Ku Mai Ka Hula competition and “Year of the Hula” Film Festival.

Calling all hula enthusiasts, supporters and dancers! 2008 has been named “Year of the Hula” for the County of Maui, and on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 13 and 14, the Maui Arts & Cultural Center will present a weekend of hula events!

The third annual Ku Mai Ka Hula: “Hula Appears” international hula competition will be held at the Castle Theater on Saturday at 1 p.m. Watch halau from Japan and Hawai‘i compete in solo and group performances in kahiko (traditional hula) and ‘auana (modern-day hula stylings). Then come back the following day for an afternoon of hula-themed films at The MACC’s “Year of the Hula” Film Festival—Sunday at 3 p.m. at the McCoy Studio Theater.

The “Year of the Hula” Film Festival will feature two outstanding hula films: Na Kamalei: The Men of Hula and Kumu Hula and A Tradition of Teachers. A special guest speaker will give a perspective of the film topics.

Na Kamalei: The Men of Hula captures the journey of legendary master hula teacher Robert Cazimero and the only all-male school in Hawai‘i as they prepare to compete in the 2005 Merrie Monarch Festival. Blending dance and culture with the personal stories of the men, the film tells a story of Hawaiian pride as they celebrate the 30th anniversary of continuing the revival of men dancing the hula.

Kumu Hula: A Tradition of Teachers shows how a student of traditional hula dance becomes a kumu—a master teacher. Through interviews with prominent hula teachers such as Robert Cazimero, the film chronicles the journeys a hula student must make before being accepted as a keeper of traditional hula culture.

Ku Mai Ka Hula tickets are $25; half-price for kids. Tickets for “Year of the Hula” Film Festival are $12; half-price for kids. Tickets are available at The MACC Box Office (Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.) or charge by phone: 242-SHOW (7469).