Presenter Bio ʻAha Lomilomi 2023
Kumu Brenda Mohalapua Ignacio
Kumu Brenda Mohalapua Ignacio is a native of Hamakua, Big Island of Hawaiʻi. She was taught from birth the connection of the spirit of love in all things, especially nature by her grandmother Mary Silva. Hawaiʻiʻs Queen Lilliʻuokalani was her inspiration to study Hoʻoponopono and together with Nana Veary studied with Mornah Simeona and Pali Jae Lee. She is a Kumu Lomilomi and Kahu and DOE Licensed Instructor of Hawaiian Healing Arts. She has appeared and been featured in several films, magazines and books on Lomilomi Massage, including “Hawaiian Massage, Lomilomi – Sacred Touch of Aloha”.
Co-founder of Hawaii Healing Arts College in Kailua, Oʻahu, Kumu Brenda loves to teach students the wisdom given to her by her own teachers, many of whom entrusted her with formerly secret knowledge. Credentials include Licensed Massage Therapist, Hawaii Licensed Kahu, Hawaii DOE Licensed Instructor, NCBTMB Provider A for CE credits, Former Director and current ALH approved instructor with the ʻAhahui Lomilomi Hawaiʻi. Kumu was inducted into the World Massage Festival Hall of Fame in 2014 and received the World Massage Festival Humanitarian Award in 2015.
Kumu Haunani Hopkins
Kumu Brenda Mohalapua Ignacio is a native of Hamakua, Big Island of Hawaiʻi. She was taught from birth the connection of the spirit of love in all things, especially nature by her grandmother Mary Silva. Hawaiʻiʻs Queen Lilliʻuokalani was her inspiration to study Hoʻoponopono and together with Nana Veary studied with Mornah Simeona and Pali Jae Lee. She is a Kumu Lomilomi and Kahu and DOE Licensed Instructor of Hawaiian Healing Arts. She has appeared and been featured in several films, magazines and books on Lomilomi Massage, including “Hawaiian Massage, Lomilomi – Sacred Touch of Aloha”.
Co-founder of Hawaii Healing Arts College in Kailua, Oʻahu, Kumu Brenda loves to teach students the wisdom given to her by her own teachers, many of whom entrusted her with formerly secret knowledge. Credentials include Licensed Massage Therapist, Hawaii Licensed Kahu, Hawaii DOE Licensed Instructor, NCBTMB Provider A for CE credits, Former Director and current ALH approved instructor with the ʻAhahui Lomilomi Hawaiʻi. Kumu was inducted into the World Massage Festival Hall of Fame in 2014 and received the World Massage Festival Humanitarian Award in 2015.
Kumu Ramsey Taum
Mentored and trained by respected kūpuna (elders), Ramsay is a practitioner and instructor of several Native Hawaiian practices: Hoʻoponopono (stress release and mediation), Lomi Haha (body alignment), and Kaihewalu Lua (Hawaiian combat/battle art).
He is also a recognized cultural resource, sought-after keynote speaker, lecturer, trainer, and facilitator. He is especially effective working with Hawai‘i’s travel, leisure, and retail industry where he integrates Native Hawaiian cultural values and principles into contemporary business.
Ramsay is the founder and president of the Hawai'i-based Life Enhancement Institute (LEI) of the Pacific LLC, Director of the Pacific Islands Leadership Institute (PILI) at Hawaii Pacific University, and Cultural Sustainability Planner at PBR HAWAII & Associates.
Kumu Kalei Nuʻuhiwa
Kumu Kalei Nuʻuhiwa was born and raised on the island of Maui. Currently lives in Hilo, is a mother of two, and for the last 14 years has worked with the Edith Kanakaʻole Foundation's project called Papakū Makawalu. The project conducts research in Hawaiian pule (incantations/prayers) and mele (songs) to extrapolate Hawaiian understanding and epistemologies of the natural world to be reestablished in daily life.
In the last 30 years, Kalei has been active in the Hawaiian language movement, revitalization of the island of Kahoʻolawe, wayfinding practices, reinstatement of the Kaulana Mahina (lunar calendar), and extensive study of sites on Mokumanamana, Maunakea, and Maunaloa. Cofounder of ʻAimalama, a consortium of women practitioners and educators, collectively gathered to teach communities how to readapt to the environmental changes through the revival of the Kaulana Mahina (Hawaiian lunar calendar) and Kilo (practice of reading the weather) to encourage communities to become their own advocates and experts of their surroundings. ʻAimalama facilitated two conferences that brought communities from the various islands of Hawaiʻi, Yap, Tahiti, Cook Islands, and New Zealand together to share about living through the cycle of the moon to survive. The ʻAimalama process simply teaches people to observe, record, prepare, re/adapt, mitigate, and survive.
Kumu Antoinette Kahililaulani Alapa'i lāua ʻo Kumu Kahealani Alapaʻi
Antoinette Kahililaulani Alapa'i, born and raised on the West-shores of Oahu. In 1990 started my career with Department of Education and taught Hawaiian studies to grade school children. I taught children of all ages on Kauai. While teaching I continued to support my husband Kumu Allen Alapa'i in his family style of Hooponopono Lomilomi. Master and Kumu. We live as Hawaiian practitioners of the Sacred Cutural art of Hooponopono and Lomilomi. I retired from the system and started our journey teaching and helping in peoples healing. Today I continue the work and travel along with my eldest daughter Kumu Kahealani to distant lands to share in our style of Hawaiian Healing. I continue to train and spread aloha to many.
Kumu Pōmaikaʻi Freed
Pōmaikaʻi Freed, of Kalihi, began studying under Uncle Alva while still a student at Hālau Kū Mana Public Charter School. During her senior year, Uncle Alva came to Hālau Kū Mana to talk to the students of a lomilomi elective class. This single meeting changed the course of her life. For the better part of the next 7 years was spent living with, learning from, and being molded by her Kumu, friend and mentor.