Lamaku Society is a 501 c3 organization dedicated to the education and continuance of Hawaiian Culture and Arts. We have many exciting projects and events planned for the future. Please journey with us and log on to our calendar page to see what we have coming up.
Since he was a youngster, music and performance influenced many aspects of Tony Conjugacion’s life. From humble beginnings living in Palama, Oahu, Tony worked hard at honing his skills in the performing arts. As an adult, he earned recognition as an award-winning recording artist, composer, television personality, stage actor (Miss Saigon-New York), producer, direct, and (last, but not least) Kumu Hula. Although Tony taught hula in Hawai`i and abroad for more than twenty years, he waited until 1997 to establish his own: Halau Na Wainohia in Honolulu. Since the inception of his h*lau, Tony has groomed seven Olapa dancers, culminating with their uniki at Kipu Kai, Kauai in 2004. He then graduated four Kumu Hula and one Olapa dancer at Keawanui Molokai in 2010. The halau is growing: Kumu added keiki classes and a new kane class for young men in 2011.
Kumu founded the Lamaku Society in 2008 and currently serves as its executive director. This non-profit (501.c.3) organization is dedicated to the education, promotion and preservation of the Hawaiian culture with an emphasis on the performing arts. With its 2009 CD release of a hula compilation entitled Ike O Na Kumu Hula (Insights of the Hula Sources) Lamaku Society and Kumu Tony garnered the highest distinction, winning “Compilation of the Year” at the 2010 Na Hoku Hanohano Awards ceremony.
With a priority focus to perpetuating hula within the halau, throughout the local community and around the world, Kumu also continues to promote his passion for traditional Hawaiian music by performing, locally, and Disney’s Aulani Resort - an endeavor which began in August 2011. As the momentum builds, the future presents promising and exciting anticipation for Kumu as he sets a renewed focus on reviving appreciation for vocal stylings that are associated with Hawaiian music. His goal is to produce a performance event, sponsored by the Lamaku Society, which will feature talented vocalists in the local community.
Mr. Cravalho has been a board member since 2008 and is the current President of the Lamaku Society. His commitment to the preservation, education, and promotion of the Hawaiian culture stems from his own family influences growing up on the island of Oahu. A graduate of Saint Louis School and Chaminade University, Mr. Cravalho has worked in the health insurance industry, at Hawaii Medical Service Association, for over 20 years. He has dedicated himself to improving the health and well being of Hawaii’s Medicaid population.
Ms. Ono-Evangelista 2007 was one of the founding board member to assisted the Lamaku Society obtaining their 501(c)(3) non-profit status. Dedicated to perpetuating the Hawaiian culture through song and dance she has been under the tutelage of Kumu Hula Tony Conjugacion of Halua Na Wainohia since 2002. Prior to her coming to Halau Na Wainohia, she took a number of classes with one of Kumu Tony’s teachers, Darrell Lupenui, when he created The Ladies of Kealaokalauae.
Ms. Ono-Evangelista graduated from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and .has spend most of her career working with the economically, socially challenged For the last 12 years she has been a public servant working for the State of Hawai’i and currently the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.
Hannah V. Kehaulani Lima was born and raised on the windward side of Oahu. Her family moved out to west side of island where she attended and graduated from James B. Campbell High School. She attended Leeward Community College studying Accounting and Office Administrative Technology. She started her administrative career with ALU LIKE’s Native Hawaiian Vocational Education Program as a secretary, eventually moving up to the Fiscal/Administrative Assistant/Project Coordinator. Since 2003 to present she is the Human Resources Specialist for Papa Ola Lokahi which is a Native Hawaiian Health Board founded in 1988 to improve the health and well-being of Native Hawaiians and their families.
Since 1992 she has been under the tutelage of Kumu Hula Tony Conjugacion of Halau Na Wainohia. On September 18, 2010, she graduated as Olapa. Currently, she has taken a sabbatical to pursue her higher education in the study and profession of Administrative Human Resources.
Mr. DeBord has been a board member of the Lamaku Society since 2008, and Vice President for the past three years. Tim has had a long interest in preserving Hawaiian culture and history, as well as understanding the importance educating the community on this history. Mr. DeBord is a Professional Geologist working in the environmental consulting field for 20 plus years. Prior to this he was US Coast Guardsman for 10 years, serving in Hawaii, California and Florida. He is currently residing in Florida, while maintaining a home in Oahu.