Entertainer Robert Uluwehionāpuaikawēkiuokalani Cazimero, for more than 50 years a beacon of Hawaiian music, hula, and an iconic ambassador of island culture, will be the focus of “Ke Kilo Lani,” an exhibition of his artistry and accomplishments in a luminous career unlike any other.
The show will open Jan. 23 from 4 to 7 p.m., and will continue till May 15, at Gallery ‘Iolani, on the campus of Windward Community College. The gallery adjoins the Paliku Theatre in Kaneohe.
Cazimero has established a remarkable legacy in hula, emerging as an award-winning kumu hula and the heartbeat and pulse of Halau Na Kamalei O Lililehua, which last year was judged the overall winner of the annual. Merrie Monarch Festival, an annual event that draws hula groups from all over Hawaii and often out-of-town competitors.
Cazimero said: “I am deeply honored to be the subject of this exhibit. It is both very humbling and awkward at the same time as I never thought about building a lasting legacy while simply living my life. I hope that gallery visitors will learn that my success came from having a little luck, favorable timing, and through the love and support of my family, hālau, and friends. Welcome to ‘Ke Kilo Lani!’”
“Ke Kilo Lani” can be interpreted as one who observes the heavens, or a star-gazer.
The exhibition opens a contemplative window into Cazimero’s extraordinary life work, illuminating how ʻike Hawaiʻi (to understand, or see) is carefully observed, nurtured, and carried forward through time. The displays reflect a continuum of ancestral wisdom and contemporary expression, revealing how cultural continuity is sustained through disciplined practice, mentorship, and unwavering commitment.
Through archival materials, visual storytelling, and embodied practices, visitors are invited to engage deeply with Cazimero’s body of work. Vintage photos and some artifacts from his livelihood are part of the attraction.
The exhibition emphasizes cultural transference as a living process, shaped by kuleana, mālama, and aloha for future generations.
Robert’s treasured past includes a stint with his late brother Roland in the Sunday Manoa group with Peter Moon, which led to developing their own brand and sound as The Brothers Cazimero, whose vision embraced recordings of traditional and contemporary Hawaiian tunes, and Na Hoku Hanohano Awards and spin-off community events like May Day extravaganzas and festive Christmas concerts that involved Na Kamalei dancers who also sing, and – for many years, until her passing — the hula and comedy of “the third brother,” Leinaala Kalama Heine.
Robert perennially pays homage to his kumu, the late Maiki Aiu Lake, for the wisdom and tradition he learned, and since her death he has developed his own imprint over the decades and he now is a role model in the annals of hula.
He’s sharing his talent in his ongoing monthy concerts at Chef Chai on Kapiolani Boulevard.
The Wāhea Foundation is collaborating with Gallery ‘Iolani, in staging the exhibition. Gallery hours are from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. daily except Sundays and holidays. Information: (808) 236-9155, www.gallery.windward.hawaii.edu
And that’s Show Biz…