Family portrait with all the grandkids

May Day (Lei Day) at Island School

Hi all,

I was thinking of all of you and wanted to share some photos from the May Day celebration at Island School. Wow! is all I can say. Each class (pre-K to 12th grade) performed a chant or a hula. Each year the kumu (Hawaiian Studies teacher) focuses on a different part of the island. The kids take field trips to learn first hand the stories and chants and legends of the area. We were really lucky this year. Ellie's kumu chose Koloa, which is where we live, and we felt we got to learn so much right along with the kids. What an experience!

(Ellie getting ready to perform with her class)

The instrument you see Ellie holding is called an "ipu". Ellie and her friends each went out with the kumu and found their own gourd. They brought the gourds back to school and spent several weeks cleaning them out, drying them and polishing them with the oil from fresh kukui nuts. During the mele the kids keep their movements synchronized by keeping up a steady rhythm on the ipu.

Early Hawaiians did not have any form of written language. Therefore, their entire history had to be memorized and passed down orally and often took the form of songs and chants. (I've read that there are some chants that took over 2 days to recite!) The whole thing was incredibly moving and very powerful. What an experience!

Lots of love to all of you. We hope to see you this summer!

Susanne, Dave, Ellie and Kate