Source: midweek.com
As the sun sets along the West O‘ahu shoreline, a new chapter is beginning at Ko Olina. Long shaped by families and communities whose culture, history and creative expression are carried forward through story, practice and everyday life, West O‘ahu is now seeing those stories step onto a new stage.
Opening Feb. 27, Kaula Lūʻau brings Native Hawaiian-led storytelling, local talent and cultural production to the Ocean’s Edge at Ko Olina Resort. Developed through a new cultural framework partnership between the Hawaiian Council and Ko Olina, the production marks a significant step in how cultural experiences are created and shared in West Oʻahu.
For the Hawaiian Council, that work is rooted in West Oʻahu, where culture, creativity and working families have long helped shape Hawaiʻi.
At its heart, Kaula is a cohesive story-driven performance that follows Mahina, a young Native Hawaiian woman whose understanding of who she is unfolds through moʻolelo passed down by her grandmother. Those stories guide audiences across genealogy, ancestral connections and the broader Pacific, weaving together hula, chant, live music and movement with contemporary staging. The name Kaula means rope, cord or connection, a fitting metaphor for a production built as much on relationships as performance.
“This is about sharing stories from our home, about our home,” says Kūhiō Lewis, CEO of the Hawaiian Council. “Kaula is meant to show what is possible — for our lāhui and for West Oʻahu.”
Lewis says the project reflects a broader belief that West O‘ahu is not only home to those stories, but a place where cultural leadership continues to take shape. Kaula was developed by a Native Hawaiian-led creative team that includes Kipe Ebana, Moses Goods, Tiana Nonosina and Kayla Faamaligi, who worked collaboratively to shape the production, drawing from personal experience and connection to West O‘ahu. Their process emphasized shared leadership, cultural accountability, and respect for the people and places represented on stage.
“This project wasn’t about one person’s vision,” says Ebana, co-creator and producer of Kaula Lūʻau. “The story itself is about ‘ʻohana, how knowledge is passed, how identity is shaped and how connection to family and place carries us forward. Every creative decision came back to honoring those relationships and telling that story with care.”
For O‘oe Carr, who stars as Mahina and is from Waiʻanae, the role carries personal meaning.
“There’s something powerful about telling stories set in the places you’re from,” Carr says. “When the story takes us through Mākaha and Waiʻanae, we’re not just honoring Mahina’s ‘ʻohana and kūpuna but mine too.”
Her experience reflects the larger intention behind Kaula. The production draws from stories and places across the islands, including West O‘ahu, and is brought to life by cast members from those communities — allowing kamaʻāina to recognize familiar places and perspectives on stage. Carr adds, “It’s different when the story feels like your own. Less acting and more the feeling of discovering who you are.”
Beyond storytelling, Kaula reflects a broader commitment to economic and community development in West Oʻahu — one grounded in Hawaiian-led leadership, stewardship and cultural production. The project includes more than $5 million in total investment, including substantial in-kind and financial support from Ko Olina.
Kaula has created 166 jobs, ranging from performers and cultural practitioners to technicians and operational staff. An additional 176 jobs will be generated through Hawaiian Goddess: The Epic Tale of Hiʻiaka, a large-scale theatrical production scheduled to debut at Ko Olina in December 2026.
Together, the two productions will create more than 340 jobs, many full-time in West O‘ahu. For Lewis, the numbers matter, but so does what they represent. “This is about showing what’s possible on the West Side,” Lewis says. “It’s about opportunity, pride and hope. When people see something like Kaula succeed, it helps shift the narrative about what can happen in their community.” That opportunity is tangible for many involved, particularly those who work and live in West O‘ahu.
When Paradise Cove closed its doors in December after decades of operations, Kaula helped create a bridge forward, providing opportunities for 37 former employees and helping retain talented cultural practitioners and experienced hospitality workers in West O‘ahu — many of whom live in nearby communities. The economic impact of Kaula extends well beyond the stage.
More than $5 million in contracts have been awarded to local contractors and vendors, including a nearly $3 million catering partnership with Moani, a Native Hawaiian-owned business based in Kapolei. The production has also engaged Native Hawaiian designers Manaola and Kini Zamora for costume design and employs more than 40 cultural practitioners across Kaula and Hiʻiaka, including musicians, dancers, artists and composers. Food also plays a role in the experience.
Moani partnered with the Kaula team to create a relaxed, communal dining style inspired by everyday local gatherings, where food, conversation and stories come together. For owner Kapua Keolanui, the partnership reflects both professional and personal commitment. “My family lives and works in Kapolei,” she says. “Being part of Kaula means we’re investing right back into our community and creating opportunities for people who live here to work close to home.”
For the Hawaiian Council, Kaula is as much about community as it is about performance. Set at Ko Olina, it reflects a belief that West Oʻahu, and the communities surrounding Ko Olina, deserve sustained investment in culture, creativity and opportunity. “Kaula carries a sense of kuleana to the community it comes from,” says Kumu Hula Mehanaokalā Hind, senior adviser to the CEO at the Hawaiian Council. “Being here reflects a belief that when people are trusted to lead from home, it creates space for creativity, opportunity and growth, and allows stories to be shared with care and intention.”
That connection is both cultural and economic. Many members of Kaula’s cast, creative team and production staff live in West O‘ahu, as does the Hawaiian Council, which is headquartered in Kapolei just down the road from Ko Olina — reinforcing that the new cultural framework partnership is designed to support local jobs, leadership and long-term community investment. Lewis is quick to credit Ko Olina for helping turn that vision into reality. “This could not happen without Ko Olina’s commitment,” he says. “Their willingness to invest, listen and collaborate with us is about opportunity for West O‘ahu — supporting our people and giving our community something to build on for the future.”
Kaula Lūʻau takes place at the Ocean’s Edge at Ko Olina Resort, a new oceanfront performance setting designed as an intimate, story-focused venue with a capacity of 500 guests. Designed for visitors and residents alike, the experience welcomes audiences of all ages, from families and first-time visitors to kamaʻāina seeking cultural connection.
Kaula Lu‘au
Ocean’s Edge in Ko Olina
Reservation Contact +1 (808) 897-2906
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