Lele Wale at UHM Kennedy Theatre - Earle Ernst Lab Theatre

Lele Wale
World Premiere Hana Keaka
Written and Directed by MFA candidate Ikaika Mendez

March 4-8, 2026
*Post Show Q&A following the Friday performance

Lele Wale takes audiences on a poignant journey through the rebuilding of a community in the wake of the devastating Lahaina wildfires of August 2023. Inspired by true stories, this production serves as a tribute to the homes, businesses, landmarks, and most importantly, the cherished lives lost. As leaders, first responders, displaced families, and cultural practitioners navigate the aftermath, they wrestle with difficult questions about identity, responsibility, and the future of their beloved homeland. Through their eyes, we witness the cycles of history repeating – how colonization, commerce, and displacement have shaped the town, yet how resilience and aloha remain steadfast. “I ka w ma mua, ka w ma hope” (The future is found in the past). Blending mele and hula, Lele Wale explores themes of loss, healing, and the unbreakable bond between people and place. In the play, as the anniversary of the fire approaches, tensions and emotions rise, forcing the community to confront its grief, hope, and responsibility to future generations. This production is both a prayer and an offering, honoring Lahaina’s enduring spirit and the unextinguished flame of its people, ke kukui pio ole i ka makani Kauaula. mama, ua noa, lele wale.

This production will be performed in a combination of lelo Hawaii (Hawaiian Language), Hawaii Creole English (Pidgin), and English languages.

Content Advisories: Grief and trauma, colonization and cultural struggles, displacement and economic hardships, use of fire symbolism.