Hui O Laka - Kokee Museum Eo e Emalani Festival

Hui O Laka - Kokee Museum, a small non-profit group, is hosting their first virtual "Eo e Emalani Alakai" Festival. This festival which is normally a live reenactment of Queen Emalani's 1871 trek to Kokee by horseback. However, this year's event will not include the horseback procession but will offer a wonderful selection of incredible video performances by many halau groups and musical performers. Hui O Laka is active in preserving this historic cultural event to inspire the next generations to remember a moment in Kauai's past.

A virtual event will mean that we can broadcast our YouTube event all over the world. We have a small Hawaii Tourism grant to cover some of the expenses and will need your kokua to raise the rest of the funds.

Through the generous gifts of individuals and companies, we are pleased to offer a wonderful variety of items to support our first Virtual Eo e Emalani Alakai Festival silent auction. All are welcome to participate in our easy and exciting online auction. Bids are updated instantly and fresh new items are added daily.

The online bidding closes on Saturday, October 10, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. (Hawaii Pacific Time). You do not need to be present to win.

Thank you for your continued support in keeping our museum doors open.

Winners may pick up prizes at Tire Warehouse, Lihue, Kauai,
3028 Aukele Street in Lihue, on Wednesday, October 14, 2020 from 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Call Lorraine Wichman (808) 651-7866 or contact wichmanpoipu@msn.com

Hui o Laka, a small non-profit who operates the Koke'e Natural History Museum for 365 days a year at no cost to the State of Hawaii. Hui O Laka and the Kōke‘e Natural History Museum will celebrate 70 years of serving visitors to Kōke‘e and Waimea Canyon. Not only do they provide daily information for the trails, fauna and forest, they support a wide variety of educational and conservation programs partnering with State Parks, Kauai Invasive Species Committee, Kauai Forest Bird Recovery and other conservation groups to improve & protect our fragile forest environment.

Hui o Laka has also been renovating the 87-year old Koke'e Civilian Conservation Corps Camp located on the hill above the museum. Completing work in phases with a series of funding through the Legislature, grants and years of volunteer hours since the 1990’s. Today, it’s listed on the National and State Registers of Historic Places and is the most intact CCC-era camp in the nation. We currently use the CCC Camp to host seminars, retreat for researchers and local stays.

The museum’s main source of income is donations at the door, memberships, applying for grants and gift shop sales. We cannot do this alone and we hope you will help us.

Koke'e and Waimea Canyon, a place cherished by locals for recreation and relaxation. It also attracts thousands of visitors from all over the world. Our mission is to continue to nurture a beneficial connection between people and Koke'e, a place with rich natural and cultural diversity.

'A'ohe hana nui ke alu 'ia - No task is too big when done together by all.