Kawaikapuokalani K. Hewitt
Kawaikapuokalani K. Hewitt is HawaiiMana's Hawaiian cultural advisor and spiritual partner. A direct descendant of King Kamehameha the Great, Kawai is a Hawaiian master healer, trained and educated in the ancient knowledge of Hawaiian healing arts and sciences. He is the current director of alternative medicine and healing at the Waimanalo Health Center on the island of Oahu.
As a respected Hawaiian spiritual and cultural leader, he is often referred to as Hawaii's modern day ambassador of the Hawaiian Culture. Every year, he performs in and overees hundreds of Hula competitions throughout Hawaii, Japan and the world. He is also a composer with multiple Hoku awards, the highest accolade for Hawaiian music. His new book on Hula and healing chants, Kumu Hula, was released in Japan in early 2007. Kawai currently oversees 5 million practitioners of hula and "Healing Arts" with over 2,000 hula schools in Japan and 22 retail Hula stores under his association.
As a traditional Hawaiian master healer, Kawai uses natural botanicals and the power of prayer, song and mana (divine power) to bring health to many people who come to him. In one case, a man who was hospital-bound suffering from bone cancer claims he was healed by listening to Kawai's song, "Kawailehua." The man believed the song contained a formula for healing energies that allowed for his healing to take place. In another instance a boy was brought out of a coma and cured of brain damage by Kawai's prayer and use of a stone necklace with special healing mana. As director of alternative medicine and healing at the Waimanalo Health Center he helps heal many patients and does not charge for his services
As a partner in HawaiiMana, Kawaikapuokalani has given us our name "HawaiiMana." Along with our name, he is also providing the formulations and knowledge of natural botanical wellness remedies that have been at the forefront of Hawaiian alternative medicines and healing practices for generations.
In His Own Words:
I was raised in Kane'ohe by my parents Alexander Kapilialoha Hewett and Alice Pualeilani K'na'e Hewett in the home of my maternal grandparents, Frank Ka'aiali'i K'na'e and Eva Wahineali'i Rowan K'na'e.
My grandmother was my first inspiration in the learning the hula. She loved to sing and she loved to dance. I was her punahele and I went every where with her tugging at her mu'umu'u. Her signature song at all family events as well as when she performed in public was, "Mauna Loa."
Olelo Hawai'i was spoken regularly in our grandparents home especially by my grandmother's sisters and brother. When I began to compose poetry, it was my grandmother who first scrutinized my mele to make sure all was done correctly.
My grandmother encouraged me to pursue formal training of the hula and in 1972 I became a student of Kahuna Emma deFries. Aunty Emma was a practitioner of the healing traditions of la'au k'hea, la'au lapa'au, ho'oponopono and lomilomi. Aunty Emma also went through the ceremony of 'uniki with the renowned hula master Keaka Kanahele. I trained with her for nine years in the healing traditions and the hula until my own 'uniki with her in November of 1980.
In 1977 Aunty Emma introduced me to Gerry Santos and Robert Beaumont of "Olomana." That day I danced for them the song, "Mele O Kaho'olawe," written by Uncle Harry Mitchel. That was the beginning of a relationship that would last 28 years. I became a part of the "Olomana," family as a featured soloist and continue to perform with them regularly at the Hilton Hawaiian Village at the Paradise lounge.
Besides performing regularly with Olomana for the past 26 years I have also performed with Aunty Genoa Keawe. It was Aunty that first took me to perform with her in Japan over 10 years ago. Both Aunty and I traveled to Siberia in Russia to be the first Hawaiians to perform the mele and hula on Russian National T.V.
While performing with Olomana in the late 70's and early 80's at the Tropics at the Ala Moana Americana Hotel, I also performed nightly in the same hotel in the Ali'i Room with Palani Vaughn. Ironically, the same time that I became Olomana's hula soloist, I also became Palani Vaughn's. I was doing then, four shows a night, two with Olomana and two with Palani Vaughn.
Between the years of 1972 and 1977 I performed with a group known as, "E Ho'oHawai'iKakou ," based out of Kona Hawaii. I performed with the A'ala and Mikahala Roy. We performed solely Hula Kahiko. "E Ho'oHawai'iKakou was instructed and mentored by Hula Master Iolani Luahine.
In 1975 I attended the University of Hawaii at the Hilo Campus. It was there that I became acquainted with Aunty Edith Kanaka'ole. Aunty Edith became my kumu for Olelo Hawaii and tutored me in poetry. I also learned Hula and Chanting from her. I graduated in 1977 with a degree in Liberal Studies with an emphasis on the Hawaiian Culture.
A highlight of my hula career was when I was asked to perform for Mikhail Barishnokov. He came to Hawaii to perform and a special dinner was arranged for him at Black Point. There was a large crowd of people there and everyone was busy talking as I performed the hula. No one was really paying attention to us at all. He walked in and immediately placed his chair directly in front of me. He spoke to no one but intently fixed his eyes on me as I danced. The people stopped talking, everyone sat down and all became silent following his example.
At the end of our performance he gave me a standing ovation which again everyone followed. He told me then that I was the most spiritual and captivating dancer that he had ever seen. I told him that I was a great fan of his dance. He replied that now he was a great fan of my dance.
Got into recording way back in the 70's when Teresa Bright and I at the request of K.C.C.N. disc jockey Braddah Kelly asked us to come into the studio and do a couple of demo tapes. With Teresa on the guitar, Mapuana Ringler on the wash tub base and I on the ukulele we recorded "Lehua Makanoe," "Ka Moaye," and a medley of traditional songs. The recordings became very popular and that was the beginning of my recording career.