Hālau Nā Mamo Aliʻi ʻO Mokuʻula stands as a living tribute to our kūpuna, honoring the ʻike, kuleana, and enduring legacy passed down through our lineage.
At the foundation of this legacy is our moʻokūʻauhau, which connects us to our great-great-grandmother, Harriet Maele Shaw, and her elder sister, Alice Kaehukaiakamehameha Shaw Kaʻae, the last known kahu of Mokuhinia and Mokuʻula. Through them, we inherit a profound responsibility to remember, to honor, and to perpetuate the sacred traditions entrusted to our ʻohana.
Our maternal grandfather, David Napihe Shaw Sr., along with his siblings, was raised by Alice Kaehukai Shaw Kaʻae. From a young age, they were taken to Waiola, where they cared for and maintained the resting places of their ancestors. Though the reasons were not always spoken, these acts of mālama ʻāina and mālama kūpuna instilled a deep, unspoken understanding of place, responsibility, and lineage. It is through these practices that we came to know of our family’s roots in Lāhainā, on Shaw Street, and our enduring connection to this storied place.
Alice Kaehukaiakamehameha Shaw Kaʻae was born on August 31, 1867, on Molokaʻi to Lahela Kauhiokapu and Patrick Pia Shaw, who served as Governor of Molokaʻi under King Kamehameha V. She and her sisters were hānai into the royal household and brought to Honolulu, where they resided at ʻIolani Palace until the passing of the King in 1872. She later returned to Maui, and in time, went back to Honolulu to further her education at the Kawaiahaʻo Female Seminary.
Alice went on to serve as a lady-in-waiting to Queen Liliʻuokalani, remaining steadfast in her loyalty to the monarchy and to her lāhui. Upon returning to Lāhainā, she became known as a devoted royalist, an advocate for the rights of women, and a committed aloha ʻāina patriot.
In 1895, her family was entrusted with the care of Mokuhinia—the sacred loko and freshwater springs surrounding Mokuʻula, a wahi kapu and chiefly residence of immense cultural and spiritual significance. As kahu, Alice bore the responsibility of tending to this sacred place, which is intimately connected to Kihawahine of the Piʻilani line, a revered moʻo whose presence is known throughout the pae ʻāina o Hawaiʻi.
Alice Kaehukai Shaw Kaʻae was also instrumental in renaming Waineʻe Church to Waiola Church, and was a respected keeper of ʻike pertaining to Maui, including ʻike hula, which she generously shared with others throughout her lifetime. She passed on April 16, 1956, leaving behind a legacy of ʻike, strength, and unwavering devotion to her people and her land.
Today, Hālau Nā Mamo Aliʻi ʻO Mokuʻula carries forward this hoʻoilina with deep humility and commitment, ensuring that the ʻike, values, and traditions of our kūpuna continue to live and thrive through the next generations.
E ola loa i ke aloha.

Kuʻualohanui Kauliʻa is originally from Hawaiian Homestead Lands in Nānākuli, Oʻahu. However, currently Kuʻualoha resides on Maui. He is a kumu hula, haku mele, haku hoʻoponopono, and alakaʻi nui. Kuʻualoha recently retired from Kamehameha Schools as an Education Officer and Cultural Specialist having taught Hawaiian language, chant and dance, and facilitated in-house cultural training as a protocol officer for KS Maui Campus. During his years at KS, he was instrumental in assisting with developing programs created for both teachers and administrators statewide in the Department of Education. In 2007, a partnership between KS and the DOE began where Kuʻualohaʻs skill sets as a former classroom teacher and community coordinator assisted in the building and bridging of ʻike pilina (relationship building), ʻike honua (acknowledging oneʻs sense of place), and ʻike pīkoʻu (strengthening oneʻs own knowledge base). Although currently retired, Kuʻualoha continues to teach and share various areas of ʻIke Kūpuna Hawaiʻi via in-person and via an on-line cohort as time allows in his schedule.

Hālau Nā Mamo Aliʻi ʻO Mokuʻula is a non profit organization which serves the community of Upcountry and Lāhaina Maui. We provide a safe place of learning, discipline, and deep cultural connection dedicated to the preservation and perpetuation of hula and ʻike Hawaiʻi. Under the direction of Kumu Hula Kawaiola Deguilmo and Kumu Hula Kapeka Vares, our hālau upholds the values of kuleana, mālama, and haʻahaʻa in all that we do. Rooted in the traditions of our kūpuna, we cultivate not only skilled dancers, but grounded individuals who carry themselves with ʻike, humility, and aloha.

Hula is not approached simply as an art form, but as a living practice—one that honors our ancestors, our ʻāina, and our relationship with ke Akua. Through chant, movement, and disciplined study, haumāna are guided to deepen their understanding of culture, language, and identity. Rooted deeply on Maui, we are committed to giving back to our community—nurturing the next generation, strengthening cultural foundations, and creating a space where ʻike is shared with integrity. We remain steadfast in our mission to honor the legacy of Joseph Ilalaole and ensure that hula continues to thrive for generations to come.