Leimomi Aarona Kepilino

Auntie Momi was an elegant woman of hula who was a joy to behold “in action.” She took great pride in being the longest student of the late great Kumu Maiki Aiu Lake at 35 glorious years! We met Auntie through a mutual friend, Kahauanu Lake (a.k.a. “Uncle K”), as they had known each other for decades through their mutual association with hula, music, and … beloved Auntie Maiki. The first sit-down with Auntie Momi was together with Uncle K, and they reminisced about days gone by, and the who, what, when, and where of the rich hula and music scene. Auntie Momi saved many tangible elements of her long life in hula – airplane tickets, receipts, photos, programs – you name it, Auntie kept it! Her scrapbooks were an irreplaceable treasure. We loved and appreciated Auntie's spirit and grace, and we are grateful she allowed us to gain insights into her memorable hula journey.