregrapher of Heretama Nui, the Hawai‘i based Tahitian dance troupe organized by his family. Iokia conducts and teaches alongside of his brothers and sister. Heretama Nui has grown to be a well-recognized dance group in Hawai‘i, the U.S. mainland and Tahiti, winning overall placements in various Tahitian dance competitions throughout Hawai‘i and the U.S. Mainland. Heretama Nui was also featured in the 2009 Invitational Farereira’a Festival held in Pape‘ete Tahiti.

Iokia is very proud to be a member of Hālau Nā Mamo O Pu‘uanahulu. He would like to thank his Kumu Hula Sonny Ching and Kumu Hula Lōpaka Igarta-De Vera for the love and knowledge that they share with him. He looks forward to many more new experiences and discoveries.