and it happens every year in Hilo. This week-long celebration of the ancient art of the hula happens every Easter but halau (hula schools) from every island and the mainland practice year-round for the event. This moving expression of music, dance, and storytelling is part of a local renaissance perpetuating the culture of the Hawaiian people.
The Merrie Monarch Festival is just one example of how the people of Hawaii’s Big Island live comfortably in the present but with great respect for the past. The mana (spiritual power) is strong at places like Puuhonua o Honaunau National Historic Park and Puukohola Heiau National Historic Site, so you’ll find locals have a deep respect for history and nature. Today, with an active volcano still shaping the land, the people of Hawaii’s Big Island continue to forge their own history.
Explore:
- Points of interest, museums and other attractions on Hawaii’s Big Island
- The history of Hawaii’s Big Island
