Nā Alaka’i
Nahokulani
Santa Cruz
Stephanie O’Mara, known as Nahokulani, fell in in love with the Hawaiian Islands as a teenager while visiting with her family. It was not so much the usual tourist or visiting experience as it was a sense of awe and deep connection to the 'aina and a recognition and respect of the spirit of the Hawaiian people. Many trips to the Islands since that time have enhanced and enriched her knowledge and provided opportunities to be more in touch with the messages and stories of the ancestors. She has had the honor to be part of two hula halau, studying with Leolani Lowry in Santa Cruz (Ka Lei Wehi o Ka Mailelauloa) and with Mapuana de Silva on O’ahu (Halau Mohala Ilima). She first met Kumu Kamaolipua while attending workshops on The Aloha Spirit and Ho’oponopono. She is honored to be invited to be an Alaka’i for Halau Napua o Kalei Maoli Ola and looks forward to deepening and sharing her studies of the beautiful, powerful and spiritual culture and traditions of the Hawaiian people. She is a retired Registered Nurse and Family Therapist.
Maolipua
Santa Monica
Maolipua (Claire Kiana Kamaolipua Miyamoto) is the niece of Kumu Kamaolipua. She was born on and spent her childhood in Kuli’ou’ou Valley, O'ahu. When she was 8, she moved to the mainland but would return to her ‘ohana on O’ahu every summer and holiday. While living away, she would maintain her connection to her culture through hula and is currently living in Santa Monica, CA. She has always been interested in spiritual practices, she is a certified yoga teacher and Okuden-level reiki practitioner. Her aunty Kamaolipua would always encourage her curiosity growing up, sharing different tools, books or teachings along the way. After a health scare at the beginning of 2019, she was drawn to her aunty’s Aloha Cards as maintaining a daily cultural and meditation practice that healed her during this time. After this, she felt an urgency to return back to her roots, and dive deeper into the teachings of her kūpuna. She feels a deep sense of gratitude to her aunty Kamaolipua for graciously sharing her ‘ike and for the time they share together. She is proud to learn about the history of her people, culture and her own ‘ohana. She feels it is her kuleana to build her foundation, deepen her practice and perpetuate Hawaiian culture. She truly believes that the Hawaiian value of aloha is a unique way of living life and viewing one’s relationship to their land and community. She is honored to join the hālau as an alaka'i and looks forward to spreading the aloha!