Explore Hawaiian Print Fabric with Kahulaleʻa

This print was inspired by the kupukupu of Puna, which are especially striking: longer, fuller, and incredibly vibrant, stretching confidently across the forest floor. They are like a reflection of the strength of the land itself.

The setting for this inspiration is Wao Kele o Puna, the native lowland rainforest that is both culturally and ecologically significant in Puna. It is a place where native plants continue to thrive in abundance, representing the richness and vitality of that region.

In hula traditions, the more delicate pala‘a and palapalai ferns are often celebrated and widely used for adornment. The kupukupu, however, offers a different kind of beauty. Its fronds are strong, sturdy, and resilient, growing easily across the lava landscapes of Puna where other plants might struggle. In many ways, it mirrors the character of Puna itself—formed by Pele, yet constantly renewing and flourishing.

Through this print, I wanted to celebrate the forests of Wao Kele, the resilience of the kupukupu fern, and the place I come from—Puna. It is a tribute to the land and the plants that continue to inspire our cultural practices, including hula.

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Lauloa Ke‘oke‘o Kalo

This print draws inspiration from the Lauloa Ke‘oke‘o Kalo, a variety of Kalo that is found across Hawai‘i but is especially familiar in the landscapes of Puna. Through this print, I wanted to honor the wide variety of Kalo, while highlighting in particular the Lauloa Ke‘oke‘o version that grows so abundantly in Puna. Its large leaves (hence Lauloa) reaching upward from the earth serve as a visual reminder of the story of Hāloa and the big responsibility we carry to care for the land that feeds us. In celebrating kalo, this print celebrates our origins, our sustenance, and the living connection between the people of Hawai‘i and the ‘āina.

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ʻŌhai Aliʻi

The ʻŌhai Aliʻi is celebrated for its delicate, feathery blossoms, light, vibrant, and full of movement. Made into lei, it creates an airy adornment that feels alive with every step and sway.

Kēhau often wore ʻōhai Aliʻi lei during her hula performances, appreciating its lightness, its subtle movement, and its bold color, which added to the presentation of the hula.
Returning during the Merrie Monarch 2026 season, this design honors the connection between lei, adornment, and hula, capturing the bold yet delicate beauty of ʻōhai Aliʻi.

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Chiefs of Puna and He‘e Hōlua

The inspiration for this print began on a personal level. Last year my cousin, Ikaika Marzo, shared with me that he had been asked to serve as the 2026 Mō‘ī Kāne for the Merrie Monarch Festival court, and shortly after, my brother Koa Marzo was appointed as the Mō‘ī Kāne councilor. Their involvement led me to reflect more deeply on the legacy of the chiefs of Puna and sparked the idea of creating a Merrie Monarch print inspired by their stories.

As I explored those mo‘olelo, one theme that repeatedly surfaced was He‘e Hōlua, the traditional sport of lava sledding. It was an activity practiced by the ali‘i, requiring immense skill and bravery as riders descended rocky lava slopes at high speeds on narrow sleds. Several chiefs of Puna are connected to stories of He‘e Hōlua, including Kahawali, Ahia, and Papalauahi.

However, the story that resonated most strongly with me was that of Chief Kumukahi and his encounter with Pele. Kumukahi was known as a skilled athlete who excelled in He‘e Hōlua. In one account, Pele arrived in disguise and asked to join the races. When Kumukahi refused and ridiculed her request, she retaliated by unleashing a river of lava that chased him toward the sea. The movement of that lava is said to have formed the easternmost point of Hawai‘i Island, known today as Cape Kumukahi.

This story connects personally to my own childhood memories. Growing up, my dad would sometimes take us on his day trips down to Pohoiki to visit his friends, and occasionally we would pass by the lighthouse at Cape Kumukahi. Because of those memories, the story of Kumukahi and Pele and that landscape is very vivid to me.

Through this print, I wanted to honor both the strength and daring of the chiefs of Puna and the powerful mo‘olelo connected to that place, while also acknowledging how those stories continue to live on through our landscapes, our families, and our cultural memory.

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Ka Ua Moaniani Lehua O Puna

This print is named for the rain of my home in Puna—Ka Ua Moaniani Lehua O Puna, the rain that carries the scent of the lehua blossom. In Hawai‘i, rains and winds are given names, each one unique to its place, its rhythm, its story. This is the rain I grew up with—gentle and fragrant, wrapping the land -and my memories- in a lehua scented mist.

Lei Loke

Whenever you see a lei print woven into one of our designs, it’s often a reflection of my roots as a hula dancer, and the leis we would adorn ourselves with for certain mele, each one chosen with care, intention, and feeling.

But beyond my own experience, many leis carry even deeper meaning when tied to someone’s personal story and lineage. One beautiful example is Aunty Leimomi Ho, a revered Kumu Hula from Oʻahu, who has shared with us the heartfelt reason behind her love for the lei loke.

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Nohoanu

As the warmth of summer gives way to the cool embrace of fall, we welcome our newest Kahulaleʻa print: Nohoanu. Endemic to Hawaiʻi, this native geranium—known as the “cold dweller”—thrives in cooler environments, with silvery leaves and blossoms of white, pink, or magenta. Its jagged, toothy lau (leaves) embody a uniqueness and ruggedness, reminding us of Hawaii’s varied landscape that often reflects the duality of beauty and resilience.

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Pāʻū o Hiʻiaka

The second print release in our newest collection is inspired by the endemic Hawaiian morning glory plant, Pā‘ū O Hi‘iaka. Translated to the “skirt of Hi‘iaka,” there are multiple mo‘olelo that are connected to this coastal crawling vine. In one legend, it describes how Pele brought her baby sister, Hi‘iaka, with her to the beach to go surfing. As Pele is surfing, Hi‘iaka, who is on the beach, becomes uncomfortable from the hot sun, and the small vine-like plant grows over her to provide shade. In her later life, another legend states that Pele sends Hi‘iaka on an epic journey to search for Pele’s lover, and she is adorned with a magical skirt, Pā‘ū O Hi‘iaka, to help protect and guide her on her journey.

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Makuʻu Kalo

Inspired by my grandmother’s cherished quilt pieces, this print honors her Kalo (taro) quilt pattern—hand-stitched with love in her home in Makuʻu, Puna on Hawai’i island. The design element reflects the deep roots of ʻohana, nourishment, and connection to ʻāina.

Hawaiian quilting, born from the fusion of native artistry and 19th-century Western influences, is more than craft—it’s a legacy passed from one generation to the next. This print is a tribute to her hands, her heart, and the stories woven into every stitch.

Hāpuʻu

Hāpu‘u grows slowly, over decades, even centuries, standing as a reminder that true strength is patient, grounded, and enduring, where wisdom and beauty are passed quietly through time. Inspired by the forest of Hāpu‘u surrounding my home in Pu‘u ‘Ōhi’a, Oahu, this print honors ancient resilience and the legacy held within our native forests, carried softly from one generation to the next.

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Puna Niu

Puna Niu was born from memory. From the way the coconut trees leaned toward the sea along the coastline of my tūtū's home in Puna, their fronds whispering in the wind like lullabies only keiki and kupuna could understand.

Summers there were sacred. The air was heavy with ehukai, the salty sea spray clinging to our skin as the Niu danced overhead. I remember the golden light of a sunset catching on the leaves, sad to see the day slip away, yet thankful that this place was my home and I’d be back for another day.

This print is a remembrance of those Niu, to that coastline, to the quiet power of our childhood places. A print that holds the stories of our land and lineage—strong, graceful, unforgettable.

Puna in my heart, always.

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Explore Hawaiian Print Fabric with Kahulaleʻa

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