Meet Kēhau Gabriel | Kumu Hula of Hālau Hula Ke ʻAlohi O ʻIlikai: Academy of Polynesian Arts

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kēhau Gabriel and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kēhau, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
My family immigrated to the United Stated from the Philippines and settled in Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi. Those who are from Hawaii know that hula and music are just part of everyday life. Due to this, like most of my cousins, i was enrolled in hula hālau when I was five years old and never looked back. Hula has always been a part of my life.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am Kumu Hula of Hālau Hula Ke ʻAlohi O ʻIlikai. My job is to be the source of all hula knowledge to my students; to be a link from their culture to mine. In class, we study Hawaiian Hula dancing, Ori Tahiti (Tahitian dance), language, as well as Samoan and Māori culture. Iʻm proud that my students are well-rounded in their studies in hope to elevate these cultures. To support this, itʻs my job to continue to be a student to my teacher. If Iʻm always learning, I can inspire my students to keep learning, too.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
A week is not enough time but my go-toʻs would be any Polynesian event happening in the area and then the Rose Bowl Flea Market, Grand Central Market DTLA, hiking in Angeles National Forest and/or the Santa Monica mountains, Drag Queen Brunch at Hamburger Maryʻs, Mama Luʻs dumplings, and eating almost anywhere in Pasadena.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to thank my haumana (students) for their hard work and energy. One is only a teacher if there are students willing and wanting to learn and after many years of teaching, I know that people come for the class but they stay for the teacher. My students show up to the challenge of learning and I want to honor that by being the best teacher I can be for them and for the Hawaiian culture.

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