Uncle George's Life and Love
Mission:
To protect, preserve and perpetuate all things Hawaiian.
Uncle George began his hula studies at the tender age of three. As was the tradition of her time, Mary Naʻope, Uncle's Great Grandmother named George before his birth. He interprets his name, Lanakilakeikiahialiʻi, as “the light that would lead the way” or “protector of things of Hawaiʻi”. His name has also been translated as "the one who will carry the light of our ancestors."
He dedicated his life and love to the hula arts. He traveled the world as chanter, dancer, singer, performer, recording artist and teacher of Hawaiian music and dance. He has long been regarded a premier kumu hula and officially recognized as a State of Hawaiʻi Golden Island Treasure.
In 2006 Uncle George was the recipient of the National Endowment of the Arts Heritage Fellowship Award recognizing him as a National Treasure, as well as the Governor’s Fine Arts Award, and Lifetime Achievement Awards from Na Hoku Hanohano, the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority and the Hawaiʻi Island Visitors Bureau. He is co-founder (along with Auntie Dottie Thompson) of the Merrie Monarch Festival, which is considered to be the 'Olympics of Hula', as well as the founder or inspiration for hula festivals around the world.
In keeping with his name, Uncle passionately committed to creating a cultual center named Hula Is Hawaii, where hula, la' au lapa'au, lomilomi, la'au kehea, and Hawaiian arts as well as a hula archive honoring many Na kumu hula (teachers), genealogy, mele, chants and dances of these islands - all to be preserved, learned, shared and celebrated.