FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mahealani Uchiyama info@mahea.com

Oakland, CA – Pōpoloheno: Songs of Resilience & Joy a CD by dancer, musician and author Māhealani Uchiyama, has been nominated for a 2026 Nā Hōkū Hanohano Hawaiian Music Album Of the Year award. These awards, founded in 1978, are the Hawaiian equivalent of the Grammy Awards.

Pōpoloheno is an unprecedented musical initiative celebrating the often-overlooked contributions of African descended individuals in post-contact Hawaiian history. This project was sponsored by the Gerbode Foundation, and the Kenneth Rainin Foundation.

This is the ninth album by Māhealani Uchiyama, the only lineally recognized kumu hula (hula master) of African descent. It features original mele inoa (name songs) that honor historical figures and stories, ensuring that their legacies become an integral part of Hawaiian cultural memory. Recognizing the significance of this project, four-time Grammy Award winner Kalani Pe‘a joined an impressive roster of artists, including Kawika Alfiche, Kaulike Pescaia, and Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award winners, Kamakakēhau Fernandez, and Patrick Landeza, as well as celebrated jazz vocalist Azure McCall.

The Meaning Behind Pōpoloheno
The pōpolo is a black-colored berry found throughout Polynesia, revered for its medicinal properties. In Hawai‘i, it became associated with people of African descent and was later used as a pejorative term due to colonial ideology. This project reclaims pōpolo in a positive light, embracing its healing symbolism and honoring the intertwined histories of Black and Hawaiian communities.

Featured Songs and Stories
The album will feature songs honoring historical figures such as:

• Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. – A Lei for Reverend King commemorates his 1959 speech at ‘Iolani Palace and the solidarity between Hawai‘i and the civil rights movement.
• Betsy Stockton – Pua Laulele celebrates the formerly enslaved woman who became an influential educator in Lahaina.
• President Barack Obama – Ka Momi Hiwahiwa is inspired by his message of hope and change.
• Alice Ball – Wahine Hoʻōla (Healing Woman) honors the pioneering chemist who was the first African American to graduate from the University of Hawaiʻi and contributed to research on a treatment for Hansen’s disease (leprosy) in Hawai‘i.

The album was recorded at Grammy Award-winning producer Dave Tucciarone’s studio in Honolulu. Following its release in Summer of 2025, Pōpoloheno presented live performances in San Francisco and Honolulu.

Pōpoloheno highlights the historical bonds between Hawaiian and African cultures, recognizing shared values, struggles, and resilience. This project seeks to challenge misrepresentations, deepen cultural understanding, and create a lasting musical tribute to Black history in Hawai‘i.