On the Scene with Sonny Ching and Lopaka Igarta-De Vera

Sonny Ching would have left Hawaii to study fashion design in New York but his family kuleana (area of responsibility) intervened. Instead, he studied hula with his grandmother, Lena Pua‘ainahau Eleakala Nahulu Guerrero, and was uniki (graduated as a kumu hula) by her in 1983; he subsequently studied with Kawaikapuokalani Hewett and Lahela Ka‘aihue. Ching founded Halau Na Mamo O Pu‘uanahulu in 1986 and documented his work as a kumu hula with a Na Hoku Hanohano Award-winning album, “Hoo‘ulu I Ka Na‘auao,” in 2000.

In 2011, his life partner and longtime assistant, Lopaka Igarta-De Vera, himself a student of hula from childhood, was uniki and became a kumu hula. Ching and Igarta-De Vera share the responsibilities of leading Halau Na Mamo O Pu‘uanahulu and its Japanese branches in Tokyo and Osaka.

Ching and Igarta-De Vera are presenting the 4th annual Ho‘olau Kanaka O‘ahu Ka ‘Onihi O Na Kai, a Hawaiian culture and arts festival, August 11 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Ke‘ehi Lagoon Memorial. Tickets, $15 (ages 12 and older) and $10 (ages 5-11), will be available at the door. For more information, call 227-8118.

JOHN BERGER: Ho‘olau Kanaka O‘ahu Ka ‘Onihi O Na Kai is unusual in that it isn’t being presented by a commercial event promoter, or by the government using the taxpayers’ money, but by several halau hula working together. Where did that concept come from?

LOPAKA IGARTA-DE VERA: We’re fundraising together to teach the younger generation and remind the older generation that we can still work together for one common goal, which is to not just fundraise and entertain, but also bring in cultural practitioners and crafters with the opportunity for people to learn hands-on. You can even get traditional (Hawaiian) tattoos done in the traditional tapping style.

SONNY CHING: Not only do you get to paddle canoe in Ke‘ehi (Lagoon) but you learn the history of Ke‘ehi within this Moanalua ahupuaa and the richness that it once provided for the island of Oahu. It is very much an education-through- entertainment-type thing.

JB: Who’ll be joining you on Saturday?

LI: We have Natalie Ai Kamauu, Kamaka Kukona, Na Hoa, and HereTama Nui are bringing 75 Tahitian dancers to the show. We have Halau Hula Olana, Halau Na Mamo O Pu‘uanahulu and Halau Hi‘iakainamakalehua.

SC: One of the things that we talked about — not to each other, but to our peers — was that dancing together, having Kuana Torres (Kahele) as our musician, having Na Hoa as our musicians, or Natalie Ai (Kamauu), performing with these different musicians only happens when we’re traveling. People would see it on social media and say, “Wow! I wish we had that here!” That was the inspiration for (Lopaka) to get this festival going.

LI: The most important thing (Sonny) has taught us all these years is that we can entertain, but we want to entertain and educate the people at the same time.

SC: “Ho‘olau Kanaka” means “the people gather.” That is a tradition of our people to come together. I think that is a value that has kind of been lost, so the name itself is an educational thing and there’s a tradition that we’re trying to bring back.

JB: Sonny, in recent years you have become known for your work as an island designer — first with The Sonny Ching Collection of jewelry and then your Hawaiian-theme clothing. Do you wish you could have started earlier?

SC: I was tasked by my grandmother that the tradition of hula continues within our family line, but I didn’t need to have a halau. By chance it happened and it redirected my life. And I’m totally grateful for that because hula is my life and I got to utilize my interest (in design) designing hula costumes (and) patterns for kahiko costumes. Jewelry was never in my plans until the opportunity came, but I like being able to put something on and say, “I designed this.” Now that there are two kumu hula I have the time — at this point in my life — to start expressing myself in design.

JB: What is something about you that might surprise people?

SC: I was sent to Japanese school when I was young. My mom was in the tour industry and she thought I should learn Japanese. But all I could think of was “What am I going to use Japanese for? I’m not going into the tourist industry.” I never made any effort. I wish I’d listened to my mom.

JB: Lopaka, do you have a surprise to share?

LI: Hopefully by the end of the year my first CD will be out. It’s something I wanted to do — actually — before hula. I gravitated to hula when I was 8 but I (also) sang in choirs (and) the Honolulu Boy Choir, in school and at home. I know I’m more ready now to record and I know who I am. I am a kumu hula.

Reach John Berger at jberger@staradvertiser.com.