I began my study of Hawaiian Hula with Berkeleyʻs Hālau Ka Ua Tauhine under Kumu Māhealani Uchiyama when my family relocated to the north shore of Kaua‘i. Hula was a way to both connect with my family from afar as well as a way to learn about and pay homage to the breathtaking place that they now call home. Through hula, I have learned the intertwining of Hawai‘i’s history, ancestral knowledge, renowned people, and its poetic and powerful use of language.
I had the honor of teaching the keiki hula classes for one of the alaka‘i while she was on maternity leave for a year. 
In the summer of 2014, I had the opportunity to travel with my hālau to Kauaʻi for Ka ʻAha Hula ʻO Hālauaola, the 4th World Conference on Hula.
It was an unforgettable experience to bring my studies and my hālau family to the place that my family and I love so dearly.
One of the traditions of many hālau is to have a yearly hoʻike (presentation) of our work during the year. At Hālau Ka Ua Tuahine, a student is given a Polynesian name at their first hoʻike. This name is chosen especially for each student, and very often the chosen name carries an unexpected link for the student. When I received my name of Hulili, I rushed to my heavy Hawaiian dictionary to decipher its meaning. From the Pukui / Elbert Hawaiian dictionary:
“hulili: Dazzling light…to blaze, sparkle, dazzle.”
They had no idea that my name with The Devil-Ettes was The Spitfire, and I think that Hulili shows that I leave a little glitter wherever I go (both literally and figuratively).
Shona Mitchell 