'ALEMANAKA - CALENDAR

'Alemanaka Pepeluali

Pictured above: Memorabilia of paniolo pride — on display in Waimea. Archive photos courtesy of Parker Ranch Archives

Paniolo Extravaganza

Sat. Feb. 2, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

To celebrate the Year of the Paniolo, Parker Ranch Historic Homes and the community-sponsored Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival are throwing a big town party, with tributes to the 100th anniversary of Native Hawaiian Ikua Purdy's steer-roping victory in Wild-West Cheyenne, Wyoming, and the Hawai'i Island arrival of selected cowboys of Japanese descent (also recent inductees into the Parker Ranch Paniolo Hall of Fame). See cultural presentations, musical performances and craft demos at several Waimea sites, including Parker Ranch. 808-885-5433 or www.parkerranch.com.

Local cast puts fire into their performace of Pele legends. - Photo: Courtesy of Kumu Kahua Theatre.

Pele Plays Big at Kumu Kahua

Thurs.-Sat., 8 p.m., Sun. matinees at 2 p.m., through Feb. 10

Adapted by John Wat, Pele Mā, a witty theatrical version of the book Pele Mā: Legends of Pele from Kaua'i by Frederick Wichman, presents the epic escapades of Hawai'i's flamboyant fire goddess and her cohorts, played to the hilt by a cast of seasoned local actors. $5 to $13 at Kumu Kahua Theatre in Honolulu. 536-4441 or www.kumukahua.org. Also runs Thurs.-Fri., Feb. 28-29, 7:30 p.m., at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center, McCoy Studio Theater. 808-242-7469 or www.mauiarts.org.

Lei-Making Workshops

Sat. Feb. 9 and 23, 9:30 a.m.-noon

Masterful lei maker Brian Choy will demonstrate the artistry that has made his creations the top winners at the annual Honolulu May Day Lei Competition for the last 30 years. Plan ahead to catch the judges' eyes with the help of Choy's special tricks and techniques. Free. Makiki District Park administration building, 1527 Ke'eaumoku St., Honolulu (Feb. 9); Kāne'ohe Community Center, 45-613 Pū'ōhala St. (Feb. 23). Sponsored by the City and County of Honolulu. 768-3041 or www.honoluluparks.com.

Kanikapila Season Spotlights Young and Old

Mon., Feb. 18, 6-9 p.m.

E Kanikapila Kākou is a spirited Hawaiian jam session led by Hawai'i's best musicians, who teach chords and lyrics of a favorite song. At the helm for this particular session: the popular recording group Puamana along with 100-year-old 'ukelele virtuoso Bill Tapia. Free. Island School, main hall on Puhi campus. 808-245-2733 or www.gardenislandarts.org.

Kaua'i's Waimea Town Celebration

Feb. 22-23
4:30-11 p.m. Fri.,
10 a.m.-11 p.m. Sat.

Seemingly sleepy Waimea town pulls out all the stops for this annual celebration, which includes continuous entertainment, food booths, sporting events at the Old Waimea Sugar Mill and the kick-off event of the Garden Island Canoe Racing Association. Not to be outdone by the paniolo party at "the other Waimea" (see above listing), there's plenty of paniolo fun, including the annual Waimea Roundup Rodeo, a paniolo hat-lei contest and the first-time induction of Hawaiian cowboys and cowgirls into Nā Paniolo O Kaua'i A Me Ni'ihau, the Garden Island's paniolo hall of fame. Free. Waimea town. 808-338-1332 or www.wkbpa.org/events.html.

21st Century Hawaiian Dance Moves

Fri.- Sat., March 7-8, 7:30 p.m.

The San Francisco-based Hawaiian dance company Nā Lei Hulu I Ka Wēkiu returns to Hawai'i to present the visually captivating and thematically riveting Daughters of Haumea, a theatrical recreation of the traditional roles of Hawaiian women, as described in a groundbreaking new book. The company's kumu and choreographer, Patrick Makuakāne, has a trademark "hula mua" style — hard to explain, but the fact that his Hawai'i performances play to SRO crowds speaks volumes about his ability to move our imaginations with an evolving art form. $25-$35. 528-0256 or www.hawaiitheatre.com.