HAWAII'S FAVORITES HELP CELEBRATE THE POLYNESIAN CULTURAL CENTER'S ANNUAL HAWAIIAN FESTIVAL

E Luana Kakou Concert Kicks Off Weekend of Hawaiian Cultural Celebration

Laie - January 3, 2006 — The Makaha Sons return for their fourth year to help celebrate Hawaiian culture along with Na Kama at the Polynesian Cultural Center's E Luana Kakou IV concert on Friday, January 27 at 7:45 p.m. in the Hale Aloha Theater. The weekend-long Hawaiian festival culminates on Saturday, January 28, in the Pacific Theater with the 15th annual Moanikeala Hula Festival starting at 10 a.m.

"We are thrilled to bring together the sound of new and old Hawai'i to the Polynesian Cultural Center in celebration of the Hawaiian culture," said Ellen Gay Dela Rosa, senior manager of special events and promotions at the PCC. "These crowd-pleasers are sure to 'pack the house' and keep what has become a North Shore tradition, going strong."

The festival is an annual tribute of song and dance in honor of the late Aunty Sally Wood Nalua'i, a renowned kumu hula who perpetuated the teaching of hula at the PCC for almost 30 years. Wood Nalua'i was the PCC's first kumu hula from its inaugural year in 1963 through 1980, after which she became a consultant until she passed away in 2000. Her niece, Sunday Mariteragi, initiated the keiki hula competition 15 years ago after years of teaching hula in Laie.

The festival has grown to become a special gathering of hula enthusiasts sharing their craft. The PCC is welcoming the following hula halau to this year's Moanikeala Festival:

• JOAN S. LINDSEY HULA STUDIO – Kumu Hula Joan S. Lindsey
• KA PA NANI O LILINOE – Kumu Hula Lilinoe Lindsey
• HALAU O KAMALANI – Kumu Hula Virginia "Gigi" Kidder Paleka
• HALAU HULA OLANA – Kumu Hula Howard & Olana Ai
• HALAU HULA O KEKELA – Kumu Hula Kela Miller
• HALAU O KAWAIPUHILANI – Kumu Hula Keith Awai

Concert tickets are $8.00 for adults and keiki (children) ages 3-11. PCC Kamaaina Annual Pass holders receive a discounted rate of $5.00 per concert ticket, limited to four tickets per pass holder. Tickets to the Moanikeala hula exhibition are $8.00 for adults, $6.00 for keiki ages 3-11, and free for Kamaaina Annual Pass holders. For more information or to book reservations call 293-3333 or visit www.Polynesia.com to learn more about what's new at the PCC.

Founded in 1963 as a non-profit organization, the PCC has entertained more than 32 million visitors, while preserving and portraying the culture, arts, and crafts of Polynesia to the rest of the world. In addition, the PCC has provided financial assistance to nearly 15,000 young people from over 70 different countries while they attend Brigham Young University-Hawaii. As a non-profit organization, 100 percent of PCC's revenue is used for daily operations and to support education.

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For information on press releases or other public information, please contact:

Amy Hennessey
Polynesian Cultural Center Public Relations
(808) 531-0244