BYRON PULU

Disclaimer: Please read at your own risk.
Thank you.
As a kid, I never dreamt of becoming a hula dancer. In fact, most of my dreams were self-centered and stereotypical for a teen growing up in the early 2000s. I aspired to be a chef, a leader, and even become the first Tongan-American Idol. I believed the world was eagerly waiting for me to become an adult so I could tell everyone else what to do. Oh, did I mention I am the youngest of four siblings? That’s probably why this first paragraph seems cringy, but all true. We a have popular saying at the Academy of Hawaiian Arts (AHA); SBI
– Sorry Bout it!
Now, where were we…oh yeah.
Fast forward to adulthood, and reality struck me hard. It turns out that becoming an American Idol required vocal talent, not just dreams. After numerous failed attempts at making lasagna and being more of a tyrant rather than a leader, I decided to at least pursue my American Idol dream. My plan was simple, first join AHA to shed a few pounds and perhaps learn how to sing. Unfortunately, American Idol got canceled the next year, along with my last remaining childhood dream.
My plan was simple, first join AHA to shed a few pounds and perhaps learn how to sing. Unfortunately, American Idol got canceled the next year, along with my last remaining childhood dream.

All jokes aside, work had consumed my life and I felt lost with my cultural identity. Many of the communities I was involved with lacked pacific islander representation. In hindsight, dialogues about representation for an islander in the early 2010s were not as profound as they are today. Therefore, it was important that I find a “hobby” that would allow me to work out and build upon my cultural competence. In 2014, I joined AHA and thus began this transformative journey that I continue to embark on.
My journey with AHA began to reshape my life in unexpected ways.
I started to meet incredible people from around the world, embarked on some travels, and performed more often than I expected.
More importantly, I noticed a profound shift in my personal development and aspirations outside of hula.

I grew...
Sorry Bout it!
I grew into a less assertive and demanding colleague, graduated from graduate school, and became more financially responsible. As I further reflect on my AHA journey, I realize that hula has played an essential role in helping me discover more about who I am and who I want to be. It has instilled in me a sense of pride in being Pacific Islander.



Additionally, hula has granted me a unique perspective on the values and traditions of my ancestors. I am now able to dream of my ancestors as holding family and community at their core. I imagine my ancestors as courageous and curious which led to numerous discoveries and explorations. I also wonder about their love for language and how poetic daily conversations were, as if Shakespeare Othello, but in our native tongue. While it might sound idealistic or wishful thinking, these aspirations have made me more secure in my cultural identity. Hula has not only enriched my life, but it has also informed who I am today.
And for that, I am grateful to AHA, my Kumu Mark Keali’i Ho’omalu, my hula brothers and sisters, and to Laka!

Now, if you’ve gotten this far, bless your heart and Mahalo Ke Akua! See you in Hilo in April!
