TOGETHER WE RISE
By Raydiance Joy Grace
Photos by Dave Olson
The vibration of the empowered Feminine was palpable wherever you went at MAnaFest 2024 at Kalani. One could feel the embodiment of how a world having womb power would function in the present time.
As the author of this article, I have chosen to focus on the women who produced MAnaFest and the “wisdom keepers” to express my gratitude and support to honor the “Sacred Feminine” versus reviewing the musicians in performance.
The MAnaFest Vision is printed at the bottom of this article.
Le’a Colter on the left and Zenne Seradwyn on the right
In 2015, Le’a Colter, psychotherapist, and Zenne Seradwyn, videographer, and author birthed the vision of an empowered woman’s festival while frolicking at secret beach in Puna with other creative goddesses. Hope Medford hopped on board with the mutual purpose of co-founding MAnaFest with co-producers Le’a and Zenne, which was actualized for 4 years at Hawaiian Sanctuary.
Hope Medford
Hope Medford is a musician, doula practitioner, and the founder of “Birthkeeper”, with a website, sacredbirthpath.com which educates doulas to apply natural birthing methods. She is a co-founder and currently main producer of ManaFest, the former drummer and performer for Nahko and Medicine for the People from 2007-2015. When she birthed her daughter in Seaview in 2015, the idea for a grand festival featuring female artists here on the Big Island coincided with Le’a and Zenne’s similar vision. They wanted to create an event for women performers that would build their confidence as both global and cultural artists to be heard in their own feminine frequency in an authentic empowered way. “MAnaFest is a prayer in action and celebration!”
In 2020, the event moved to Kalani, interrupted by Covid until re-emerging in 2024! This special return of MAnaFest featured 25 musical acts, with both national & international performers, and 5 Hawaiian musicians. The festival included indigenous leaders both Hawaiian and native Americans, 15 various workshops, a Keiki zone, and an ongoing participatory tea ceremony. The Red Temple (overseered by Jill Walton, Amberay and Omra) programs were a special feature for women and young girls only. The large turnout of participants demonstrated how much everyone wanted to come back together to celebrate the sacred feminine!
Sisters of One Drum in foreground with audience participation at MAnaFest
In the tradition of native American drumming,the sisters of the One Drum are inter-tribal women who gather around the ceremonial drum for the sole purpose of healing. Their prayers honor our earth mother, grandfather, and grandmother and the ancestors of their ancient ways. Their drumming bridges the gap between cultures through the medium of the drum, which represents the universal heartbeat of us all. “We are all one”! The group is available to travel and to pray for your worthy cause. Contact at Instagram: sistersoftheonedrum.
Omra, Jill, Hope, and Amberay
Hope, Amberay, Omra, and Jill all co-producers/assistants led the opening ceremony on Saturday. Welcoming all with the Aloha spirit and a positive prayer affirming the best is yet to come! As Amberay so eloquently said, “The time of the Lone Wolf is over.!”
Mary Isis, singer/performer on the left, Melissa Honeybee on the right with the Ho’okupu that they made as a community at ManaFest
The following statement of what constitutes true community service was written by Melissa Honeybee, who is a CommUnity-Oriented Bridge-Building Visionary. She offered this practice of “ho’okupu,” (a special offering), to inspire the MAnaFest audience, plus the Puna Rising readers to activate the creation of their “ho’okupu,” for the betterment of Puna.
My prayer is that we all begin to ask ourselves, “How can we show up and be in service even more than we already are? How can we give more to the land we live on and visit? How can we support the “Kānaka Maoli,” (Hawaiian indigenous person), and the larger community even more? Have we introduced ourselves to the land? Have we shared who we are and why we are here?” Creating a “ho’okupu,” (a special offering) to the place we reside or visit is a simple and foundational way to connect and share in more balanced reciprocity. Some examples of a “ho’okupu,” as shared by Huihui Kanahele-Mossman, are sharing a Hula dance, a Mele (song or chant) that you haku (Create on your own), or Mele that has to do with the place you are at, a Lei, Plants and Hawaiian herbal medicines such as ‘Awa and/or ‘Olena, and anything that creates growth to that place and is biodegradable and will not negatively alter the ecosystem.
Hawane Rios, vocals and guitar and Hope Medford on her djembe drum
A dynamic Hawaiian message was delivered by Puna resident, Hawane Rios, which mixed her original meles with powerful political comments in support of honoring Hawaiian Sovereignty and human rights. She said, “I am baffled by the world leaders not taking a more positive position to influence the practice of compassionate human rights over individual greed and power.”
This message of compassionate practice for the rights of all was a sacred feminine theme that was present throughout the festival. If you want to support ManaFest for future events empowering female artists, musicians, performers, and movers and shakers:
Contact the producer Hope Medford: JoinManaFest@gmail.com
MAnaFest Vision Statement:
We are celebrating Abundance, Creativity, and Empowerment by producing events that include all people, unified to Honor the Sacred Feminine through Music, Educational Workshops, Crafts, Movement, Healing Arts
We come together on this `Ãina as one family, at the feet of sacred Mauna Kea, in the lap of Goddess Pele.
MAnaFest Altar