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Kumu Leato S. Savini
Executive Director, Hālau Nā Mamo O Tulipa
Owner, Tulipa Cultural Production

Kaimi Viernes
Alaka`i, Hālau Nā Mamo O Tulipa
Instructor, Tulipa Cultural Production

Kawahineʻoluʻoluokalāʻulaʻula Sekiya
Alakaʻi-Iāpana

Mailani Rytter
Alakaʻi-Wilikinia

Tulipa Savini-Maino
Alakaʻi-Kaleponi

Roxanne Phillips
Hālau Seamstress, Fundraiser Coordinator, Treasurer
Payroll Officer, Tulipa Cultural Production

Kumu Leato S. Savini is the Executive Director of Hālau Nā Mamo O Tulipa and the owner of Tulipa Cultural Production. He works hard to maintain the integrity of both the hālau and the company. His vision is “To perpetuate and cultivate the Hawaiian and Polynesian Cultures with pono, to continue the legacy of MARGARET TULIPA AFOA-LUTU SAVINI, and to drive and instill the concept of Many in Body, One in Mind!”

On February 21, 1983, Nofo and Moki Savini gave birth to their oldest child, Leato. Born and raised in Waiʻanae Kumu Leato attended Māʻili Elementary for his kindergarten and first grade school years then transferred to Nānāikapono Elementary to complete grades 2-6. For seventh and eighth grade he went to Waiʻanae Intermediate and then on to Waiʻanae High School where he graduated in 2001.

From the age of two he was singing and humming Hawaiian tunes such as He Aloha Mele, Ka Uluwehi O Ke Kai, and others. At age 3 he began dancing Hula and Samoan dance for his grandma Tulipa in their church organization for shows and exhibitions. When he attended Nānāikapono he met his current kumu, Kuahiwi Moniz. He enhanced his knowledge of dance, history, and song at Nānāikapono and also started dancing for his mom and auntie Mara. In Intermediate, Leato continued to dance for his mom and started dancing for the late Kaulana Kasparovich until he was in the 9th grade. In high school, he continued to study material with Kumu Kuahiwi and he started to dig deeper into the history and culture of Hawaiʻi by doing his own research at the Bishop Museum, State Archives, and Libraries.

His grandma was not his only influence to hula and entertaining. His mom was a hula instructor when she was 16 and was still teaching family when Kumu Leato was growing up. His dad was an avid entertainer as a musician playing guitar, ‘ukulele, and bass. At age 10, he met his current kumu and mentor, Kuahiwi Moniz who took Kumu Leato under his wings and groomed, nurtured, and guided him to the path he is in today.

When Kumu Leato was 16 he started teaching the Wai‘anae High School hula group known as Nā ‘Opio O Wai‘anae, the group his mother was the instructor of. He was the instructor until 2003, two years after he graduated. While the instructor he garnered a couple of awards at the Hawai‘i High School Hula Competition and was a crowd favorite every year.

In 2003, he was asked to be the Kumu Hula for Leeward Dance Studio’s Ke ‘Ānuenue ‘Ohana Hālau who was selected to do a Japan tour for Tokyo Gas Company. After accepting the job he was told he had one month to prepare an hour show, which he did and was a huge success. In the same year he helped to establish Hālau Kalāholomua with partners, but his grandmother passed in the same year and before she passed her words was, “do your own grandson and take care of your parents and brother and sister.” Things were not pono at Hālau Kalāholomua and taking his grandmothers advice he parted ways with the partners after a year, closing the hālau and opened Hālau Nā Mamo O Tulipa in honor of his late grandmother, Margaret Tulipa Afoa Lutu Savini.

Seven years later; four branches located in Hawai‘i, Japan, Virginia, and California, over 400 students, works with a network of over 1000 hula enthusiasts, and performs with Hawaiian Music Legends such as the Makaha Sons, at age 28, he is an award winning kumu hula and one of the youngest. His mentors are his parents along with, Kumu Kuahiwi Moniz, his cousin Kumu Hula O`Brien Eselu, Kumu Hula Mark Keali‘i Ho‘omalu, the Makaha Sons, and Loea Charles Ka‘upu.

On a final note, Kumu Leato does not only have a hula or entertainment background, he is a well rounded individual. He played four years of High School Football as a Searider of Wai‘anae. After graduating he also coached five years of Pop Warner Football winning a few championships. He was also a student of Master Bro. Abes Hawaiian Self Defense School for 15 years and received his Black Belt and was trained in Kempo, Karate, Kajukenbo, and other Martial Arts. He was also a journalist and editor for his school newspaper and was a member of the schools Searider Productions, an award winning media program, in which he contributed a couple of National Awards. He worked six years at OfficeMax and left the company as an Operations Manager.

Hālau Position: Alaka`i TCP Position: Instructor
Kaimi Viernes is a graduate of Waiʻanae High School and has been a dancer for Kumu Leato since Nā ʻOpio O Waiʻanae. She is also a former dancer of Germaine’s Lūʻau. Kaimi is responsible for the teaching responsibilities especially when Kumu Leato is off island.

Alakaʻi-Iāpana
Kawahine has been dancing hula for over twenty years in and around Japan and Hawaiʻi. She has been a dancer for Kumu Leato for about 7 years and today is responsible for the day ot day operations of the Japan branch. She is responsible for all 300 students in both the Shinjuku and Akihabara branches. Kawahine is a hard worker and a beautiful hula dancer. She thanks her staff of kākoʻo who helps her make sure the hālau runs smoothly in Kumu Leato’s absence.

Alakaʻi-Wilikinia
Mailani is the younger sister of Kumu Leato’s mom. She has been dancing hula all her life and has been living in Virginia for almost 20 years. She is responsible for the day to day operations of the Virginia branch. Mailani uses hula to soothe her mind and soul and it keeps her connected to her home Hawaiʻi and her ʻohana.

Alaka`i-Kaleponi
Daughter number three of our namesake, Tulipa Takako Savini-Maino, is the Alaka’i of Hālau Nā Mamo O Tulipa-Kaleponi. After a 17 year absence from the world of Hula and Entertainment, she has decided she wants to be a part of our Hula `Ohana and to help in spreading the legacy of her late mother. She will be responsible for the day to day operations of our California branch located in a small city known as Taft, California.

Hālau Seamstress, Fundraiser Coordinator, Treasurer
TCP Payroll Officer

Roxanne has been a part of the hālau since its inception in 2004. Starting as just a parent and has grown into the treasurer, fundraising coordinator and seamstress for small things like pāʻū skirts and other uniforms the dancers use for shows. Her daughter is a member of Papa Hōʻike. Along with her daughter Roxanne has been able to travel to Japan and California to support and participate in tours hosted by the hālau.