By Malia Rulon
Star-BulletinWhen kumu hula Camille Kanani Collins took her children and moved to the Big Island last year, she was looking for a change, a break from the busy urban life of Honolulu. What she found left her in awe of the aina and the Hawaiian culture. "In one year, I have learned so much," Collins said. "There are kids here that speak fluent Hawaiian. ... I have seen native plants and flowers that I didn't know existed."
Collins, a kumu hula of 19 years, said living in Waimea has brought her closer to the land and to her hula. "People here really do live off the land. It's like going back in time."
Collins is bringing 14 keiki from her new halau in Waimea to help her share what she has learned at the 22nd annual Queen Lili'uokalani Keiki Hula Competition being held at the Blaisdell Arena this weekend.
All the dances that her halau, Keala'kahi, will perform celebrate the Big Island, Collins said. "Keiki O Ka 'Aina" is about the legends of the Big Island and "Maika'i Waimea" was written about Waimea.
But Collins takes the kids in her halau beyond the dance steps to an understanding of the songs and chants. They learn about the words and historical context of the songs. They learn about their costumes and why each was chosen. And they learn to make the leis they wear when they dance.
"Instead of just teaching them the songs, we went back and really learned about the legends in the songs so they really know what they are talking about," Collins said. "My kids may not be as polished as the other halaus', but they know what they are doing."
And they know how to live off the land.
"One thing that's neat about the Big Island is that anything you need, you don't have to buy, you can just go and get," Collins said.
They picked 'a'ali'i flowers and hala fruit for the leis they'll wear in the competition.
"One parent came in with a whole pile of maile that he had picked from Kona side," Collins said. "On Oahu, (the parents) would just ask how much and go out and buy it."
Collins said when they were having trouble spotting the bright hala fruit, so she told her kids to chant. "It was amazing. All of a sudden, there were all these yellow hala all around us."
Collins doesn't charge to belong to her halau -- "that's not what it's about" -- instead covering costs through hotel appearances.
She said all her keiki were invited to participate. "I told them that if they were willing to try, if they were willing to work, I would take them."
And work they did -- eight to nine hours of practice each day.
"They've never seen the crowds that they'll see at Blaisdell. Two of them have never even been off the Big Island."
But for Collins, that's what hula is all about: learning.
"I hope the kids do well, but I told them just getting to Oahu is an experience," Collins said. "It's an honor for us."
Participating halau and their kumu hula:
Halau Hui O Kamalei, Kamalei Sataraka
Queen Lili'uokalani
Keiki Hula Competition
