Joan S. Lindsey, a beloved kumu hula who taught for nearly seven decades, died Saturday. She was 87.
Lindsey, known to most as “Auntie Joanie,” was the founder of the Joan S. Lindsey Hula Studio. She taught the dance to thousands of students, spanning generations in Pearl City. Lindsey continued to teach hula up to Thursday night, according to her niece, Lilinoe Lindsey.
“She had no intention of stopping,” said Lilinoe Lindsey. “She said to me, ‘I’m going to teach until I can’t teach anymore.’ That’s how much she loved teaching. … She never allowed anything to prevent her from doing what she loved to do best. She loved hula.”
Born Nov. 12, 1928 in
Honolulu, Lindsey spent her early childhood in Kohala on Hawaii island with her Hawaiian grandparents, where she developed a love for hula. After her grandfather’s death she lived with her Korean grandparents in Kalihi on Oahu and learned hula from her aunt Caroline Peters Tuck.
She also studied under Lena Guerrero and Lokalia Montgomery and performed with composer and choreographer Lena Machado.
Lilinoe Lindsey recalls performances in many hotels and restaurants that
no longer exist in Waikiki, including the old International Market Place. Her aunt’s
halau performed on the Kuhio beach mound for more than 20 years.
The kumu hula was involved in numerous events, ranging from serving as a judge for the Merrie Monarch Festival to participating in the annual Prince Lot Hula Festival.
“We’ve done everything together,” said Lilinoe Lindsey, a kumu hula with her own halau, Ka Pa Nani o
Lilinoe.
Joan Lindsey loved teaching hula to keiki and brought them to the Queen Lili‘uokalani Keiki Competition as well as the Hula o na Keiki competition on Maui every year. Her philosophy was to bring every child who wanted to go rather than to disqualify anyone from competition.
She would say, “The ones that need you the most are the ones that you need to focus your attention on,” Lilinoe Lindsey said. “She always looked for the ones that needed the most guidance and attention, and she helped those along.”
Last year the Moanalua Gardens Foundation presented Joan Lindsey with the Malia Kau Award, which honors those who have dedicated their life’s work to perpetuating hula traditions.
“She was a treasure,” said foundation President Alika Jamile. “So gracious and generous with her time and talents. Hula was her life, and for over 60 years she instilled her love for hula and our Hawaiian culture in her haumana. Her gentleness and kindness to all were genuine and will be missed at our Prince Lot Hula Festival. All of us at Moanalua Gardens Foundation are saddened by her passing.”
Kumu hula Blaine Kama-
lani Kia recalled honoring Lindsey at E Pili Kakou i Ho‘okahi Lahui, an annual Hawaiian hula conference held on Kauai in February 2015. She smiled broadly as students and kumu alike warmed up to nonconventional music, such as a rendition of the “Hokey Pokey,” and herself danced to a live rendition of “Mustang Sally” during the final evening concert.
A few days later she wrote a thank-you poem, “That’s the How!” which is now shared at every E Pili Kakou hula conference.
“Auntie Joanie’s steadfastness and unending love for her students and hula touched us deeply,” said Maile Loo, director of the Hula Preservation Society, which worked with Lindsey to preserve memories in the last decade of her life. “Even at 87, someone like Auntie never retires, because hula truly is life.”
Lindsey knew how to work a room when it came to hula, said Loo in a Facebook post that includes a video clip of her dancing “Moanikeala,” a Lena Ma-chado classic.
She was particularly dedicated to nurturing the next generation of hula dancers.
“I see a lot of children grow from hula,” she told the Star-Advertiser in 2015. “It’s a feeling. To get it you have to feel it. We always remind them hula is not just coming on stage and coming to class. Hula is a way of connecting with your spirituality.”
In addition to her niece, Lindsey is survived by sons George K. Lindsey (Tricia), Bryan H. (Lori) and Robert Michael (Nova); daughter Lajoy Lindsey; 16 grandchildren; and numerous great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
Funeral services are pending.
