Iwalani recently returned from a visit to Egypt, hihlighted by her Hawaiian chants in the ancient pyramids “honoring our ancestors. Our Island ancestors and the ancient Egyptians are alike in so many ways—an interest in astronomy, the management of water resources for crops, and a deep spirituality.” She showed traditional respect for Moslem religious customs by covering her head with a scarf in public. Iwalani communicated the aloha spirit by also wearing Hawaiian floral leis and flowers, as is her custom. She visited the Mohammed Ali Mosque in Cairo during prayers, where she joined other women in the mosque in silent reverence.
“I loved visiting the craftspeople at a papyrus factory and an alabastar workshop, and the young rug weavers in their apprenticeship with the masters. We also spent time with the oil and aroma therapy experts who have been fragrance specialists since the times even before Cleopatra,” said Iwalani.
While in Egypt, Iwalani traveled eight different ways: by auto, airplane, feluccas (Egypt’s traditional sailboats), bus, cruise ship, horse and buggy, and camel. “Just as we time-traveled through history, our transportation varied from the most ancient—riding by camelback—to a modern cruise ship on the Nile.”
On her return to her students at Iwalani School of Dance, she shared highlights of her adventures and pictures of landmarks in Egypt, over 8,000 miles from Honolulu. “It’s important to educate our children, and have them walk through history, and learn to appreciate the similarities of distant people and those of us here in Hawaii.”
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