By: Janelle Kienast

Fort Collins, Colo-- Ho`olaule`a, means celebration in Hawaii and that’s exactly what the Colorado Aloha Fest was in Boulder. A complete cultural experience for the masses and an experience like no other. While lost in the smells of traditional Hawaiian cuisine, and entranced by the bright and beautiful colored leis, one cannot help but smile while dancing around the 29th Street Mall, just a short distance from the CU Boulder campus.

On Friday September 17, 2010 this event kick started a celebration like no other with a much talked about Hula Concert including Hula Master F. Hewett and famed Grammy Award winner Daniel Ho. This cultural celebration also included art shows, hula dance performances, concerts, and the promising nail bitter football game between the CU Buffs and the UH Warriors at Folsom Field .

While thousands of people attended this festival, many do not know the history nor the recognition this event gets from the state of Hawaii. While interviewing Tammie Wa'awina Chaumillon, Event director and founder of this cultural celebration, I found that her pure love for her culture and the drive to share that same love with her hula students was the force behind the Colorado Aloha Fest. In 2006, Tammie held a small event for her students to perform and show case their talents to the community of Northglenn, much to everyone’s surprise this event sold out, as well as similar events to follow organized by Tammie. With the success of these Hawaiian cultural events, came the growth and popularity of these Hawaiian Festivals. When asked what draws people to this event Tammie proclaims “Authenticity!” And this is not an overstatement by any means considering this is the only Hawaiian festival on the mainland that is backed by many Hawaiian Organizations, as well as the Governor of Hawaii; THAT’S BIG!

This festival took 2 years of preparation and every aspect of this event is pieced together through volunteer work. Because this was a non-profit event, it was completely free to the public, and all ages were welcome. With over 70 vendors and events planned for this festival there was truly something for everyone, including aloha workshops, hula lessons and even lei making lessons.

Another powerful contributor to this festival was Richard McEntee, Colorado & Hawaii Public Relations Liaison and self made developer who founded Black Diamond Park. When McEntee was presented with information involving the Colorado Aloha Fest, he immediately wanted to jump on board and help in any way possible. Through his commitment to spread the "Spirit of Aloha" Richard became a sponsor and teamed up with Tammie to make the 2010 Colorado Aloha Fest the biggest and best it could possibly be.

Tammie Wa'awina and Richard McEntee, and their hopes to pass on the Hawaiian culture, are an inspiration to all. Their hopes of spreading a culture that is truly unique and often inexperienced in Colorado can only bring a smile to the people that are privileged enough to attend this festival. We can only hope that the Colorado Aloha Fest continues to preserve Hawaiian culture through Colorado and serve as not only a source of entertainment, but also allows each and every one of us to appreciate the brotherly bonds that can be attributed to this cultural festival.

When the UH Warriors play the CU Buffaloes at Folsom Field on Sept. 18th they might have more fans from Hawai`i than they can imagine waiting for them in the Colorado.

The Colorado Aloha Festival on Sept 17-19th in Boulder, is a 3 day, weekend celebration of all things Hawaiian and has been honored in advance with Proclamations from both the State of Colorado and The State of Hawai`i in a cultural exchange of Hawaii’s “Spirit of Aloha” and Colorado’s “Spirit of the West.”

Hawai`i Governor Linda Lingle and Lt. Gov. James “Duke” Aiona Jr. at the request of Hawai`i Rep. Barbara Marumoto, have issued an official message and a proclamation for the Colorado Aloha Festival that Lt. Gov. James “Duke” Aiona Jr. presented to Black Diamond Park Developer Richard “Mac” McEntee last week in an official ceremony at the Hawai`i State Capitol. McEntee is a resident of both Hawai`i and Colorado and the Title Sponsor of the event and is acting as the liaison between Hawai`i and Colorado for the event as he did for the Don Ho/Waikiki Beachboy Day held on July 20, 2007 in Walsenburg, Colorado, which was sponsored by Black Diamond Park. 

During the proclamation ceremony last Thursday, Mr. McEntee  presented Lt. Gov. Aiona with an Official Tribute from the State of Colorado Senate at the request of Colorado State Sen. Ken Kester honoring The Colorado Aloha Festival, The People of the State of Hawai`i, and Gov. Lingle and Lt. Gov. Aiona.

"The Colorado Aloha Festival is an all-volunteer event created to share the culture and heritage of Hawai`i with Colorado," said Lt. Governor Aiona. "People from all over the country and world are expected to attend and see some of Hawai`i's most renowned musicians and performers."
 
The Colorado Aloha Festival will kickoff with a Hawaiian Hula Concert the night before on Friday night at 7:00 pm on Sept. 17th at the historic Macky Auditorium at CU. Special guests include 5 time Grammy Award winner Daniel Ho and a Hula Dance presentation by the Colorado Hula Halau, Mauna Pohaku, a volunteer non-profit (school) dedicated to preserving the Hawaiian culture in Colorado founded by Tammie Ha’awina,, Traci Brown, & Terrl  Carbary.  More than 50 adult and keiki dancers from The Mauna Pohaku, will be joined by dancers from Maui, with Hula Master, Frank Kawaikapuokalani, Hewett.

Both The State of Hawai`i and The State of Colorado official state flags have been flown over the state capitols in Honolulu and Denver and will be exchanged at the concert between UH Chancellor Virginia Hinshaw and CU Chancellor Phil Distefano.  Both State flags will be displayed side by side before and after the game at the Del Ward Center directly in front of the stadium. Representing Hawai`i’s “Spirit of Aloha” & Colorado’s “Spirit of the West”.

Directly following the Hawaiian Hula Concert, The Colorado Aloha Festival was awarded the exclusive privilege of premiering the acclaimed documentary film "ONE VOICE”, that tells the story of language, culture, perseverance and love.  Kamehameha HS Principal Julian Ako recently expressed it succinctly as "the story of our people's struggle to restore the vibrancy of our culture and language to the nation and the world.   Maika`i loa!  We can all be proud of this work."

Sat. & Sun. 9/18-19, the Colorado Aloha Fest-29th Street Mall in Boulder.  Activities include free Hawaiian cultural workshops, hula, ukulele, and lei making, with two stages for Pacific Islander music and "talk story" sessions.  There will booths with Hawaiian food, arts and crafts from vendors, many of which are coming from Hawaii.

The Colorado Aloha Festival supported by both the State of Colorado and the State of Hawai`i and by The Hawai`i Tourism Authority, The Office of Hawaiian Affairs,. The University of Hawai`i Alumni Assoc. The University of Hawai`i at Manoa and Na Koa Football Club. 

If you miss this year’s Colorado Aloha Festival there is another on the way next July 29-31st 2011 in Walsenburg Colorado, the site of the Don Ho/Waikiki Beachboy Aloha Fest that took place on July 20, 2007 which was sponsored by Black Diamond Park and Richard McEntee.  Plans call for Melveen Leed to be the headliner with special guests and the Mauna Pohaku Halau performing their magical Ancient Hawaiian Hula. The event will be produced by John, “Keoni “ Cohelo of Hawaiian Way in Colorado. Mark your calendars and Come on Down! to still another Colorado/Hawaiian Paina, that lasts for days not hours, in Walsenburg, Colorado. in 2011.

Go to Blackdiamondpark.com and Hawaiianway.com for more information and tickets.

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