Kaipo Frias

Kaipo's deep love and appreciation of the Hawaiian culture began generations ago. A descendant of Filipino, Portuguese, Puerto Rican and Navajo immigrants, Kaipo's formative years were spent with his maternal grandparents at Ka'alaea. They strove to maintain and preserve the identity of the people from whom they descended while at the same time teach their offspring the importance of becoming a part of the people that welcomed them to these islands.

His formal hula training began secretly and continued with several kumu hula, finally dancing with Halau O Kekuhi for the past 16 years. While in training with Pualani and Nalani Kanaka'ole, Kaipo came across a quote by the hula school's matriarch, Edith Kanaka'ole. "Any one can learn to chant. But the best chanter composes his own poetry. Other than that, one is a mere mimic." This was the catalyst that launched his education and career as a composer. He holds a B.A. in Hawaiian Studies and a M.Ed. and currently teaches Hawaiian Studies at the University of Hawai'i at Hilo and at Hawai'i Community College. With the foundations of family traditions afforded him by his Ka'alaea family and the many years of training in hula, chant, poetry and Hawaiian culture, Kaipo carries with him many years and many students worth of experience.

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