Hoʻolauleʻa at Kaunakakai Ball Park

Photo by Léo Azambuja

Kā Molokai Makahiki 2026 concluded with the Hoʻolauleʻa at the same place where all the sports competitions took place, at Kaunakakai Ball Park Saturday, Jan. 24 at 5 p.m. More than 500 people showed for an evening of live music, hula performances and food.

“In the spirit of this year’s theme, Liko aʻela nā lālā nolu pē i ka ua Kilihune, this Kā Molokai Makahiki has been a season of return and renewal following the pause brought on by Covid. This year, off Island competitors once again joined the Makahiki games, restoring a practice that has long connected Molokai with the wider pai ʻāina,” Hoʻolauleʻa emcee Hala Pa-Kala said at the event’s opening. 

Hawaiian group Hōlei provided the live music for the evening. Several hula hālau performed on the park’s grass field, including Hālau Hula ʻo Molokai, which co-hosted the Hoʻolauleʻa, Moana’s Hula Hālau, Molokai Hālau, Hālau Hula ʻo Kūkunaokalā, Hālau Hula ʻo Kalaʻionāmanu and school groups.

Lima said the evening was all about hula, because “that is something that we really felt needed to be reawakened in our community.”

“We haven’t had Ka Hula Piko since Covid. It was another really big event, very similar to Makahiki, but during that event, we focus only on hula,” Lima said, adding Kā Molokai Makahiki partnered with Ka Hula Piko co-host Hālau Hula ʻo Molokai to bring hula back to the Makahiki celebrations this year.

Several picnic tables were laid out in front of the stage, flanked by additional seats in the bleachers. To the side, keeping the crowd fed, there were a few food and beverage booths, including Molokai Sea Farms, Mokiao ʻOhana, Makekau ʻOhana, Braddah Pops, Molokai High School’s booth selling cold beverages, and EJ’s Lemonade. 

Molokai Land Trust had a native Hawaiian plant giveaway, and Sustʻāinable Molokai and ʻĀina Momona hosted Ko Koa Uka Ko Koa Kai’s barter booth. Additionally, there were outreach booths from Hawaiian networking group Kanaeokana, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and the University of Hawaii Center for Oral History.

Partners and sponsors for Kā Molokai Makahiki 2026 included Maui County Office of Economic Development, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Sustʻāinable Molokai, Federation of State Humanities Councils, Kaiāulu, ʻĀina Momona, Maui County Parks and Recreation, The Digital Bus, Molokai Island Refuse Inc., Ka Ipu Makani, Kanaeokana, Center for Oral History, Hawaii Council for the Humanities and Molokai Land Trust.

Visit kamolokaimakahiki.org for more information.