By Lexus Yamashiro | Staff Writer

From March 20-23, KCC will be hosting its 29th annual International Festival. Students, faculty, staff, and the community will get to experience the various cultures of the world through performances by student clubs, prominent guests, and KCC professors themselves.

The International Festival is a signature event throughout the UH System. The college will be collaborating with UH Mānoa’s College of Social Sciences (UHM-CSS). Guest speakers and representatives from UHM-CSS will have presentations throughout the week.

Along with musical performances, presentations, and films that will be shown throughout the week, the ʻŌhiʻa cafeteria will be a featuring international dishes during the festival. The Koa Gallery will also be featuring art by the late Chuck Davis in the Koa building.

Amongst the various cultures of the world, students will get the chance to experience Hawaiʻi’s culture will be presented by performances of several Nā Hōkū Hanohano award winners such as steel guitarist Alan Akaka and singer/songwriter Kuʻuipo Kumukahi, a professor at KCC.

“Hawaiian music is the soul of the islands, as within the music is coded words, ideas, & concepts that beautifully express an artistic vision of the island world that surrounds us,” said Carl Hefner, the festival director, through an email. “The expressive nature of these songs should be preserved and cared for, as carefully as we would preserve anything worth saving, for generations to come.”

Other KCC professors, such as slack key player Jacob (Jay) Koseki, will also be performing during the festival.

“I am grateful for my experiences with Ki Hoʻalu, and thankful for my kumu’s and mentors that have shared with me,” Koseki said through an email. “It was Ki Hoʻalu that led me to pursue a career in music therapy and the guitar.  I am happy to share and perpetuate the art of Ki Hoʻalu for future generations.”

Kumukahi and Koseki will be performing Thursday from 12:50 p.m. to 2 p.m. in ʻŌhiʻa cafeteria.

For more information contact Carl Hefner at hefner@hawaii.edu.

To see the schedule of events click here.

INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL SCHEDULE:
Monday:
9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. : Campus tours; ʻŌhiʻa cafeteria
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. : Chinlone (the traditional sport of Myanmar); Great Lawn
1:45 p.m. – 3 p.m. : Letting the Gini Out of the Bottle: Mourning Inequality Archaelogically (guest speaker Dr. Christian Peterson); Olona 201
6:30 p.m. – 8:45 p.m. : International Film Selection “Seven Something;” Kopiko 127B/128

Tuesday:
10:45 a.m. – 12 p.m. : The Afghanistan-Pakistan Problem, 2001-2016 (guest speaker Dr. Abdul-Karim Khan); Olona 201
10:45 a.m. – 12 p.m. : Writers and Courage, a Literary Reading (Lisa Kanae); Lama Library alcove
11 a.m. – 12 p.m. : Courageous Songs: Korea, Japan, China, Spain; ʻŌhiʻa cafeteria
12:15 p.m. – 12:45 p.m. : The Beauty of the Hawaiʻian Steel Guitar (Alan Akaka); ʻŌhiʻa cafeteria
1 p.m. – 2 p.m. : The Art of the Ukulele (Mika Kane); ʻŌhiʻa cafeteria
6:30 p.m. – 8:45 p.m. : International Film Selection “First Love;” Kopiko 127B/128

Wednesday:
9:15 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. : International Film Solitary; Lama Library alcove
10 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. : Classical Topeng Dances of Bali (I Made Widana); ʻŌhiʻa cafeteria
11 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. : Taiko Center of the Pacific (Kenny Endo); ʻŌhiʻa cafeteria
12 p.m. – 12:30 p.m. : Songs for the North Shore (Ian O’Sullivan); ʻŌhiʻa cafeteria
12 p.m. – 1 p.m. : STEM Supports the World; ʻŌhiʻa cafeteria
12:15 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. : International Film “Son of Saul;” Lama Library 118
12:45 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. : A World of Music: Latin Music for the Soul (Yezmin); ʻŌhiʻa cafeteria
6:30 p.m. – 8:45 p.m. : International Film Selection “Heaven’s Bookstore: Light of Love;” Kopiko 127B/128

Thursday:
10 a.m. – 1 p.m. : UHM College of Social Sciences; ʻŌhiʻa cafeteria
11:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. : Carinosa, Dance of the Philippines; ʻŌhiʻa cafeteria
11:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. : Dances of the Middle East; ʻŌhiʻa cafeteria
12:15 p.m. – 12:30 p.m. : Sevillanas, a Treasured Dance of Spain; ʻŌhiʻa cafeteria
12:30 p.m. – 12:45 p.m. : K-Pop: Popular Culture in Korea; ʻŌhiʻa cafeteria
12:50 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. : Slack Key With Jay Koseki; ʻŌhiʻa cafeteria
1:30 p.m. – 2 p.m. : Nā Mele O Hawaiʻi (Kuʻuipo Kumukahi); ʻŌhiʻa cafeteria
2 p.m. – 4 p.m. : Courage in International Literature; Ohelo Building, Tamarind Room
6:30 p.m. – 8:45 p.m. : International Film Selection “Terminal;” Kopiko 127B/128

*Also on Thursday, special events in ʻŌhiʻa cafeteria include:
10 a.m. – 2 p.m. : Spanish Language & Culture Club, Bayanihan Sa KCC (Filipino) Club, French Language & Culture Club, Korean Language & Culture Club, Chinese Language & Culture Club, KCC Economics & Business Club, International Club, Phi Theta Kappa, The Russian Club at UHM
10:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. : Japanese Conversation and Calligraphy