Pearl Keawe Souza

After several years of hearing about his “Hawaiian girl”, Kent Ghirard who founded the 1950s Hula Nani troupe introduced us to Auntie Pearl. We had the privilege of meeting this beauty at her homestead on Molokai. She had settled there in retirement with her husband, after a rich and fulfilling life on the island of Oʻahu. Hula and music were an integral part of her journey, and she was a natural with it all! Her mom, also named Pearl, was a Kumu Hula, and they were together in learning, teaching, and life. Auntie Pearl was often photographed by the Hawaii Visitors Bureau and featured on postcards, in magazine ads, and in newspaper images. Even in her twilight years on Molokai, she quietly continued to give of herself, fostering love for Hawaiian songs and Hawaiʻi through teaching ʻukulele at the senior center.