FEYE FERNANDEZ

Aloha, my name is Feye with a silent “e” at the end.

I was in high school when my mom brought me along to watch her hula class that was taught by Clark Bolivar Jr. since I was done with my homework and carpool as the commute was from San Jose to Redwood City.

I was super shy, so I hid behind my mom while she was greeted by her coworkers, who invited her, and kumu Clark. After kumu Clark handed my mom a pa’u, he gave me one too! I tugged my mom’s shirt and gave her a scared look hoping that she’ll tell him that I’m just there to watch but she didn’t.

Little did I know after putting on that pa’u,

I never wanted to take it off.

I ended up joining and danced my first competition with my mom at E Hula Mau when it was still at UC Irvine followed by Ia ‘oe in Pleasanton, and eventually experienced dancing solo at George Na’ope when it was held in Seattle. It wasn’t just the dance that I fell in love with but also learning the culture and history with each dance

I learned while being in a halau that felt like home. After having a baby at 20, I took a pause.

Sadly when I wanted to come back, kumu Clark had closed down the halau.

I would miss hula so much that I tried joining other halaus but it wasn’t the same in terms of feeling like home.

After my 41st birthday, I had the itch again of wanting to dance plus my work schedule changed from swing to a regular 9-5.I was scrolling through instagram and saw an open enrollment post by AHA which is conveniently 2 cities north away. I thought it was a long shot but aunty Pua called me in less than 24 hours after signing up and everything aligned after that. Even though getting in the hula class was easy peasy with AHA, the class itself was not so much. I have never ran straight without stopping to walk until my first class. Even in middle school, I took a break and walked most of the way because of my asthma. My record was 1 mile in 14 min and almost failed PE.

The challenge of unlearning what I was used to from my past halau was balanced by my enthusiasm of learning another way to do hula basics that actually makes sense. I never thought my hips can sway as wide as it can now and it totally makes sense! Each class after that, I was excited to learn more of what makes sense. Kumu Mark has a way of explaining things that gives me clarity and answers to my whys. As I got to spend more time with my hula sisters, brothers and kumu hiking on the weekends then eating out after, I felt that home feeling once again.

Especially because it involved eating rice.

Through out my non-hula years, I’ve always tried to watch Merrie Monarch online every spring to get my hula-fix. When Kumz had set me aside after my first class, I thought he was going to tell me to join the gracious ladies class. I’m truly grateful to be attending the Friday class and trying out to dance in that Merrie Monarch floor with, I think, the best halau in Oakland, CA.

The road will be tough ahead but I have an inspiring coach/kumu and kukuis that will definitely push me to be the best that I can be and stop dancing like an old lady. :)