Dorothy Johnston Beyer

“Auntie Dottie” is a native of Kāneʻohe, Oʻahu, having grown up playing amongst the lōʻī kalo and streams of Haʻikū Valley. When we met her, she had already relocated to Hawaiʻi Island and was living in a beautiful home in Volcano named “Kahiwahiwaonalani.” Hula was always a part of her life and her passion for dance and music was instilled in her by her mother Justina Kahiwa Johnston. Auntie Dottie had a wonderful hula implement collection, and she allowed HPS to visually document the pieces during our second visit. She taught hula throughout her life, first on Oʻahu and then on Hawaiʻi. In her twilight years when we met, she was working with senior citizens through Alu Like's Ke Ola Pono No Nā Kūpuna.