Merrie Monarch Craft Fair Bids Farewell to Beloved Ipu Heke Maker

The annual festival celebrates Hawaiian arts and crafts, including the final showcase of a legendary ipu heke creator.

Apr. 10, 2026 at 10:05am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A brightly colored, high-contrast silkscreen print of a single, iconic ipu heke drum repeated in a tight grid pattern, conceptually representing the traditional Hawaiian instrument as modern pop art.The vibrant and iconic ipu heke drums of the late Kathleen 'Tita' Kaauwai take center stage at the final Merrie Monarch Craft Fair, celebrating her decades-long legacy as a beloved maker of these traditional instruments.Hilo Today

The Merrie Monarch Hawaiian Arts and Crafts Fair in Hilo, Hawaii is underway, featuring new vendors selling glass leis, fish jerky, and hand-drawn clothing. However, this year's fair will be the last chance for customers to purchase the handmade ipu heke (double gourd drums) of the late Kathleen 'Tita' Kaauwai, a beloved maker who passed away last year. Tita's drums have provided the rhythmic heartbeat for hula kahiko performances at the Merrie Monarch Festival for over two decades.

Why it matters

The Merrie Monarch Craft Fair is a beloved annual tradition that celebrates Hawaiian culture and artistry. Tita Kaauwai's ipu heke were an integral part of this festival, and her passing marks the end of an era. The fair also provides an important platform for new and emerging Hawaiian makers to showcase their work and connect with the community.

The details

Tita Kaauwai was known for meticulously crafting 100-150 ipu heke each year to supply the Merrie Monarch Festival's kumu and dancers. Her longtime assistant, Renee Rivera, is staffing Tita's booth this year, which is stocked floor-to-ceiling with Tita's polished, golden-brown gourds. Rivera says there's no way they could continue producing the volume and quality of Tita's work. Other new vendors at the fair include clothing maker KoaMalu Collective, glass lei artist Arlie Glass, fish jerky producer Punahele Jerky Company, ribbon lei maker Linomelia, and Princess Kaiulani Fashions.

  • The Merrie Monarch Hawaiian Arts and Crafts Fair kicked off on Wednesday, April 9, 2026.
  • The fair will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, April 11, 2026, and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 12, 2026.

The players

Kathleen 'Tita' Kaauwai

A beloved maker of traditional Hawaiian ipu heke (double gourd drums) who passed away in May 2025 after selling her handmade drums at the Merrie Monarch Craft Fair for over two decades.

Renee Rivera

Tita Kaauwai's longtime assistant who is staffing her booth at the 2026 Merrie Monarch Craft Fair, the last year her handmade ipu heke will be available.

Geoli Ng

The owner and designer of first-time vendor KoaMalu Collective, a clothing company that donates a tree for every garment sold to support native Hawaiian bird habitats.

Arlie Pemberton

The owner and artist of Arlie Glass, a new vendor at the Merrie Monarch Craft Fair who creates delicate glass lei.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“This was her passion. It's a really hard process, so even if we decided to continue, there's no way we'd be able to do the volume. Every year, she would make anywhere from 100 to 150 heke, and there's no way we could do that.”

— Renee Rivera, Tita Kaauwai's assistant

“Her proudest moments are when she sees her heke on stage, on the Merrie Monarch stage, with the kumu, and she could pick them out, she's like: 'That's mine! That's mine!'”

— Renee Rivera, Tita Kaauwai's assistant

“When you come in to choose your heke, it chooses you. It's a personal thing, you can't just go online and be like, 'oh, okay, that one's pretty.' You have to come in and experience it — you have to try. And she would tell you to come in and be like, 'which one is calling to you?'”

— Renee Rivera, Tita Kaauwai's assistant

“I feel extremely blessed because I didn't realize that it's really hard to get in here, and I was blessed with the opportunity. I feel extremely grateful. It's only been one year since I've been here alive with KoaMalu. This is my anniversary. I'm really grateful because we get to plant more trees and save more birds.”

— Geoli Ng, Owner, KoaMalu Collective

“The aloha spirit is very alive in Hilo, and I feel lucky and honored to be here. It's really amazing because my work is — I'm not from Hawaii; I've been here for ten years — it's inspired very much by lei culture. This is just kind of all-encompassing for what I do. These are my people. They're the people who appreciate it and understand the meaning behind it.”

— Arlie Pemberton, Owner, Arlie Glass

What’s next

The Merrie Monarch Craft Fair will continue through the weekend, with the final day on Saturday, April 12, 2026.

The takeaway

The end of an era is marked by the final showcase of Tita Kaauwai's beloved ipu heke at the Merrie Monarch Craft Fair, a beloved annual tradition that celebrates Hawaiian culture and artistry. While Tita's passing is a loss, the fair continues to provide an important platform for new and emerging Hawaiian makers to share their work with the community.