This subcollection contains unedited footage from the documentary Biography Hawaiʻi : Maiki Aiu Lake. Maʻiki Aiu Lake was one of the most widely recognized kumu hula, or hula masters, of the twentieth century. She was passionately devoted to learning about Hawaiian culture at a time when such interests were often discouraged. As a very young woman she sought out some of the most respected kumu hula of her time, including her primary teacher, Lōkālia Montgomery. Aiu Lake helped to preserve and pass on crucial components of Hawaiian knowledge and tradition through difficult times. In her school, Hālau Hula o Maʻiki, she trained many of the most respected kumu hula who teach and practice today. Maʻiki Aiu Lake was indisputably one of the major contributors to the 1970s cultural reawakening on a grand scale that has come to be called the Hawaiian Renaissance. This documentary covers the life of Aiu Lake through interviews with students, family, and friends.
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