The Iolani Luahine Hula Festival was established in 2003 with the goal of perpetuating the hula

Hula

Hula is a dance form accompanied by chant or song . It was developed in the Hawaiian Islands by the Polynesians who originally settled there. The hula dramatizes or portrays the words of the oli or mele in a visual dance form....

, and in memory of 'Iolani Luahine

Iolani Luahine

Iolani Luahine , born Harriet Lanihau Makekau, was a native Hawaiian kumu hula, dancer, chanter, and teacher, who was considered the high priestess of the ancient hula...

, a great hula dancer and teacher of the mid-20th century.

It is held in Kailua Kona, on Luahine’s native Big Island of Hawaii

Hawaii (island)

The Island of Hawaii, also called the Big Island or Hawaii Island , is a volcanic island in the North Pacific Ocean...

, and draws international as well as local participants. A scholarship is awarded to one of the participants to enable them to continue their study of hula.