Maydean Bowman

Maydean Bowman shares her memories visiting her grandfather in Mahukona, where her mom was born. She recounts her courtship with her husband Kimo and living in the Bowman house on Union Mill Road. Maydean helped dedicate the new Mauna Kea Hotel and performed hula there for a while. She talks of her love of hula, taking classes from famed Kumu Hula Edith Kanaka‘ole, and the early days of Merrie Monarch. Maydean believes that hula is not just about dancing, but about spreading aloha and love of Hawaii and recounts how she traveled the world to spread this love. 

Introduction and Memories of Visiting Mahukona

Bowman describes the roles of her her family members on the plantation and visiting Mahukona as a child. 
Photo credit: Kealoha Sugiyama

How Maydean Became a Bowman

Recounts her courtship with her husband, Pierre  "Kimo" Bowman.
Photo credit: maunakearesort.com

Memories of the
Bowman House

Describes the Bowman House on Union Mill Road and interesting “guests” who came to visit at night. 
Photo credit: The Local Arrow

Dancing at Merrie Monarch

Remembers her first kumu, Edith Kanaka'ole, and her travels around the world as a hula dancer.
Photo credit: Hawaiian Mission Children's Society, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Opening Mauna Kea Resort

Describes dancing hula at the dedication of the Mauna Kea Hotel in 1965.
Photo credit: maunakearesort.com
Sugar cane field

Closing Kohala Plantation

Describes the new industries that were tried in Kohala after the plantation started to phase out.
Photo credit: National Archives at College Park, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Spreading Aloha Through Hula

Gives advice to the future generations: dance hula and spread the aloha.
Photo credit: Ron Ardis, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Additional resources

Transcript

Credits and video information

Recording date: 7/2/22
Location: Kamahemeha Park, Kohala Reunion, Kohala

Videographer: Lucas Manuel-Scheibe
Editor: Misia Palad, Hawai'i Community College