Nālani Kanakaʻole
Nālani Kanakaʻole | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 19, 1946 Keaukaha, Hilo, Hawaii Territory, U.S. |
| Died | January 3, 2026 (aged 79) Keaukaha, Hilo, Hawaii, U.S. |
| Occupation | Kumu hula |
| Years active | 1960–2026 |
| Spouse | Sig Zane |
| Children | Kūhaʻo Zane |
| Mother | Edith Kanakaʻole |
| Relatives |
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Nālani Kanakaʻole (March 19, 1946 – January 3, 2026)[1] was a Hawaiian kumu hula (hula teacher) at Hālau o Kekuhi, the dance company.[2] The daughter of Edith Kanakaʻole, she led Hālau o Kekuhi along with her niece Huihui Kanahele-Mossman.[3] In 1993, she and her sister, Pualani Kanakaʻole Kanahele, were jointly named National Heritage Fellows by the National Endowment for the Arts, which recognized them as "Hula Masters".[2]
Early life and education
Born on March 19, 1946, Kanakaʻole was raised on homestead lands in Keaukaha, Hilo, Hawaii, in a traditional Hawaiian fashion.[4] She first learned hula from her grandmother, Mary Kekuewa Kanaele Fujii. She was 13 years old when her mother Edith Kanakaʻole started work as a hula teacher, and began teaching hula herself at the age of 14 in 1960. Her family spoke the Hawaiian language at home.[3]
Career
In 1985, Kanakaʻole opened Sig Zane Designs alongside her husband, Sig Zane.[5][4]
Personal life and death
In 1982,[5] Kanakaʻole and Sig Zane had a son, Kūhaʻo Zane.[6]
Kanaka’ole died in Hilo on January 3, 2026, at the age of 79.[7]
References
- ^ Honoring the Legacy of Revered Kumu Hula Nālani Kanakaʻole
- ^ a b "Nalani Kanakaʻole & Pualani Kanakaʻole Kanahel". National Endowment for the Arts. Retrieved 2021-09-13.
- ^ a b Gill, Lorin Eleni (2017-11-22). "How These 6 Kumu Preserve Hawai'i's Hula Traditions". Honolulu Magazine. Retrieved 2021-09-13.
- ^ a b "Junior Achievement's 'Business Hall of Fame' to honor Sig Zane, Nalani Kanakaʻole". Hawaii Tribune-Herald. August 22, 2017. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
- ^ a b Yamanaka, Katie Young (2020-07-01). "Surf's Up For Sig". MidWeek. Retrieved 2021-09-13.
- ^ Timboy, Marcia (2019-03-01). "Kūha'o Zane: "Hula is the vehicle for my identity to be passed on to me."". Ke Ola Magazine. Retrieved 2021-09-13.
- ^ Pascal-Martinez, Kayli (2026-01-05). "Beloved kumu hula Nalani Kanaka'ole dies at 79". KITV4. Retrieved 2026-01-05.