Hawaiian Mission Houses Hosts NEW Mele program to explore the concept of kapu.
Wahi Kapu – Forbidden Places
Doors open at 5:30 PM | Program begins at 6:30 PM
Saturday, May 17, 2025
A Night of Mo‘olelo, Mele, Oli and Hula
Join us for our ever-popular Mele Program, which shares stories about the rich history of Hawaiʿi through mele (song), oli (chant) and hula (dance). History lovers of all ages are welcome to attend “Wahi Kapu – Forbidden Places” on Saturday, May 17, 2024.
In 1836, the Lorrin Andrews Dictionary defined kapu as prohibited, forbidden, sacred, or devoted to certain purposes. The mele program on May 17, 2025 will explore the idea of wahi kapu or “forbidden places.” Places were historically kapu because of ties to deities or aliʻi such as Kīlauea or Pohukaina on the grounds of ʻIolani Palace. In the modern day, places can be forbidden due to private ownership or danger from modern day uses, such as Niʻihau and Kahoʻolawe. The story of these forbidden places will be told by the musicians and dancers of Hālau Mele, under the leadership of Kumu Sam ʻOhu Gon III and Kumu Mahealani Wong, and Hālau Hula Kamamolikolehua under the leadership of Kumu Pohai Souza.
The program will be held on the verdant Kahua Hoʿokipa Stage at Hawaiian Mission Houses, located at 553 S. King St. in Honolulu, on the Waikīkī side of Kawaiahaʻo Church. Seating will open at 5:30 p.m. and the program will start at 6:30 p.m.
Tickets are $40 per person. There will be a cash bar with beer, wine, water and soft drinks available from 5:30pm through intermission. Parking is available at the Civic Center Municipal Parking at 346 Alapaʻi Street or the metered street parking on Kawaiahaʻo St, Mission Lane, or South Street. To purchase tickets and for more information, visit missionhouses.org/upcoming-events.
If there is a cancellation due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances, the program will rescheduled for May 24, 2025.
The second installment of the mele program will be on October 4, 2025 and will focus on forbidden love/relationships
Buy Tickets here
Oʻahu Cemetery Pūpū Theatre: Visions of Hospitality
Experience Hawaiʻi’s Rich Tourism Legacy Through Historical Portrayals
HONOLULU, HI – May 21, 2025 – The historic Oʻahu Cemetery proudly presents “Visions of Hospitality,” the latest installment of its popular Pūpū Theatre series, featuring five captivating historical portrayals that trace the evolution of Hawaiʻi’s hospitality and tourism industries through the 19th and 20th centuries.
Set against the backdrop of one of Honolulu’s most significant historical sites, this immersive theatrical experience brings to life the remarkable stories of individuals who shaped Hawaiʻi’s world-renowned hospitality tradition. From royal voyages to hotel magnates, musicians to infrastructure visionaries, these portrayals offer a fascinating glimpse into Hawaiʻi’s past. “This year’s program showcases how diverse individuals helped establish Hawaiʻi’s reputation for hospitality long before it became a global tourist destination,” says Mike Smola, Director of Education at the Hawaiian Mission Houses. “These stories reveal the cultural foundations and entrepreneurial spirit that created the visitor industry we know today.” Visitors will encounter five notable figures from Hawaiʻi’s past:
Manuia (d. 1829) – A cousin of Oʻahu Governor Boki who established some of Hawaiʻi’s earliest hospitality ventures, including boarding houses and grog shops.
Alexander Young (1833-1910) – Born in Scotland, Young became Hawaiʻi’s first hotel magnate.
John Charles Kapilikea Sumner Ellis (1877-1914) – A celebrated hapa-haole virtuoso known as “The Hawaiian Caruso” who elevated Hawaiian music internationally alongside his brother William Sumner Ellis, Ernest Kaʻai, Sonny Cunha, and the Royal Hawaiian Band.
Margaret Morgan McCarthy (1865-1934) – Wife of Territorial Governor Charles McCarthy, who established hospitality traditions at Washington Place that are still maintained today.
William Fawcett Pogue (1856-1932) – Maui visionary, born to missionary parents in Lahaina, who transformed Hawaii as an irrigation expert and county supervisor and spearheaded the completion of the Hana Highway in 1926.
Dates:
- Friday June 13, and Saturday June 14
- Friday June 20, and Saturday June 21
- Thursday, June 26
- Friday June 27, and Saturday June 28
Time: 5PM – 8PM
Location: Oʻahu Cemetery, 2162 Nuʻuanu Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96817
Tickets: $60 per person
Dinner and refreshments will be served. Space is limited and reservations are required. For more information or to purchase tickets, click HERE.
Mele: Forbidden Places
May 17, 2025
Doors Open - 5:30 PM | Programs Begins - 6:30
Oʻahu Cemetery Pūpū Theatre: Visions of Hospitality
