This is the second year the Resort has hosted Festivals of Aloha events, and the Resort’s Director of Hawaiian Programs “Aunty Wendy” Tuivaioge has curated special complimentary experiences that allow guests to actively participate in a selection of educational and immersive Hawaiian activities.
The weekend will commence with a traditional Opening Ceremony by Kumu Cody Pueo Pata on Friday, October 27, and will conclude on Sunday, October 29 with a Sounds of the Sea concert on the Resort’s stunning Oceanfront Lawn, featuring a performance from Kūikawā and Grammy award nominee and Nā Hōkū Hanohano award winner Amy Hānaiali’i, celebrating the 25th anniversary of her hit record, Pālehua.
On Saturday, October 28, guests will enjoy Hula Is the Heartbeat, a celebration of Hawaiian music with a performance by ‘Uhe’uhene and hula showcasing four of Maui’s most prestigious hālau (hula schools):
- Hālau o ka Hanu Lehua, under direction of Kumu Hula Kamaka Kukona
- Hālau Kekuaokalā’au’ala’iliahi, under direction of nā Kumu Hula ‘Iliahi and Joy Haunani Paredes
- Hālau Hula ‘o Ka Malama Mahilani, under direction of nā Kumu Hula Cody Pueo Pata and Ku’ulei Alcomindras-Palakiko
- Hālau Kauluokalā, under the direction of Kumu Hula Uluwehi Guerrero
Other highlights include the Resort’s popular Live Aloha Market, a MANAOLA Hawaii Pop-up, a Cultural Garden Tour, and daily Hawaiian Artisan Demonstrations and Presentations.
The full schedule of Festivals of Aloha weekend events at Four Seasons Resort Maui can be viewed here. Complimentary off-site parking with roundtrip shuttle service will be available at Wailea Event Parking, located across from Monkeypod off Wailea Ike Drive, on Saturday, October 28, 2023, from 4:00 to 9:00 pm and Sunday, October 29, 2023 from 4:00 to 8:00 pm.
As a longstanding pillar of the community, the Resort is dedicated to reimagining the mindful luxury travel experience by promoting educational exploration of Maui and its unique culture, guided by Aunty Wendy’s unwavering passion and commitment.
“All are welcome to join our community at Festivals of Aloha, a celebration of culture that provides a look into the traditions that help define the true aloha spirit,” says Aunty Wendy. The Resort began hosting events last year and is honoured to once again participate in this year’s Festivals of Aloha. We proudly present a robust cultural program for the weekend.”
This year’s Festivals of Aloha theme is Kāhuli leo le’a–Ho’ōla o ka wao or “Sweet-voiced kāhuli–Savior of the forest,” honouring the kāhuli (Hawaiian land snail). Kāhuli are both ecologically and culturally important, and the remaining species (about 40 percent of the roughly 750 species that were once found across the Hawaiian Islands and found nowhere else in the world) face serious threats, including extinction for some if action is not taken.
The Festivals of Aloha is one of the many cultural and educational programs the Resort offers, including a fall Getaway experience, which features a variety of complimentary activities designed for guests of all kinds seeking meaningful ways to connect to the destination, including Hawaiian Star Stories, Coral Reefs 101, Botanical Block Printing, and more.
Tags: Cultural Garden Tour, MANAOLA Hawaii Pop-up, Wailea Announces Festivals of Aloha, Aunty Wendy, Four Seasons Resort Maui
