Living Culture
Daily activities
Complimentary
Location: Resort Lobby
Cultural Workshops
Hawaiian artisans and storytellers carry precious threads of knowledge passed down through generations. Our cultural workshops are a great place to learn all about traditional Hawaiian art and culture. Whether you learn to string a flower lei or play a song on the ‘ukulele, you'll connect with the people and practices that make this place so enthralling. These precious gift from the Islands, will be the ones you remember most.
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Music & Dance
As with all of Hawaiian culture, when you are fortunate enough to learn more about it, much deeper, more powerful and empowering truths may be revealed. Music and Dance is all part of a cultural practice of sharing stories that connect dancers and audiences to the foundation of Hawaiian ancestral knowledge. Pepetuating history, genealogy, prophecy, and the tales of those who came before. We invite you to experience the true spirit of Aloha, with music and dance through ukulele lessons, live hula and community events.
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History of Mauna Lani
Kalāhuipua‘a is a raw and potent paradise, the piko (center) of Hawaii's five great volcanoes, and the point where volcanic plains meet the shimmering sea. Mauna Lani sits within Kalāhuipua‘a, a sacred realm whose astonishing natural beauty is equaled only by its primal, magnetic power. To walk this storied coastline, breathe the salt air, and swim in the crystalline waters is to feel the same mana—spiritual energy—that first drew people here centuries ago. This is where ancient Hawaiians mastered the art of aquaculture and where King Kamehameha came to recuperate and work in the fishponds. Learn about the ali'i (royalty) who once called this land home.
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Turtle Sanctuary
Established in 1989, the Mālama Honu program creates an awareness of our endangered sea turtles through education and the practice of conservation. In partnership with Sea Life Park, a marine and wildlife center on Oahu, captive-reared hatchlings are sent to Mauna Lani to be cared for in the hotel's saltwater ponds. In two to three years, they grow to a size deemed appropriate for release into the wild. During the honu's stay, guests from around the world get to visit and learn about the sea turtles. This relationship aids in the future survival of this endangered species.
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Go Connecting with the Spirit of Hawaii
Hiking through Kalāhuipua‘a Historic Park, we stopped along the trail to appreciate the variety of petroglyphs that depict primitive life symbols and provide a view into Hawaiʻi’s rich and ancient history. The area also offers around 40 natural caves composed of lava tubes and partially collapsed lava bubbles that are perfect for exploring, and we were in search of one cave in particular – the mythical “spirit cave”. A short hike from our retreat at Mauna Lani, I was tipped off about the park’s unusual cave during a discussion with Uncle Danny, the resort’s resident expert in Hawaiian history and culture.
Celebrate Hawaiian Stars Under the Full Moon
The last time I attended the Twilight at Kalāhuipua‘a concert series, a beautiful Hawaiian woman jumped up from the audience to dance the hula. Barefoot, with a bright red hibiscus tucked behind her ear, she knew every step by heart. The crowd showered her with applause as she swayed in perfect time to the lilting melodies of old Hawaii.
Do How an Ancient Fishpond Breathes
Fat silver fish turn figure eights beneath the surface of Lāhuipua‘a fishpond. Every now and then I catch the flash of an eel’s tail disappearing into the shadows. A slender rock wall encircles the five-acre coastal pond. It’s one of seven ancient fishponds at Mauna Lani—waters once cherished by Hawaiian kings and fishermen alike. Watching ripples spread across the surface of Lāhuipua‘a, I imagine the hands that built its wall eight hundred years ago.
Learn Talk Story With Uncle Danny
Danny Akaka, the resort’s resident expert in Hawaiian history and culture, is in high demand. No matter how many people file into the Hale I‘ike cultural center, each one of them receives the full benefit of his beaming smile and gracious attention. Akaka is the embodiment of aloha: generous, unhurried, and brimming with love for Hawai‘i and her people. Diplomacy runs in Akaka’s genes. His father was a respected U.S. Senator, his uncle coined the phrase “aloha spirit,” and his grandmother couldn’t let a tired taro farmer pass by her house without offering refreshment and a shady place to rest.
