Prince Kūhiō Parade and Hoʻolauleʻa this Saturday

HONOLULU (KHON2) – Prince Kūhiō was known as the People’s Prince, finding many different ways to preserve and strengthen the Hawaiian people.

One was creating the Department of Hawaiian Homelands or what led to the Department of Hawaiian Homelands.

Throughout well over 30 years, the Prince Kūhiō parade has been hosted in Waikīkī; but this is the first year it’s actually moving locations right here to Kapolei where the largest concentration of Hawaiian Homestead resides.

So, to find out more about the parade, which is taking place this Saturday, March 25, and all the festivities that will follow, we’re here with the CEO of the Council of Native Hawaiian Advancement, Kūhiō Lewis.

Tell us a little bit about this change and why did you choose to bring the parade here this year?

“Well, we were planning to do it in 2019; but we decided now that the pandemic has passed, we’re going to bring it,” said Lewis.

“We’re going to keep to our plan. We’re going to keep it in Kapolei. This is where his legacy lives on. This is where you have thousands of residents that are part of his legacy left through the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act,” explained Lewis.  

“And, he’s also known as the People’s Prince. So, to bring this parade to the people just made sense. So, we’re excited to have it here for the first time in Kapolei. We’re also super excited about the partnership that we’ve been able to establish with all the businesses along this parade route as well as with Ka Makana Aliʻi,” added Lewis.

To find out more about the hoʻolauleʻa (celebration), which the parade, again, will lead straight here into those festivities, we’re here with the General Manager of Ka Makana Aliʻi, Stephanie England.

Tell us about what we can expect throughout the evening come Saturday evening?

“So, we’ll start the day with our inaugural lei making contest. Entries can be received from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.,” said England.

“Uncle Bill Char will be our judge for that event. Excited to be partnering with him on that and following that lei making elements.

We will have a special performance from Papakōlea Serenades at 6 p.m.; and then, we will have a very special tribute to Prince Kūhiō, which we will be partnering with the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs who will be assisting us in the receiving of hoʻokupu (offering) for the Prince.

And, then, we have a very special performance by Hula o Hokulani, our resident hālau (hula school). We are so thrilled to be partnering with them on this event. They have been integral in our ability to participate in the parade as well as the hoʻolauleʻa.

This is going to be again, a great Saturday.

This is this Saturday, the Prince Kūhiō Parade. 

The parade will start at 5 p.m.

But, as Stephanie was mentioning, there is that lei contest that starts at 3 p.m. here at the mall.

Once the parade gets to the mall, the hoʻolauleʻa will follow.

If you can’t make it, we will be live streaming this parade with myself and Paula Akana starting at 5 p.m.; so, you can catch that online and on air as well.

For more information on the parade, click here.

For more information the hoʻolauleʻa, click here.