Ke'ala Brunke, the designer of these beautiful products, is a Kumu Hula (hula teacher) trained by and in the traditions of the Beamer family (one of the most famous Hawaiian music and dance families for several generations). In 1980 she started teaching hula for Kamehameha Schools - a school set up by Princess Pauahi Bishop for children of Hawaiian descent, and in 1981 started her halau (dance school). Her students (ranging in age from 13 to 65) have performed for public events in Hawaii as well as through-out the mainland U.S., China, and Japan.

   As Ke'ala teaches her Halau, hula is for everyone. Hula is a beautiful art; a personal art. It is an art of depth and perception. In the hula, nothing happens visually that does not occur emotionally.

   I n order to appreciate the hula, one must watch the hands, for the hands tell the story. The swaying hips and body duplicate the swaying and grace of nature. In olden days, there was no use of spoken words in hula. The pantomime was done with the hands and arms. The hands being ever out in gesture.

   To the Hawaiians, hula is an expression of beauty, of nature, of religious devotion and fervor, of historical memories and legends, and of the everyday folk happenings of a lusty, nature loving people.