ISLAND PACIFIC ACADEMY observed its 10th May Day on Friday, April 28, with a beautiful celebration of music and hula. Each year, May Day is celebrated in a very traditional way at IPA, with performances by students in all grades, and a regal May Day court representing all of the Hawaiian Islands.
Preparations for the May Day celebration begin months in advance, with much thought and deliberation taken before selecting the theme, music, and hula. The theme for this May Day was “He Lei Poina ʻOle Ke Keiki”, which translates as “a child is a lei never forgotten.” This ʻōlelo noʻeau (wise saying) was selected by Kumu Momi and Kumu Makana as it represents the beauty and close relationship between keiki (children) and mākua (parents), or flowers (pua) and lei. The songs selected for this year’s program were all composed for pua of Hawaiʻi, both flowers and children alike.
The royal May Day court, an important part of traditional May Day celebrations in the islands, is a colorful pageant honoring Hawaiʻi’s royal past. The court comprises students from Grades 5 through 12, with each of the eight main Hawaiian islands represented by a Prince and Princess accompanied by a kahili bearer. The positions of Mōʻī Kāne (King) and Mōʻī Wahine (Queen) and their two attendants are held by members of the senior class. Students in the royal court are selected by a group of faculty members based on the criteria of being “pono,” or of high moral standards and excellent character, and for consistently demonstrating the aloha spirit. The Prince, Princess, and kahili bearer for each island wear the traditional color and flower lei of the island they represent. Two kindergarten students are selected to present hoʻokupu to the Mōʻī Kāne and Mōʻī Wahine.
It was a beautiful, if warm, morning for the celebration, with slightly overcast skies and a light breeze. Fortunately, the anticipated bad weather held off until, literally, the last minutes of the celebration! Many got soaked in the resulting downpour, but the students happily helped put away chairs in the rain, with their wet Aloha shirts plastered to them.
Each year, our May Day Celebration is a collaborative effort that depends on the many volunteers who give so generously of their time, talents and resources. To each of them, and to our faculty and staff, we extend a huge mahalo. Your commitment to supporting ISLAND PACIFIC ACADEMY is truly appreciated. We also thank all our musicians, and give special thanks to Kumu Momi, Kumu Makana and Mrs. Babas for their vision, dedication, and effort in putting together another beautiful May Day performance!