HONOLULU (KHON2) – It is that time once more to grab your beautiful Aloha clothing and get your lei.

For you, wahine, iron out your mu’u and come down here to Queen Emma Summer Palace this weekend for the 2nd annual “Mu’u at the Museum.” 

To find out more about this event, we are here with the committee chair, Alexa Zen.

This is the 2nd annual event which only tells me the 1st annual was very much of a success. 

Tell us a little bit about this event.

“Yes, so our Mu’u at the Museum fundraiser is to celebrate Queen Emma’s birthday,” said Zen.

“She just celebrated her 187th birthday on Jan. 2 if she was still with of.  And of course, we also enjoy having this fundraiser in the month of January which is Mu’umu’u month where women are encouraged to wear mu’u all month long.”

And, what is different this year that people can expect, especially for those who participated last year?

“So, last year, we had a lot of static exhibits,” said Zen.

“Our garments displayed on mannequins throughout the museum.  We thought that we would like to be a little more interactive this year; so we picked a theme.  Pa’u and Paniolo, that’s the theme for this year’s fundraiser. It’s in honor of Queen Emma who herself was wahine hololio. She was a skilled rider, and we have invited members of the O’ahu pa’u unit for the King Kamehameha Day Celebration. And, we will also be featuring a fashion show for the first time,” said Zen

Speaking of that fashion show, the fashion is highlighting one of Hawai’i’s pioneer fashion designers; and I am so honored to be here next to him.

We are speaking with Uncle Nake’u Awai. 

Congratulations to you because, again, this will be you putting on the fashion show tomorrow for this event; but you are also celebrating your 50th anniversary as a fashion designer. 

So, before we get to that, I want to ask you with this event tomorrow, I think people, a lot of people know you for your Christmas shows and your shows that you do annually. 

What can people expect in this fashion show tomorrow?

“Well, I hope people can expect that I am honoring Emma; and since the theme is palaka, there will be palaka as you can tell,” said Awai. 

“And, we are going to do a short, little show with tribute to Emma and her ‘ohana and her home here in Nu’uanu,” added Awai.

And, getting back to you celebrating your 50th anniversary as a fashion designer, again, congratulations for such a milestone. But, how have you seen Hawaiian fashion evolve over your 50 years in the industry?

“Well, I like to see the young Native Hawaiians getting involved and doing fashions and bringing what they believe from the past into the present using ‘ohe kapala prints and using prints of our native places, and I think that really feather in our cap,” said Awai.

Well, thank you very much Uncle for participating and, again, congratulations. 

Uncle does continue to have his shop in Kalihi off Houghtailing Street so be sure to check out his shop. 

And, be sure to check out this event. 

Again, this is the 2nd annual Mu’u at the Museum here at the beautiful Queen Emma Summer Palace. 

For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.

This takes place tomorrow, Saturday, Jan. 7 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.