2009 George Na`ope Hula Festival Weekend
Kumu Hula Etua Lopes
Kailua Kona, Hawai`i
Etua Lopes has studied under the tutelage of George Na`ope for over 25 years and carries on the hula traditions of his teachings. Hand chosen by Uncle George, Etua was sent to other hula masters to learn during his training with such hula greats as `Iolani Luahine, Lokalia Montgomery, Edith Kanaka`ole and Henry Pa. Since Etua’s `uniki (graduation) to Kumu Hula, he has started his own hālau, an award winning hālau that focuses his teaching on the keiki (children). He starts to teach them at the young age of 3 years old, taking them on their journey at a pace they are willing to learn. Etua has been teaching hula approaching 25 years in Kona, Hawai`i. Twenty two of those years Etua has been teaching at the Huli He`e Palace. He is the only Kumu Hula that has the honor and privilege of teaching on these royal grounds. His halau puts on a performance once a month on the Huli He`e grounds to share his hula teachings. Through Etua's dedication to teaching hula in the way of the teachings of George Na`ope, Uncle George's legacy will be sure to continue on for many generations to come.
