THE PA’AKAI WE BRING

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Grades K-5

This original production by Honolulu Theatre for Youth introduces young audiences to the Native Hawaiian cultural values by exploring their relationship to pa'akai (salt).

Inspired by the real-life stories of the twenty-six Hawaiian families who have tended the Hanapēpē salt beds for generations on the island of Kauaʻi, the production celebrates the ancient and modern practices around pa-akai where, traditionally, pa‘akai is valued as food, medicine, a sacrament, and a treasured gift. The ensemble mixes in ancient stories, hula, live music, original songs, and plenty of audience participation into a tasty potluck of performance, joyously served up with aloha.  

The stories are specific to Hawaii, but universal questions emerge:

• What makes a place special?
• What traditions and values live within the land and community?
• What gifts does each member bring?
• And how does a community protect their home and culture while also sharing it?