May 3, 2024

In celebration of Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, the Asian and Pacific Islander Programs at Lane will be hosting an event titled “Nā Mele O Nā Kūpuna: An Evening of Hawaiian Music and TalkStory.” This event will be held tomorrow, May 31, from 6-7:30 p.m and will be in a hybrid format, with live in-person presentations at the LCC Multicultural Center (MCC) in Building 1, Room 206 and virtual Zoom presentations. The event is an evening of friendship, music, arts, culture, and storytelling and will feature two guest speakers and artists from Hawai’i: Bernard Kalua and Dr. Kamuela Kimokeo.

According to the organizer of the event, Kumu Iwalani Raes, “the eventʻs focus will be on Hawaiian culture and honoring the stories shared with us by our elders through poetry, language, and music and how it is relevant to us in the present time as we move forward into the future.” She also mentioned that there will be a “focus on how music is an indelible part of Hawaiian culture and how its strong influence empowered Native Hawaiians through events in history, how music provides a vehicle for healing in the present and continues to be a catalyst for transformation for the future.”

Those who choose to attend this event in person will be provided with light refreshments and offered a bento box dinner to take home afterward.

Individuals interested in attending the event, regardless of whether it is in-person or virtual, should click this link to register. For any other inquiries and questions, please get in touch with the organizer of the event, Kumu Iwalani Raes, at raesi@lanecc.edu.