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As stated in the "Nā Wahine Kapu " reading, "It is the female Akua Laka who inspires the skill of dancers and chanters, female and male, that they may enchant and seduce one another" (Kameʻeleihiwa, 1999). Laka is the goddess of hula, the forest, and reproductive energy, considered the inspiration for hula dancers and the creator of the dance form, which is a way of preserving and sharing stories.

A hula dancer prays to Laka to hoʻoulu—to inspire and awaken her spirit for the performance. In that moment, dancer and deity become one. The dancer provides the body, the vessel through which movement flows; Laka is the inspiration, the unseen force that gives that movement life. As Hawaiian scholar Mary Kawena Pukui beautifully expressed, Laka “...is dancing through the dancer.” (Kumukahi.org, 2025). She described hoʻoulu ʻia as a surge of energy and mastery—a power that not only completes a task but elevates it, transforming a good performance into an exceptional one. Laka is the source of that transformation, the spark that lifts the dancer to her highest expression.

I chose Laka because she has been a constant in my life especially in regards to hula. As a Kumu Hula, my husband Kūkaho'omaluakamālama Koanui-Souza is the person responsible for my knowledge and daily hana towards this goddess. Especially when it comes to making lei from every palapalai and ʻōhiʻa lehua selected with reverence; to even traveling to Kauaʻi to assist others with their ʻūniki process at Ke Ahu A Laka.

All of these things are done with Laka in the center of meaning and honor.

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According to Moses Manu (Historian/Storyteller from East Maui) accounts that Laka learned hula from her older sister Kapō‘ulakīna‘u on the hill Pu‘u Nānā at Kā‘ana on the top of Mauna Loa, West Molokaʻi.

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In Hawaiian culture, Lama wood is one of the kinolau of Laka, the goddess of hula, because it symbolizes enlightenment and is a pale, dense wood, representing a duality often associated with Laka and Kapo, the goddess of darkness. "Lama" can also mean "light," and in this context, the lama wood represents the enlightenment that can be found through the discipline of hula.

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In the hālau, the kuahu is thoughtfully adorned with plants that are sacred to the practice of hula. This altar serves as a temporary home for Laka, the goddess of hula and inspiration. Commonly placed on the kuahu are forest plants such as maile, ʻōhiʻa lehua, halapepe, ʻieʻie, ʻōhiʻa ʻai, kokiʻo, hau, maiʻa, kī, ʻilima, palapalai, and lama. Each of these plants represents a connection to the natural world and reflects the personal and spiritual growth that every hula dancer aspires to achieve.

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In 2021, just before my husband’s ʻūniki to become a Kumu Hula, he faced one of the final and most sacred tasks of his journey—a hike with his hula siblings to Ke Ahu a Laka at Kēʻē, on Kauaʻi. The trail was steep and demanding, taking 30 to 45 minutes to climb, and he carried all of his hula implements and adornments with him, every step echoing the weight of his training.

At the top, they reached Ke Ahu a Laka, a revered hula altar nestled in the mountain. It is a place known in Hawaiian tradition as one of Laka’s dwelling places, a sacred site where hula was once taught to the most disciplined and devoted students. Standing there, surrounded by forest and mist, my husband and his hula brothers and sisters performed the sacred dances they had spent years preparing—gifts of hula offered to Laka.

When their dances were complete, they each placed their lei upon the stone altar carved into the mountainside. It was a powerful sight—to see the fresh lei added to those already resting there, left by others who had come before to honor the same path. The elements—wind, rain, earth, and spirit—were alive around them. As I witnessed it all, I felt overwhelmed with pride for Kū. The moment was the culmination of years of sacrifice, growth, and unwavering dedication to hula.

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If I could take you to this exact moment in time... you would hear the wind thru the trees, feel the soft mist from the mountains with the sun beaming with a nice warmth and you would see a hoʻopaʻa line in unison chanting what is known at the "Trilogy" together in perfect cadence as a singular dancer graces Pā Hula ‘o Kama’ipu’upa’a’. #LakaInAction

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Laka, the inspiring force of hula, teaches us that truly great performance is the result of the dancer possessing the discipline, emotion, and joy of the dance.

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My husband Kū and the teacher he received his ‘ūniki ‘ailolo rites from, Kumu Kalani Akana

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One of Kumu Kalani Akanaʻs favorite sayings is "Any e hō mai moments today?" My husband had many of those during his time of training - many of which have informed who he is not only as a dancer but as a teacher as well. It was wonderful to watch both the struggles and happy moments hula has brought him throughout his 36-year hula journey. And no matter what happened... my husband always made sure that Laka was at the center of all he did. #KeepingTheTraditionTraditional #LakaForTheWin

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For centuries our people have continued the legacy of hula. Sharing whatʻs referred to as "The Trilogy" that all Maiki Aiu Lake lineage dancers know. Includes the following three hula: A Koʻolau Au + Kaulīlua + ʻAuʻa ʻIa

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Hōkūleʻa Homecoming | June 17, 2017: Ceremonial Hula and Mele

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Learning protocol of Laka