Hālau Nā Mamo O Pu‘uanahulu

Kanoelani Rosenberg is a fifth grade Hawaiian Language-Immersion teacher. She was born and raised in the uplands of Wahiawā on the island of Oʻahu, but currently resides in beautiful Mānoa Valley.

Hula has always been a part of Kanoelani’s life in some way or another. Although she chose to play sports over hula when she was young, Kanoelani would often go to watch her grandmother’s hula practices and performances in Waialua. Most of the time it seemed like she wasn’t paying attention, when in reality, Kanoelani had memorized the words and motions to many of the mele just by watching. Kanoelani always had the desire to dance hula, but did not realize it until she took her first Hawaiian Language class at the Kamehameha Schools in the seventh grade. Realizing the importance and beauty of her ancestor’s language, her language, inspired Kanoelani to dance hula instead of just watching it.

So in the eighth grade, Kanoelani began dancing hula for the first time. A few years later, in 2004, she joined Hālau Nā Mamo O Puʻuanahulu under the direction of Kumu Hula Sonny Ching. At the time, Kanoelani was unaware of the impact hula would have on her life. Hula and being a part of HNMOP allowed her to form a deeper connection, not only with her Kumu and hula family, but with this land and its mele as well.

“Through mele and hula, we are shown a glimpse of the past; they allow us to see, feel, and imagine what things were like when each mele was composed. I have learned many important lessons since I have become a part of this hālau, many extend beyond the physical dance. Hula has helped shape who I am today. There are no words to express what hula means to me and how it has become a part of me, or I of it.”