E Mele Mai
Clifford Naeʻole
Born and raised on the island of Maui, Clifford Naeʻole shares in intimate detail the story of his life and the kuleana of the name he carries. A name that informs the work he does as the caretaker of Honokahua (the resting place of thousands of Hawaiian ancestral remains) and as the cultural advisor for The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua.
Traditionally trained as a chanter and hula dancer for decades, Clifford, like many Hawaiians of his generation, did not acknowledge his “Hawaii-ness” until relocating thousands of miles away from his homeland. Returning to Hawaiʻi as a new father amidst a cultural renaissance, Clifford shares how the work he has done for 30+ years is the result of simply loving the very special place he comes from.
Traditionally trained as a chanter and hula dancer for decades, Clifford, like many Hawaiians of his generation, did not acknowledge his “Hawaii-ness” until relocating thousands of miles away from his homeland. Returning to Hawaiʻi as a new father amidst a cultural renaissance, Clifford shares how the work he has done for 30+ years is the result of simply loving the very special place he comes from.