The 38th annual Prince Lot Hula Festival marks a milestone this month. For the first time, it has expanded to two days, showcasing performances by more halau than ever before from across the Hawaiian isles.

This year’s theme, "Moanalua, he Wahi Pana" ("Moanalua, a Sacred Place"), symbolizes the spiritual nature of the valley, known in earlier times as a place of healing, hula and chant.

"We had been considering it for several years," said Moanalua Gardens Foundation Executive Director Alika Jamile. "We wanted to be absolutely certain we could garner all the wonderful and exciting halau, and to our surprise the response was overwhelming."

Going forward, Jamile says the festival plans to remain a two-day event, as long as the foundation can secure funding from grants and sponsors.

With the extra day, a total of 21 halau are performing at this year’s festival, which  honors Prince Lot Kapuaiwa and is considered the oldest and largest noncompetitive hula event in Hawaii.

The halau, all from Hawaii, are invited by the foundation to participate and perform kahiko (ancient-style) and auana (modern-style) hula. Each halau gets 20 minutes on one of the few remaining pa hula (hula mounds) in the islands.

This year’s recipients of the festival’s prestigious Malia Kau award will bookend the festival.

Kumu hula Joan Lindsey will bring both keiki and kupuna from the Joan S. Lindsey Hula Studio to open up the festival Saturday morning. Kumu hula Ed Collier’s Halau o na Pua Kukui will offer the final performance Sunday afternoon.

The Malia Kau award, presented by the Moanalua Gardens Foundation for a second year, is designated for recipients who are guardians of Hawaiian culture and who have dedicated their life’s work to perpetuating hula traditions.

Moanalua Gardens holds a special place in the heart of both Lindsey and Collier, two revered kumu hula who have childhood memories of the place and who have shared their love for hula at the festival.

Lindsey, 86, a Merrie Monarch Festival judge, has taught multiple generations of students her beautiful, traditional hula style for more than 60 years.

"I stopped counting after I got the great-great-grandchildren," she said. 

She has roots on Hawaii island but grew up in Kalihi with her Korean grandparents, and remembers Moanalua as a place where one could play freely.

"Whenever you come to Moanalua, you forget about everything, and all you see is the beauty around," she said. "They had the stream going across, and we were able to play in it. All the childhood memories. Every day when we pass here, it comes back."

Lindsey says Moanalua also has special meaning for her since she began hula training at the age of 17 with her aunt Caroline Peters Tuck, who has a connection to the place.

"It’s a joyous occasion," said Lindsey. "Hula is not just coming onstage and coming to class. Hula is a way of connecting with your spirituality, respecting the culture, preserving what’s been taught. … This is where you can share the beauty."

Collier, 75, also grew up in Kalihi, where he still lives, and recalls exploring the park and picnicking on its grounds as well as bringing hula students there. 

"Just to be among these trees and to be here in this park, for me it’s very special," said Collier.

"Moanalua, when I was a youngster, was my place of refuge, my puuhonua. … It’s always like coming home."

Collier, who has competed in and judged Merrie Monarch, looks forward to bringing his halau to Prince Lot as a sort of homecoming. This year he will bring his wahine, kane, keiki and kupuna.

"Even though it’s not competitive, you put as much work and thought into it," he said. "I think all of us do, because we’re showcasing ourselves and our halau. So, you know, we want our students to look well, especially when we present it to the public. The reward in performing is the response from the audience."

There are many returning halau as well as ones that are new to the festival. 

Kumu Vicky Holt Takamine of Pua Ali’i ‘ilima celebrates the founding of her halau 38 years ago, in conjunction with the festival. She was invited to participate in Prince Lot in the festival’s first year, and she has continued to participate every year since. She is the only kumu hula who has performed every year since the beginning.

Takamine’s son Jeffery now also participates in the festival as a kumu.

"One of the most special places on the island of Oahu is Moanalua Gardens," she said.

"The location itself is just magical, when you’re sitting on the lawn under the canopy of those large, beautiful trees, with the sunlight streaming in and out."

As a kumu, she takes the opportunity to research mele about Prince Lot every year, and to bring them to life. 

This year her halau will perform a mele from the notebook of Namakahelu, the last chantress of Moanalua, "Pele o Moanalua," in honor of King Kamehameha I’s mother. It tells the story of Pele’s visit to Oahu and how she erupts in the Aliamanu area.

Among returning halau this year are Na Pualei o Likolehua under the direction of kumu Leina’ala Kalama Heine, Halau Mohala ‘Ilima under the direction of kumu Mapuana de Silva and Halau Hula o Namakahulali under the direction of kumu Shirley Recca. 

New this year are Halau Na Mamo o ka Liko Maile o Kohala under the direction of kumu Kapua Francisco, Halau Ha’a Hula ‘o Kekau’ilani na Pua Hala o Kailua under the direction of kumu Charlani Kalama and Halau Na Lei o Kaholoku under the direction of kumu Nani Lim Yap and Leialoha Amina.  

The noncompetitive event allows kumu to bring students who would not otherwise have the opportunity to perform in a more relaxed setting, according to Lindsey,.

"Students that may never go onstage have the opportunity to come," she said. "Some of them are not going to be dancers, but they still have the love for it so they should have the chance."

Spectators are welcome to bring beach chairs and mats to enjoy the festivities beneath the shade of the monkeypod trees. The festival draws up to 13,000 residents and visitors. 

Moanalua Gardens, also home to the famous "Hitachi" tree, began charging an admission fee of $3 for adults and $1 for residents and military in mid-April. There will be no fee to attend the Prince Lot Hula Festival, but donations are welcome. Sales of limited-edition T-shirts and souvenir buttons help cover festival costs. 

As kumu Lindsey and Collier reminisced about old Moanalua, they recalled the presence of a beautiful, large banyan tree where the highway is now and a three-classroom building near a shower tree that served as the elementary school. Still, through all the changes, Moanalua retains its beauty.

"The spirit still lingers," said Lindsey. "It’s here."